unfathomable sheep-like behaviour in humans

I realise I am middle aged and I that grew up in a world in which only a minority of men had tattoos, and they were either sailors, builders or thugs. Then, around about 15 years ago, David Beckham, famous footballer, gets a tattoo—followed by a string of other footballers, so-called celebrities and media non-entities, all proclaiming they are expressing their 'individuality' or 'rebelling'. Soon afterwards every young man and woman has covered his or her body in them, all believing they too are expressing their individuality or rebelling. And yet, like lemmings advancing towards a cliff-edge, or sheep flocking with the herd across fields, they all look almost the same, that is apart from  having different amounts of these vulgar eyesores, or slightly different colourings to them, they all still look virtually the same (at least to me).

I see no individuality in these people. Or any spirit of rebellion. I can't understand this herd-mentality. What is it that makes people all try so desperately hard to copy one another in a bizarre attempt to appear different from one another. It doesn't make sense.  You would think to be different or rebel, you'd do the opposite to what everyone else is doing. And what is this craving to emulate celebrities or media personalities? Do they imagine they are better than they are—smarter, nicer, more charismatic? 

The unfathomable sheep-like behaviour aside, I can't understand what, apart from mental illness, what would drive a person to inflict such damage on their largest and most vital organ.  The very idea of deliberate mutilation horrifies me.

Parents
  • I think this applies to nearly everything. Humans behave like sheep in almost every situation.

    e.g. when something is happening to someone else in public, people just stare. No one calls the police or intervenes or does anything. I get people are busy but if someone falls down you don't just walk over them and ignore them. It's only the occasional person who will do something to help. Most people just follow whatever the crowd is doing. I think it's called bystander syndrome.

    I don't do that. Obviously if I was in direct danger I wouldn't do anything but if I can help without being in danger I'll do something e.g. a little girl fell out of the church door when the primary school children were coming out of their Easter service. The teacher said 'where's your mum?' The mum wasn't there and the rest of the mummies just stared. So I said 'I'm not her mum but I know her' and picked the little girl up and comforted her while the other mums just stared. FFS.

    I've gone off on a tangent again, haven't I. But humans are generally sheep tbh.

  • You're a good human, Kiki. You can think and act for yourself.

  • Let me flush this thought out a bit more.   Is it your claim that only those with no ideology can think for themselves?  What is the evidential basis for this?  Is it to be found in human biology?  Psychology? Is there anyone in any academic field putting this idea forward?  All members of political party are losing their minds.   That's essentially your claim. And it's unevidenced bunk.

Reply
  • Let me flush this thought out a bit more.   Is it your claim that only those with no ideology can think for themselves?  What is the evidential basis for this?  Is it to be found in human biology?  Psychology? Is there anyone in any academic field putting this idea forward?  All members of political party are losing their minds.   That's essentially your claim. And it's unevidenced bunk.

Children
  • It's saddening that you continue to resort to cruel name-calling and personal attacks, which in themselves, especially on a forum such as this, are inappropriate.

    When you make sweeping personal attacks on a person's character and/or refer to them with de-humanising name-calling (benefiting, of course, from the security of total online anonymity), you are employing the same cowardly and malign behaviours employed by the very online racists and bullies you claim to oppose.

    I could embarrass you by posting your disrespectful message to me about Plastic who was a much loved and now deceased member of the forum,  but to do so, would risk his daughter and wife inadvertently reading it, and that may cause them unessacary pain—a risk that is not worth taking.

    (It's a puzzling message, which I still don't understand. It seems to suggest that you may have been around on the forum for longer than your recent posts suggest, or that you have found the thread of Plastic's passing, made a note of the members who have left messages of condolence to his family, and then begun to target them on the forum.)

    All in all, I suspect you may be deeply unhappy man with a lot of longstanding bitterness and deep-seated anger. I just hope that you realise that projecting hatred outwards to others, and hunting for imaginary dragons to slay, is only going to amplify your sadness, strengthen your resentment and result in more bitterness.

    Stay well.

  • I want to say that I also don't agree with racism. I'm not getting involved with your other comments but I am saddened that generally people everywhere are getting more racist and it's wrong.

  • You're quite willing to gaslight my mental health claiming only you are capable of authenticity and free thinking. 

    I know it's not true though.


    I suppose it's jarring for the racists on here that i oppose their views. And i'm proud of it.

    These are my views and you can't deny them agency by saying "i'm following someone else".

    Well you can but it's merely a process of deflection from your own moral failings.
     
    I actually respect ISPERG more than i do you.  At least i know where he stands and he believes what he says..

    You on the other hand make bitchy threads about me and then play the victim when i respond.
     







    One of the most cowardly and insidious creatures i've ever come across. Nt or ASD.

    I remain proud to be ASD. It allows me to think clearly.  And see people for what they truly are.

    Since you have "bravely" attempted to call me an NT. How about you? Autistic people are normally pretty direct. And we're usually pretty intelligent and and know how to debate.




  • No, thank you, M. I'm not interested in being cast as a lion to your Daniel.  Everyone on here has daily struggles and challenges to understand and overcome. Many of us have fragile mental health too. I'm here to seek advice and support, explore topics  that affect me or just engage in friendly conversation with other members in a supportive (or non-confrontational at the very least) environment.  Argumentative and combative personas that seek to turn every difference of opinion into an existential threat are too exhausting for me to interact with. The same goes for partisan cheerleaders. So, I'll end the discussion here. 

    Stay well.