Are Human Beings Born to Be Conformists??

Throughout history, we’ve seen human beings accomplish wonderful things. We’ve also seen them commit unimaginable horrors. Members of our species have done things so heinous, that we’ve questioned whether we should consider them human at all. However, the most vile acts we’ve committed, haven’t been at the hands a few bad eggs. Often times, the worst of humanity comes out when we follow the herd.

When people find comfort and safety in the herd, they often begin to compromise their ethics for the “greater good”. It creates an environment where sociopaths can rise to the top, and the anonymity of the crowd gives everyone permission to act out against their fellow man. I would argue that more people have been killed or persecuted at the hands of conformity, than by any other human activity throughout history.

Adding to this dangerous behavior, has the been the technological advances in mass communication developed in the 20th century. For the first time in history, a small number of people could convince millions to follow their lead. As a result, the past hundred years has seen human conformity reach its peak with the rise of the Nazis and Communists of the early 1900′s. The human race saw with complete clarity, the power and the danger human conformity, and it could be measured by the millions who died by its hands.

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