illustration by cobolIt has been argued that all humans survive on affection, and what better way to obtain affection than joining a group which you feel comfortable in? Some people join a group for status and prestige, some join to feel included in the daily activities, others simply for the company.
The problems that arise from the moment you wish to join a group is aplenty. Take acceptance for a start (think back on the times when you wished to join a particular CCA for example), as a new member, how often is it that you were asked to do the menial tasks by the senior members? After gaining the status of a full member, how much is it that you did onto the prospective members that wished to join the group?
Having a cohesive group of friends in school, otherwise known as a clique, also contributes to a problem called groupthink. How many times have you heard a slang for a particular person in school coming out from a group? A person who is not in the in-group will not have an inkling of who they are referring to. By having shared stereotypes, the group will also have an illusion of invulnerability, and even ostracise particular people within their social circle.
There are many ways to combat this behavior, but how many of us actually attempt to do it? And most importantly, are we aware of the problem and is in fact taking some action to correct it?
To be alone, or in a group, you decide.
The problems that arise from the moment you wish to join a group is aplenty. Take acceptance for a start (think back on the times when you wished to join a particular CCA for example), as a new member, how often is it that you were asked to do the menial tasks by the senior members? After gaining the status of a full member, how much is it that you did onto the prospective members that wished to join the group?
Having a cohesive group of friends in school, otherwise known as a clique, also contributes to a problem called groupthink. How many times have you heard a slang for a particular person in school coming out from a group? A person who is not in the in-group will not have an inkling of who they are referring to. By having shared stereotypes, the group will also have an illusion of invulnerability, and even ostracise particular people within their social circle.
There are many ways to combat this behavior, but how many of us actually attempt to do it? And most importantly, are we aware of the problem and is in fact taking some action to correct it?
To be alone, or in a group, you decide.
12 comments:
being in a group is like a coin; on one side we have synergy, on the other we have groupthink.
i find the concept of groupthink interesting, as i have noticed that groupthink is the more-than-one-person version of individualthink.
i am sure one has encountered situations where one thinks that one is correct in ones decisions (illusion of invulnerability), believes in ones own morality and ostracises other people who do not conform to ones similar thinking?
aren't we all guilty of 'individualthink' then?
In a setting like School, it is a difficult to be a loner. Being in a group not only gives us company but it may also help us academically. Politics can never be avoided in a group of people.
All that matters is how much we care about it and how much we are willing to lose without affecting ourselve.
")
I find that the advantages of being in a group or clique far surpass the disadvantages of being a loner.
We learn more from our interacting in a group provided we keep in mind not to exclude any person who may want to join in. In other words, we shouldn't make it 'exclusive'.
It should be a group whose aim is to lend support to anyone who needs it & to help one another grow healthily in all aspects of life.
I know because I had my own clique in school & even now after having left for donkey years, we are still very much in contact with one another.
-aels
Or somethings being in a group just distracts us from what we really want to do. Sometimes because of social obligations, we end up doing things we don't really want to do. It might be eating at megabites when you want to eat at the canteen, or going to a bbq when you have mid terms the nxt week =) But ultimately, its the balance you create. Don't lose your individuality in your 'groups', and don't lose your friends in your individuality.
We have to be part of some group to survive in society today. Whether or not it is superficial is another thing. Everyone wants to be accepted one way or another and being included in a group is probably the only way to do so.
zed - yea, but it will take an enormous ego to do that. and after all, i think we do feel more empowered when we are in a group, and thus the existence of groupthink.
aels - that's very nice to hear. (: having a supportive group of friends around ourselves is definitely a good catalyst for personal growth. finding that group may prove difficult, but the rewards of one is indeed immense.
I'm sure, just as all things, there are 2 sides to this. On one hand, being in a group allows you to have company, more heads to put together to think of solutions in times of need, more topics to talk about, and generally a more exciting party.
But on the other hand, being in a group, when opinions differ, conflicts arise and negative feelings for each other develop, leading to politics among each other and whatnots.
I suppose it all depends on that fine line, learning how to balance group-time and alone-time, learning how to balance self-thoughts and group thinking. hah.
if all else fails, stand up and scream OMM! hah.
Unfortunately, it is quite hard to live as a loner. Unless your extremely resourceful and determined, chances are is that you will need support from other people.
You will always be surrounded by people. Thus, it is inevitable that you will end up joining a group. The question is how much you should compromise yourself for the group.
If your beliefs are different from that of your friends, what will you do? Will you change your way of thinking or stick to it? Worse comes to worse, will you leave the group?
So many points have been discussed here - I'm hardpressed to bring in a new perspective.
In order to know that you are falling into the groupthink syndome, you must first be aware of your actions and why you do them. Only through self-analysis will revelation follow. When I was younger, I was more susceptible to falling into the syndrome because I just wanted to be part of something awesome and close. I also wasn't aware of alot of things I did. Now that I am older, I seek to strike a balance between a healthy amount of connected thinking while still retaining an individual and rational opinion. I have no qualms pointing out problems or suggestions tactfully should anything occur in the group. Moderation is key.
in life, there are not many chances for us to make that decision to be in a group or be alone.
at times, we'll unknowingly associate ourselves with a certain organization or clique.
other times, we may be subjected to face the unknown alone.
when in a group, it's our onus to delegate jobs to each member so as to increase efficiency.
when alone, one has to be able to form interpersonal relationships with others to achieve what he sets out to do.
Good read! Well I believe strongly in individuality, a group is simply a means for friends to come together, to care for another, but yet challenging each other to be their best. People in your group that aren't concerned with your uniqueness.. can they be considered true friends?
Regards,
Shawn Lee Wei Bin
My mother always thought me the following:
"In the working world,you have no friends,only colleagues."
=D.
I view groups in schools as something necessary as a tool for academic advancement as some of you have stated.I personally have my own group of friends outside and that already takes up a considerable amount of my time.
Some have mentioned that everyone wants to be accepted one way or another and being a group is probably the only way to do so.I disgree.If one can't feel comfortable with one's self,they are not going to be all that comfortable with other people.To conform to the whims of a group just to feel secure is a sign of deep seethed social issues,in my humble opinion.
We may be social mammals at heart but I certainly think we can do just fine alone.After all,when we come into this world,we have our loved ones around us,but when we leave ,we are back to being alone again.
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