Anyone who has gone onto facebook has seen the various community games and groups that everyone is always inviting everyone they know to play or join or support. And many people do so because all of their other friends do.

In the 70's there was a book called Groupthink and the main thrust of the book was that various social activist groups, fraternal organizations and church-sponsored social groups encourage people to parrot what they hear without making any effort to consider the message they hear and analyze it to determine if it is a message they totally agree with.

Are social media channels like facebook a new source of Groupthink, subtly stifling individuality and creativity?

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Well, not in the beginning, but I do think that once users realize that their submitted content can come back and haunt them in the future, users may be more cautious and it stifles individuality.

Well, not in the beginning, but I do think that once users realize that their submitted content can come back and haunt them in the future, users may be more cautious and it stifles individuality.

Agreed. But I do think the concept of Groupthink has staked out a place in communities like facebook and this is going to limit their potential for business oriented activities.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.