# Following the Crowd versus Rebelling By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-04-14 There are so many theories out there that it is often difficult to know which ones are useful. As social animals, we usually look to others for guidance. What are the dominant theories among one's friends and family? What are people saying online? How many stars does the theory have? For most things we encounter in today's world, this is a good heuristic. The consequences of following the crowd rarely have much downside when selecting a toothbrush. However, there are critical moments when the following the crowd has grave risk. Examples include suicide cults, genocides, and the Crusades. The old parental question applies, "Would you jump off a bridge just because your friends are doing it?" When does the "follow the crowd" heuristic no longer apply, and when should one rebel against the status quo? For some people, the answer is never. They will always follow the crowd and are the order in the chaos. For others, this is always. They are the chaotic artists who always do their thing without much thought. Both parties are needed for a thriving society, but these extreme outliers make up maybe 2% of the total population. Everyone else exists somewhere on the continuum of order and chaos. Thus, no universal answer about when following the crowd is no longer a good idea. Of course, societies and cultures can and do suppress the outliers and force people to migrate more to order or chaos. A group lacking balance exhibits predictable, systemic outcomes that do not exist when a group or organization is balanced. An organization that leans heavily towards the status quo dies slowly, while an organization that leans heavily towards chaos never goes anywhere. So, if one finds themselves in a society that leans too heavily toward the status quo, do not follow them. Similarly, if one's group leans too heavily towards chaos, return to a grounding of order and stability. Ironically, both situations involve rebelling against the group. Recognizing this dynamic unlocks what one is capable of. #### Related Items [[Society]] [[Decision-making]] [[Heuristics]] [[Organization]] [[People]] [[Status Quo]] [[Rebel]]