The Loss of Personality : The Rise of Groupthink

[Bryan James]

I'm in a position where I'm blessed/cursed to be able to watch a lot of network programming. Some of it is for research. Some is for fun.

Some is just to turn on, tune in, and drop out.

A major trend that's starting to bug me...advertisers that jam out catchphrases like "I'm a part of it!" and "We were there!"

Kids and The Dangerous Kids (Teenagers) have no personal identity anymore, so it's that much easier for them to cave to peer pressure. The Idiot 20's are doing the same thing. If you don't have a singular identity, you just go with the flow without even considering self-awareness.

I don't mean to pull a Glen Beck, but we are already cloning the remaining lobotomized generations of Homo Sapiens. We're just doing it legally by media indoctrination.

Thank you McDonalds, Abercrombie, Disney, Wal-Mart, Sony, et. al. May your revenues help you develop the Influential Brain Implants (which earn folks a 30% discount!).

Sorry about that last part...it was from a short story that derailed on me, but it's not that far from reality.

If you can't be an "I" anymore, you deserve the laps you swim in the sludge of the human churn that's coming to a theater near you.

~BJS

[brandon]

Straight up brother. Couldnt have said it any better.

[Bryan James]

"Your Honor, I move to admit the previous post into evidence as prima facie evidence that Bryan James is a bit loopy."

"I ejaculate, your Honor!"

"Undertooled. Carrie on, Clownselor."

[~Ally~]

"Your Honor, I move to admit the previous post into evidence as prima facie evidence that Bryan James is a bit loopy."

"I ejaculate, your Honor!"

"Undertooled. Carrie on, Clownselor."

:rofl:
All in favour say aye!!

Definitely A LOT (not a bit) of loopiness going on but the post does make sense and I would have to agree.
I think I'm slightly insane though so my support doesn't really stand for much.
Thanks for the laugh though, Cheerio.

[jenboxer77]

It really is tragic and overwhelming. I feel like we must fight back for our children, but how? Where do you begin? At home I guess. Building up our youth, unplugging (turning off the TV's, cellphones, ipods and nintendos) and spending time with our kids. Walking, talking, board games, spending time with nature. Is it enough to undo all the brainwashing? I don't know..? Suggestions? Anyone? Anyone???

[Doc Wilson]

I'm a lot more optimistic about the young folks. My girls are bright, literate, achieving, and without a trace of old school racism in their bones. Unlike previous generations, they don't see any gender based barriers to what they might accomplish. They both have had computers and broadband connections since they were big enough to reach the keyboard, and if anything it has made them more individualistic, not less.

[randallFlaggfan1]

I'm in a position where I'm blessed/cursed to be able to watch a lot of network programming. Some of it is for research. Some is for fun.

Some is just to turn on, tune in, and drop out.

A major trend that's starting to bug me...advertisers that jam out catchphrases like "I'm a part of it!" and "We were there!"

Kids and The Dangerous Kids (Teenagers) have no personal identity anymore, so it's that much easier for them to cave to peer pressure. The Idiot 20's are doing the same thing. If you don't have a singular identity, you just go with the flow without even considering self-awareness.

I don't mean to pull a Glen Beck, but we are already cloning the remaining lobotomized generations of Homo Sapiens. We're just doing it legally by media indoctrination.

Thank you McDonalds, Abercrombie, Disney, Wal-Mart, Sony, et. al. May your revenues help you develop the Influential Brain Implants (which earn folks a 30% discount!).

Sorry about that last part...it was from a short story that derailed on me, but it's not that far from reality.

If you can't be an "I" anymore, you deserve the laps you swim in the sludge of the human churn that's coming to a theater near you.

~BJS

Groupthink.. Reminds me of George Orwell's 1984.

[no bounce no play]

lol... I was influenced by advertising when I was a kid... the only songs I knew were commercials. *sings* You get the vegetables on the bottom, chow mein sauce on the top.

I'm still influenced by advertising lol... my current favorite catch phrase is, There's no discount for agreeing with me :D

[wally wonder]

so nothing's really changed then, hey....nothing new under the sun...i've read a few titles about the education system in america, the lowering of expections during one phase, the chronology of decline, noted in test scores of peeps marching off to the wars, the big money behind much of the prussian lockstep movement to manufacturer peeps willing to complete repeated tasks, endlessly, w/o question....

....was looking at a recent history of this area, copper mining, one tidbit that one of the uppy-yucks said, that he didn't want a certain nationality working in his mines, noted in the percentages of the population of those who came here from the assorted countries of europe...saw something else that is kinda hilarious, photos of local schools, one, a 'domestic engineering' classroom, stoves aplenty, hey, an island grouping even, ahead of its time.....but like everything, there's bound to be a few who mishear the lyrics and take it from there.

... i imagine there will continue to be groups that will not be defined by the norm that is desired, bad students, if you will, who refuse to cooperate and fall through the ever-narrowing cracks.

[GNTLGNT]

Well used logic and turns of phrase Counselor!:biggrin2:Being a parent of two teenagers, I'm constantly checking to make sure there aren't two large pods in the basement, that a "Mr. Borg" hasn't moved in next door and that there isn't some type of titanium plug at the base of their skulls...So far, so good. My boys are both unique individuals God love em and I hope they stay that way! They haven't bowed to "the collective" yet, they have too much of their old Dad's pi** and vinegar and sheer contrariness to knuckle under to the other mouth breathing idiots they walk amongst on a daily basis. I like a good catch phrase or campaign, but I don't let it dictate my life(I don't want to hold the damn pickles or the freakin' lettuce)...semi-sentient zombies are what many are becoming-worshiping at the altar of the Media "Overmind". As long as my chilluns are wise-a**es with an ironic and sometimes sardonic twist-I know it's all good!:glare:

[Bryan James]

"Jersey Shore."

[PatInTheHat]

A parent says to its adorable little spawn (and most have at one time or another, in some fashion or another), So if Bobby jumped off a bridge, I guess that means you would have to jump too!
Very excellent advice on being an individual mommies & daddies, but usually these words of think for yourself wisdom come when things like jumping off bridges are involved...that and dressing like a member of the Sex Pistol or a relative of the Addam's family because their social cliques do (yes, I know that's rather dated..or is it?...really:eyebrow:?).
Most all other parental directions intent, is to make sure little Johnny or Suzy fits into the collective, doesn't stand out too much unless it's in excelling in something society deems valuable and/or desirable...sports, academics, music etc..

Now I know most parents will say they will always encourage their precious kiddies to pursue whatever sparks their fancy, and challenges that sponge like mind.
I also know how the conversations usually goes, when sweet lil' Suzy announces she's going to start doing something like taxidermy, and begins picking up fresh roadkill.
Or if Johnny's interest in ancient languages, an electric ukulele he found on E-bay, and a fondness for vintage sequined jackets and white patent leather shoes (with matching belt..of course, duh:laugh:), determines his self professed career path into starting a band with a new kind of music (perhaps a Greco-Hawaiian light jazz, but with a driving Salsa like beat).
I'm confident those parental conversation (for the most part) start leaning to being more conventional, more part of the collective and less of the individual.

So yes by all means, definitely give the jumping off of bridges speech, but then tell 'em to find their own unique things & places to jump off of, something hopefully with a softer landing.
'Cause they're going to jump off something anyway if so inclined, and just maybe others will follow them (let those other parents give that same speech, and thus a time honored tradition can continue:oo:).
Carry a plastic bag in the car and keep your eyes peeled for fresh, practically un-mangled, squirrels for Suzy, and by golly help Johnny find an kickin' amp for that psychedelic ukulele that'll wake Don Ho up from the dead.

And quit buying all the crappy corresponding merchandising/happy meals/big gulp cups/wearing apparel to all the latest big block busters.
Or whatever new things you actually pay them to help advertise.
I remember when they gave away virtually all advertising merchandise, practically shoved it in your paws actually, and now we mostly pay for the privilege, how very freakin' weird...wished I'da thought of it!
(what's wild is, some politicians even do it now...gotta pay for some of them t-shirts & campaign buttons like they're rock stars)
Though I do remember my Green Hornet (very popular) and most fondly, my Archie & Jughead (not so popular) lunchboxes, and I had to earn 'em.
(quick, Betty or Veronica?...Veronica?...what, are you nuts!)
If the media savvy progeny wants all the matching crappy crap, so they can be like everybody else, make them buy it with their own hard earned dough and see how bad they want it, & just gotta have it then:wink2:.
If a kiddo doesn't have his own earned pocket coin to buy his/her own massed produced, probably made in China (but definitely not made here) crappy crap, then right there is part of the beginning of the problem:down:.

[Pucker]

I suppose it would be pointless to point out the absurdity of railing against the insidious creep of groupthink (whatever that is) and the danger of media overload here . . . on an internet message board . . . dedicated to a specific collection of ideas . . . where a group of reasonably like-minded individuals would be expected to gather . . . to discuss a (sadly) finite collection of ideas . . . anonymously.

Be careful, kids. The media is coming to get you.

Pot? Have you met kettle?

[harry]

Thinking alike is an okay thing in my opinion. The problem is when everyone agrees on a really stupid idea.

[Lily Sawyer]

Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

Kill me now.

[omm poppa mow mow]

Christ Marx Wood and Wei, led us to this fateful day.... Sing your ode to the great O, the big zilch...