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Following the crowd

135

Comments

  • #62
    Eugene Norman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,191 ✭✭✭Eugene Norman


    People tend to notice "conformist" trends that are new or in the minority. Nobody is saying : I'm a guy I wear trousers rather than a sarong - I follow the trend. Or I keep my hair short to medium length - I follow the trend.

    If a new fashion for long hair and men's skirts emerged then we would be quick to condemn them as sheep however.


  • #63
    Eugene Norman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,191 ✭✭✭Eugene Norman


    fatknacker wrote: »
    There's a good reason for that. They're the hand luggage space stealers.

    Not really. It's just a herd panic. Ryanair has plenty of hand luggage space and it happens there.


  • #64
    Junkyard Tom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,115 ✭✭✭✭Junkyard Tom


    We're apes lads.



    Apes.


  • #65
    ScumLord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,787 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    Humans are pack animals. We survive by working as teams, we've gotten more and more dependant on the group as time goes on. Most modern humans are next to useless on their own. Stone age humans could manufacture everything they needed to survive, and probably had a range of knowledge that would rival modern humans in the amount of detail. Most their knowledge was probably more valuable than what we fill our heads with.

    We're still basically the same biological machine as the stone age human, we've reprogramed ourselves over the course of thousands of years but the same core programming that's been there since we swung in trees is always ticking over in the background.

    Yes you follow the crowd, even when you think your not following the crowd you're probably just following a different crowd. It stands out in teenagers because they stop aping parents and older siblings and move into the larger community, we don't tell people how to behave as much these days and it seems like if we don't do that they elect someone from their own group to ape and give them a common culture.


  • #66
    K-9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,305 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Fat Christy wrote: »
    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

    Vaping I don't know, that one makes sense to me as an alternative to smoking, logical really.

    Herd mebtality seems to be a big thing in economics, so it is real. The property bubble perfect example.

    I don't think I tend to follow the crowd, but I'm sure it seems like that on certain things. I might buy something that is in fashion, but that's only if I really like it, I'll probably still wear it when it's "out".

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



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  • #67
    meeeeh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,612 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    It goes a lot deeper than following trends and buying ugg boots. There is a research which showed a group of people will react slower and help someone in danger than if only one person is present. There are also examples in the history where the whole nations were swept in certain direction. I don't want to involve Goodwin but that is prime example. We are all socialized into certain society and we will mostly follow the norms of that society. Trends also change, the gay marriage being prime example. A lot of people changed their opinion without any overly rational process but because tide swept them into one one direction.

    I don't wear skinny jeans, not because I don't want to be part of the craze but because they don't suit me. But at the same time I follow other fashion trends. marketing knows trend setters and trend followers (the groups are a bit more fragmented actually) but it doesn't mean that trend setters are that individual, they just latch to certain trends faster. It also depends a bit what interests you. I certainly wouldn't be on McGregor or rugby bandwagon but that is because I have no interest in rugby and whatever the other thing McGregor fights in is. You can be completely oblivious of some trends and big follower of others a bit less popular which still doesn't make you particularly individual.


  • #68
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    I wasn't going to post on this thread but it's up to five pages already guys - seems important so hey - yeah, I don't follow the crowd myself at all.


  • #69
    K-9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,305 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Lia_lia wrote: »
    I think some people are more susceptible to being influenced by marketing etc than others. A good example is women's beauty products. A few good reviews in a magazine about a "miracle" anti aging serum thing made 4 or 5 girls in my department at work buy it last summer. It costs about €70 and they bought it no bother. I couldn't understand it. But then again I admit to being swayed by personal reviews of these kind of products...

    With regards Uggs etc I've personally avoided these kind of trends. I've never understood why you'd want the same clothes as everyone else. I got a few of those Ani and Alex brackets a few years ago and now everyone bloody has them so I just feel like I can't wear them anymore.

    The book Bad Science by Ben Goldacre is brilliant. All about the tricks big pharma and the snake oil salesmen use.

    He didn't go into depth on the cosmetics industry which was a pity, because as he says lies and tricks are just inherent in it.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • #70
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    K-9 wrote: »
    The book Bad Science by Ben Goldacre is brilliant. All about the tricks big pharma and the snake oil salesmen use.

    He didn't go into depth on the cosmetics industry which was a pity, because as he says lies and tricks are just inherent in it.

    Perfume is the big one. It's all made for a couple of quid, in blind tests most people can't tell the difference between expensive stuff and knock-off scents. The reason people pay 100 euro for a bottle is packaging, branding and celebrity endorsements.


  • #71
    Pat Mustard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,554 ✭✭✭Pat Mustard


    Fat Christy wrote: »
    I like Justin Bieber's new stuff, I really do. Well, the amount of abuse I have received for saying that, Jebus Christ.

    What do you mean


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  • #72
    Fat Christy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Fat Christy


    Pat Mustard wrote: »
    What do you mean

    When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say No.

    WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!


  • #73
    Menas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,318 ✭✭✭✭Menas


    The amount of times that I just follow the crowd just for an easy life.
    But when I do swim against the tide is tends to cause people to point and look. No balance at all!


  • #74
    Canadel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,586 ✭✭✭Canadel


    Fat Christy wrote: »
    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
    Not sure about that one. Just because it's become more popular doesn't mean it's a case of following the herd. Lifting weights has many different practical benefits which explain why people do it e.g. for sport, to become stronger, to look more attractive, to stay fit and healthy, as a hobby etc. If lifting weights is following the herd, then maybe following the herd isn't always such a bad thing.


  • #75
    Fat Christy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Fat Christy


    Canadel wrote: »
    Not sure about that one. Just because it's become more popular doesn't mean it's a case of following the herd. Lifting weights has many different practical benefits which explain why people do it e.g. for sport, to become stronger, to look more attractive, to stay fit and healthy, as a hobby etc. If lifting weights is following the herd, then maybe following the herd isn't always such a bad thing.

    I didn't say it was a bad thing. I'm in a strength and conditioning gym myself!

    I just meant that in recent years more and more women are lifting. It wasn't half as popular 10 years ago!! In my opinion anyway.


  • #76
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,808 ✭✭✭✭smash


    Juicing...

    Honestly, I don't care if you spend crazy money on veg just to blend it all up in to something that looks like it came out of a dirty nappy.


  • #77
    Fat Christy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Fat Christy


    smash wrote: »
    Juicing...

    Honestly, I don't care if you spend crazy money on veg just to blend it all up in to something that looks like it came out of a dirty nappy.

    All anyone is talking about lately is the nutribullet.

    My housemate got one. He's mad on it, but then he went and got McDonalds yesterday......

    Hmmmm...

    I think today is the official start of the get ripped or die trying.


  • #78
    ScumLord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,787 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    Canadel wrote: »
    If lifting weights is following the herd, then maybe following the herd isn't always such a bad thing.
    It's not a bad thing. We wouldn't be doing it if it was bad, it's served us well up to now at least.


  • #79
    team_actimel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 785 ✭✭✭team_actimel


    GFT wrote: »
    Prosecco
    Kardashians
    Beards
    Ed Sheeran

    I know a couple who bought tickets for the Ed Sheeran Croke Park gig that everyone seemed to be going to even though they didn't know his music. They subsequently binged on all his albums before the concert so they would know all the songs.


  • #80
    meeeeh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,612 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    smash wrote: »
    Juicing...

    Honestly, I don't care if you spend crazy money on veg just to blend it all up in to something that looks like it came out of a dirty nappy.

    Yes and because it's all blended it gets digested a lot quicker and is less satisfying that would be eating whole fruit and veg.


  • #81
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Follow all the crowds.

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

    And you liked oasis AND blur


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  • #82
    team_actimel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 785 ✭✭✭team_actimel


    Michael Kors.


  • #83
    Fat Christy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Fat Christy


    team_actimel wrote: »
    Michael Kors.

    Are they them handbags?


  • #84
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,217 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    Fat Christy wrote: »
    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

    I don't understand the 3 in bold.

    Since when is liking good beer a fad or whatnot? The beer in Ireland has sucked old mans crusty ass for a long long time. We finally get some decent beers in and it's considered "hipster". Of course, not all craft beer is good, plenty of crap in there too, but there's a huge variety now and thankfully you're not stuck with the shítty six (Guinness, Smithwicks, Carlsberg, Heineken, Budweiser and Bulmers).

    If anything, your mentions are the opposite to the OP. :pac:

    As for beards, they have been around since the dawn of man. Clean shaving is more crowd mentality.


  • #85
    Figbiscuithead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 307 ✭✭Figbiscuithead


    Conformity and the desire, for whatever reason, to be part of a group in the loosest sense of the word is psychology 101. It's one of the very first things you'll learn about if you study it. There's endless evidence to support it.


  • #86
    meeeeh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,612 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    Blakely Lazy Coin wrote: »
    I don't understand the 3 in bold.

    Since when is liking good beer a fad or whatnot? The beer in Ireland has sucked old mans crusty ass for a long long time. We finally get some decent beers in and it's considered "hipster". Of course, not all craft beer is good, plenty of crap in there too, but there's a huge variety now and thankfully you're not stuck with the shítty six (Guinness, Smithwicks, Carlsberg, Heineken, Budweiser and Bulmers).

    If anything, your mentions are the opposite to the OP. :pac:

    As for beards, they have been around since the dawn of man. Clean shaving is more crowd mentality.
    And how exactly are they not 'following the crowd'?


  • #87
    Whitewinged
    Closed Accounts Posts: 935 ✭✭✭Whitewinged


    I wouldn't say I follow the crowd. I've always had alot of interests that my peers didn't share and i was fine with that but there were also some things I liked or like that are the same as the crowd. In saying that it is not always a nice feeling to not fit in especially when you are a teenager/young adult. I think most people are just learning what they like and get alot more comfortable with themself as they get a bit older.

    Fashion trends like uggs, hair or makeup and things like that I don't really think are bad things or have a negative effect if it makes someone feel they fit in or if they just happen to like them but there are a few things and I'm not sure if it's a big problem but I hear alot about young lads going to the gym and taking steroids to achieve the look they want and boy racers spending ridiculous amounts on decorating their cars embarrassingly to go out driving wrecklessly.

    I remember there was a thing of doing sunbeds a few years ago. A friend of mine was obsessive about her tan. I've never been on one myself. I could never understand, who thought of the idea to put sun beds in movie rental shops but it caught on. I hear now alot of girls and young celebrities only in their 20s getting botox and lip injections and IMO they just don't need it.


  • #88
    meeeeh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,612 ✭✭✭✭meeeeh


    I think some in this thread don't understand that following the trend is sometimes a good thing. For example the whole anti smoking vibe, it used to be exactly opposite when I was growing up. Or in social issues the whole marriage equality thing.


  • #89
    Fat Christy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,866 ✭✭✭Fat Christy


    meeeeh wrote: »
    I think some in this thread don't understand that following the trend is sometimes a good thing. For example the whole anti smoking vibe, it used to be exactly opposite when I was growing up. Or in social issues the whole marriage equality thing.

    Thank you.

    No where in the OP did I say it was always a bad thing. I follow trends. I lift, I like Justin Bieber, I use coconut oil, I have a diesel car. #conformist

    Not all trends obviously, but some of them. They're not all negative AT ALL!!!


  • #90
    castletownman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭castletownman


    Can't believe no-one has mentioned rugby yet. It's amazing really. When Ireland were still in the WC the amount of hype that surrounded it was ridiculous, but understandable (the over-intrusiveness of the instagram accounts within the Irish camp being a particular highlight). The drop-off and lack of mention of the tournament (not to mention the huge drop off in people watching the matches in the pub) as soon as they were eliminated was alarming. I know a sizeable chunk people were only interested in Ireland's fortunes, but surely if this was one of the biggest sporting events of 2015, then the true fans would have kept up the interest? Look at the football world cup as an example.

    Even more hilarious was the amount of (female) Leinster fans floating around when they were winning back to back Heineken Cups with their greatest ever teams that have suddenly dispersed and lost interest now that they aren't as good as they were and can't compete financially with the English and French teams. They scarcely know when a match is on these days. Football gets a rep for having plastic fans, but it's far, far more prevalent in rugby.


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  • #91
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    I likes what I likes, always kind of suspicious of anyone whose tastes are entirely or zero mainstream. Rejecting or sneering at things because they're popular can be as annoying as the opposite. I have plenty taste in film and music that'd be considered very hipster, but it's cause I likes it. I also love Titanic and Taylor swift, and it's not some 'doing it ironically' nonsense, it's cause I likes it.

    Haters gon hate hate hate hate hate, as Taylor tells us.


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