Do you group think or think for yourself?

by free2beme 22 Replies latest jw friends

  • Lady Lee
    Lady Lee

    most definitely have moved to independant thinking

    There have been times when I see something that is unfair or unjust and I can't go along with the group mentality to keep my mouth shut. I have to speak up for the underdog.

    and yup it has gotten me into trouble more than once

  • trevor
    trevor

    I don't know - what does everybody else think?

  • AuldSoul
    AuldSoul
    jgnat: True independent thinking would mean that at times you'd agree with the group, and at other times not.

    I think for myself. I often find myself agreeing with the conclusions of a certain group, but doing so for reasons that differ sharply from their reasons. Occasionally, I agree with both the reasons and conclusions.

    Respectfully,
    AuldSoul

  • serendipity
    serendipity

    At work, I just finished a bit of training on group decision-making, which touched on group think. It's a common phenonenon. I challenge myself to come up with different reasons or conclusions than the group does. My managers have appreciated a different perspective.

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    Since we make our own reality, right(?) I'm all about the groupthink. Otherwise, my reality won't conform with the big reality, and in reality, size matters, right? The bigger the reality (ie, group's reality), the more, y'know, real it is, right?

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    It depends where, on the JW issues I stopped long ago being part of the collective psychology but there are some other areas of life where I still need to think as an individual rather than follow the collective ideology. That is the process of maturity becoming an individual rather than being an unaware dupe trapped in the darkness.

  • crazies
    crazies

    Isn't that all of us are here prove to a large extent that we think for ourselves on some level?

    I think I think for myself most of the time, however many times I may not speak up about how I truly feel about something. Might need to work on that aspect.

  • mrsjones5
    mrsjones5

    If I was a group thinker I'd be a jw

  • free2beme
    free2beme

    I think it is easy to fall into the safe mold of not wanting to act or be different from the rest of the group, or supporting friends, even when they are wrong. So that we do not seem divided.

  • hartstrings
    hartstrings

    Sociologists define groupthink as the tendency of group members to conform, resulting in a narrow view of something. A classic example is in 2003 when U.S. leaders went along with the idea of stockpiles of WMD in Iraq. Look how dangerous that ended up being. I think it is always a good idea to listen to that little voice inside you that can either be screaming or whispering very softly. It is usually right. It is the reason I got out of JWs. There was a huge price to pay, but it turned out for the best. I wish our leaders would have done so, despite the immediate consequences for standing up.

    HS

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