2 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
Tim Coffey's avatar

I would argue that groupthink is a choice. I'm not a psychologist and thus not an expert on stuff like this, but I'm aware of some research of people like this. Situations like groupthink are comfortable and self-reinforcing, and the decision not to exit from a situation like that is really a decision to avoid psychological discomfort. People don't like being excommunicated from their social circles, so they stay bound to the "group".

Expand full comment
R Mercer's avatar

Groupthink is the path of least effort, it also avoids questions of ethics/morality. It keeps things simple, and keeps you WITH the group.

It's dangerous out there, don't go alone.

Groupthink is how you get a bunch of German policemen (nice enough guys if you are having a beer with them in the bar) going through the Polish countryside, rounding up Jews, shooting them and burying them in mass graves.

Which is a thing that happened.

Expand full comment