Following the crowd

Fat Christy

Do humans have an innate nature to 'follow the crowd'?

I was thinking about this and the amount of ridiculous trends that have occurred throughout the years. For example, when I was 15 or 16 those hideous ugg boots were all the rage, you just had to have them!! I went out and spent all the money I got at Christmas and my savings on a pair of 'REAL' :rolleyes: uggs. They are absolutely rotten yokes but I wanted them and thought I was the bees knees at the time. Every second person I knew had a pair. Then there was the Elsa dolls, remember that Christmas they sold out and every parent with a daughter who hadn't purchased the doll was having a mini heart attack? Effective marketing perhaps, but I do think humans like to conform and if enough people start wearing saucepans on their heads tomorrow, you'd get every second person wearing a saucepan on their head after a while!

There was a thing on telly about this recently, I was only half paying attention to it at the time but it was talking about how humans will alter their behaviour if they are part of a group in order to conform. Say if a group of people all stop and stare aimlessly into the sky, passerby's will also stop to see what they're looking at! Another example, was of a group of people who were asked a simple mathematical sum. All of them were actors with one stranger thrown in the mix. They all answered the question incorrectly and the stranger answered incorrectly as well. WTF?

They went on to discuss how people who would normally be calm and non confrontational can change their demeanor in a protest situation or when in a group that is violent and confrontational in order to fit in. You can see this played up in soap operas and the likes, but I have no doubt that it also happens in real life.

What do you guys think?

Merrion

I shall await a sizeable group opinion on this before risking my own input...

Fat Christy

Merrion wrote: »

I shall await a sizeable group opinion on this before risking my own input...

Good plan, you don't want to get ostracised!

GFT

Prosecco
Kardashians
Beards
Ed Sheeran

Lights On

All you have to do is sit back and watch as a line forms in the airport. People waiting in a line to board the plane when there is endless empty seats all around them.

I think uggs are grand!
Nice warm comfortable boots.

I don't know who Elsa doll is though.

kfallon

Maths is my strong point, I'll be fúcked if I'm gonna make myself look stupid to follow the crowd!!

Tbh I usually look stupid without following the crowd anyway

syklops

For example, when I was 15 or 16 those hideous ugg boots were all the rage

And now that you're 19 or 20 you're all growed up and know better?

Fat Christy

bubblypop wrote: »

I think uggs are grand!
Nice warm comfortable boots.

I don't know who Elsa doll is though.

That's not the point though. *waves fist angrily*

:P

Fat Christy

GFT wrote: »

Prosecco
Kardashians
Beards
Ed Sheeran

Because you made a list, I feel I should make a list!!

Vaping.
Horse riding boots.
Coconut oil
Lifting weights
Craft beer
Skinny jeans on men

Fat Christy

syklops wrote: »

And now that you're 19 or 20 you're all growed up and know better?

I wish I was 19 or 20!! I wish!

Well actually I don't, I'm happier now.

kfallon

For the record, I never owned a Naff jacket nor a pair of Xworx jeans!

Atlantic Dawn

Buying diesel cars.

lazybones32

I think this Q is far too deep for AH.
I remember something from some business lectures in college about 4 stages in building an effective work-team "forming, storming, conforming, performing". Putting people together; letting them butt-heads to exert influence blah de blah; they all start acting similar without having to be told; finally operating as a unit. That's the gist anyway.

I only got a PS3 last year, just as the PS4 was coming out and everyone was buying one.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Society is made made up of those who follow and those who lead. Plus, those who refuse to follow and those who are just oblivious to what is happening around them.

I think all of us fall in to each category at different times in our lives or depending on the circumstances or trend in vogue.

Ruu

*points at sky*

lazybones32

GFT wrote: »

Prosecco

I had to buy this as a gift for someone and it was surprisingly hard to find due to being sold out in many places. I tell you honestly, ten days ago I never knew it existed and since then, everyone seems to be talking about it.

Fat Christy

Ruu wrote: »

*points at sky*

*looks up*


There's nothing there?! The hell you looking at?

*continues to look up*

The_Valeyard

*whoop* *whoop* Conga Lines!!!

the evasion_kid

Giovanna Helpless Romance wrote: »

Society is made made up of those who follow and those who lead. Plus, those who refuse to follow and those who are just oblivious to what is happening around them.

I think all of us fall in to each category at different times in our lives or depending on the circumstances or trend in vogue.

im off to become a hobo...

Medusa22

I definitely think there is some kind of 'herd mentality' in humans, a desire to belong or conform. It probably comes from some sort of survival instinct though, to fit in and to be accepted.

I probably come across as a total ''hipster'' as I usually don't follow trends (I despise skinny jeans and I will wait it out until they disappear, I will not buy a pair) but I think trends still affect me to a certain extent, you can't avoid it.

When I was a teenager having almost no eyebrows was the fashion so I plucked them away to almost nothing and now they won't grow back. These massive eyebrows have been in fashion for the last couple of years and at first I was horrified by them but recently I bought an eyebrow pencil to make my eyebrows a little bit fuller (not quite HD caterpillar brows, I grant you).

Azalea

Some of these trends aren't a bad thing (e.g. weightlifting) and some are through genuine enjoyment/want (e.g. prosecco/Elsa doll).

The stupid ones are the ones that deserve criticism IMO, e.g Uggs.

The_Valeyard

lazybones32 wrote: »

I had to buy this as a gift for someone and it was surprisingly hard to find due to being sold out in many places. I tell you honestly, ten days ago I never knew it existed and since then, everyone seems to be talking about it.

Tbh,

It's cheap, and very, VERY tasty.

lazybones32

Ruu wrote: »

*points at sky*

E.T phoning home?


or predicting more rain...

Xaracatz

Fat Christy wrote: »

*looks up*


There's nothing there?! The hell you looking at?

*continues to look up*

Whatcha looking at? *looks up*

Inspector Coptoor

GFT wrote: »

Prosecco
Kardashians
Beards
Ed Sheeran

Prosecco and the Kardashians serve no purpose

Beards were around since humans first evolved

Ed Sheeran is a great singer/songwriter

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

the evasion_kid wrote: »

im off to become a hobo...

I'm right behind you...

MadDog76

I had no idea Fat Christy was female .........

GFT

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

Ed Sheeran is a great singer/songwriter

LOL

The Backwards Man

I didn't get where I am today by following the Carnabetian Army.

Inspector Coptoor

GFT wrote: »

LOL

Lol away

the evasion_kid

Giovanna Helpless Romance wrote: »

I'm right behind you...

could start a trend here....nothings sacred anymore..

Fat Christy

MadDog76 wrote: »

I had no idea Fat Christy was female .........

Where did I say that?

Where?

I suppose you're one of those people who think men can't wear uggs? :rolleyes: If they can wear skinny jeans, they can wear uggs.

Ugh. Some people.

GFT

Fat Christy wrote: »

Where did I say that?

Where?

I suppose you're one of those people who think men can't wear uggs? :rolleyes: If they can wear skinny jeans, they can wear uggs.

Ugh. Some people.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/03/article-1082623-0256FDDF000005DC-942_224x423.jpg

Fat Christy

GFT wrote: »

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/03/article-1082623-0256FDDF000005DC-942_224x423.jpg

OMG, it's me!!

Just kidding, I wish I was that shkinny!

Frynge

Giovanna Helpless Romance wrote: »

I'm right behind you...

I'm coming too. Sorry i was delayed i was looking at the sky.

Internet Ham

Been thinking this lately with the popularity of Conor McGregor. His appeal completely escapes me. I mentioned this in a FB group and one gentleman referred to him as a ''national hero''. Am I the only one who isn't so easily impressed? I have never been one to follow trends but I find his popularity particularly inane.

Barry Badrinath

I don't usually follow the crowd.

Hopping on the latest trend bandwagon appeals to me as much as my genitalia being peeled like a banana..... Not much!

Id follow you anywhere though FC.

Sam Kade

That tripe love/hate many people only watch it because everyone else does.

The_Valeyard

Fat Christy wrote: »

Where did I say that?

Where?

I suppose you're one of those people who think men can't wear uggs? :rolleyes: If they can wear skinny jeans, they can wear uggs.

Ugh. Some people.

Maybe, it was the thread where you compared your period to the exorcist.

MadDog76

Fat Christy wrote: »

Where did I say that?

Where?

I suppose you're one of those people who think men can't wear uggs? :rolleyes: If they can wear skinny jeans, they can wear uggs.

Ugh. Some people.

The Uggs comment (no, men should not wear Uggs!) made me suspicious enough to search your post history ........... Fat Christy is a girl in her early 20's ........ who knew!

Fat Christy

Wolf Hanssen wrote: »

I don't usually follow the crowd.

Hopping on the latest trend bandwagon appeals to me as much as my genitalia being peeled like a banana..... Not much!

Id follow you anywhere though FC.

Follow me and everything is alllllrrriiiggghhhhtttt.
I'll be the one to tuck you in at night and if you wanna leave, I can guarantee you won't find nobody else like me.

The feeling is mutual, Wolfie.

Canadel

Internet Ham wrote: »

Been thinking this lately with the popularity of Conor McGregor. His appeal completely escapes me. I mentioned this in a FB group and one gentleman referred to him as a ''national hero''. Am I the only one who isn't so easily impressed? I have never been one to follow trends but I find his popularity particularly inane.

I can't stand to hear him speak for more than a few seconds but I admire his ability to win a fight in the same length of time. I don't blame McGregor for the circus that surrounds him or his pre fight antics, I blame the ufc and the fans who demand it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Sam Kade wrote: »

That tripe love/hate many people only watch it because everyone else does.

But everybody else doesn't. I have never watched it and know plenty who never watched it. There is a point in a trend when the perception, incorrectly, is that something is unanimously in favour.

aaronjumper

I tend not to follow the crowd or go against the grain. If I like something I'll do it, if I don't I won't.
If I haven't done it before I'll give it a go to see which of the first two categories it falls into.

Some of the stuff I like is mainstream some of it isn't, what should matter is whether or not you are into a particular thing not how popular or unpopular it is.

Sam Kade

Giovanna Helpless Romance wrote: »

But everybody else doesn't. I have never watched it and know plenty who never watched it. There is a point in a trend when the perception, incorrectly, is that something is unanimously in favour.

I know they don't but the people that watch it believe they do

Alf Veedersane

Follow all the crowds.

I was a Raver and a Grunger/Mosher and got no bayyytins as a result.

riffmongous

Well we all know who the real heroes are then, those guys who wore skinny jeans/ugg boots/beards before it was cool

Azalea

Sam Kade wrote: »

I know they don't but the people that watch it believe they do

How do you know?
Basically you're saying you don't like it, therefore nobody else could possibly like it and they're only watching it because others like it. Obviously *somebody* likes it if you reckon people are only following the crowd who like it. So maybe they all actually just like it?

This superiority complex some folk have about not following trends is as bad. Why care if something is popular once you like it? That's often the reason why people follow something in the first place - not just because it's a trend.

You can be your own person and still simultaneously enjoy something (e.g. prosecco in my case - I love champagne but it's obviously only for a special occasion; now there's a drink that's similar to champagne, slightly nicer actually, and it's very affordable) or a few things that are popular.

Public_Enema

riffmongous wrote: »

Well we all know who the real heroes are then, those guys who wore skinny jeans/ugg boots/beards before it was cool

So you mean women then.

People like to belong, and they find a tribe the identify with and adopt those customs. If the tribe wears goth clothes then they do too, if they wear Uggs, then they do to. It's a basic human need to feel connected in some way with your fellow homo sapiens, and having common signifiers of belonging is one way to display your acceptance and membership of your chosen tribe.

BTW, I have Uggs and they make fantastic slippers when you're a cold feet girl in the mornings. I can also put my feet in them in my PJ's and have my coffee on the steps outside and they keep me toasty. I don't wear them out though, to be fair.

During my last year or so at boarding school, the three most visible girls in the school all started straightening their hair and suddenly everyone owned hair straighteners (except me, not because I'm non-conformist, because I'm lazy) and was up ironing their hair before classes every day. It became more and more refined as a craze, not only did they start straightening, but they started using the same heat spray product too, and then finally everyone owned the same brand of straighteners. This is the point where it moves beyond a trend and becomes part of a group identity. I clearly remember one girl being ridiculed because she owned a brand of straightener that wasn't GHD. The following term it was a particular mobile phone. This is what happens when people want to belong too badly, all individuality is surrendered in the search for acceptance.