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."

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

[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!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!