The Influence of the Multitude.
Have you ever witnessed a situation where people ask for the choice of others before they make their choice? It could be a case of asking someone else; ‘Which option did you choose?’ ‘Who did you vote for?’ ‘Which is the most popular?’ ‘Which one are you going for?’ ‘What would you do?’ Some ask to make informed choices, but for some others, it is to follow the popular decision.
You have probably seen commuters choose a busy line in the train station without ascertaining if it were the right one for them. Perhaps you have witnessed diners go for the popular menu in the restaurant without checking if there are options that are more suited for their needs. It may be a career choice, without a sound knowledge of where it would lead or an investment in a business venture without relevant information of how to run it. The only reason for doing it is that someone else is doing it.
There are so many ways people decide which way to go or what to choose. One of them is by going with the majority. It is choosing to go with the multitude. It is typically following what other people do without any persuasion. They usually see life as a game of numbers, where the winning team is the one with the most people. They know right and wrong by the number of people doing it or the calibre of people doing it. It is accepted as right when the majority is in agreement, and wrong when the minority disagrees. The decision is based on the numbers and not the truth. Sadly, the game of numbers has robbed many of their potentials.
Many have accepted to stoop so low as to follow without seemingly thinking, because they are poor and see themselves as disadvantaged since there is someone that has more or is rich and therefore is always right. There are times in life where the best thing for you to do is to flow against the current like a fish. Those that stand out from the crowd will need to do something different from the multitude.
A Dutch philosopher and scholar, Desiderius Erasmus, once said; ‘In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.’ Can you imagine a kingdom where everyone is blind except one with one eye? A symbolism of a situation where the majority decides to follow blindly, and they have probably accepted that ‘if there is a man with one eye he is the greatest and we should follow him in everything.’ Some people act this way. They will usually put themselves at the mercy of others because of what they do not know or what they do not have. When you can see, those that cannot will follow you. If you agree that you cannot and will not do anything about it, you will follow the multitude instinctively and act as if you have lost your sight. The one-eyed man could decide to follow the crowd as well, but decided not to, even though he is the only one different. That is the reason why he could be king among them. It will take an experience with a man with two eyes to expose his ignorance or a kingdom of two-eyed to provoke a reason for change.
A group of a thousand people that is ignorant of technology can be easily deceived by one with a vague idea of the subject. They will all probably agree because they do not know any better. It is vital to search for clarity, gain information, compare facts, verify sources, confirm truth and credibility of the details to improve the power to make right choices. If you do not, you will remain in darkness and be led by those that have any form of light.
More does not always mean right, and the fact that you lack does not mean you should agree with everything that comes your way from those that have what you lack. The ability you have seen in them is probably valued because it is the only one prevalent and others have not come to realise what it takes or prefer to follow those that have it regardless of whether it is right or wrong. If all but a few people in a community think the same way, they are likely to win because they are more, but that does not mean they are right. If they get more enlightened, the views of the few may become widely accepted.
The sale of materials at auctions could be sometimes unpredictable. There is usually a price range estimated by valuers for such items, but there have been many instances of surprises. Yes, cases where the items sell exceedingly above the estimated or ridiculously below the expected price. There is a power that drives the price; it is the power of the numbers of those interested. If it is a useless item, but more people show interest in it or the rich and influential have some sentimental value for it; in such cases trash becomes gold. However, gold becomes trash if the reverse is the case. It is the game of numbers; the power of prevalence.
If you have not been able to make your own decisions, it might be because you do not have enough information, skills, expertise or ability to do so. You could challenge yourself to self-development to equip yourself to be able to make informed decisions rather than going with the multitude. It could be painful to follow the popular path to discover that you have missed the right track.
You may have followed others blindly and are suffering as a result. It may be time to stop and think. It may be a turning point for you. Be involved in the decision-making process of your life. Do not let it be the crowd that controls what you do or not do. They may not always be wrong, but they may not be right all the time either. It is your responsibility to ensure you have enough information to make the right decisions at all times. Now is the time for change if you have not done so already. The time to get the facts right, the details straight, and to search for knowledge so that you can see, is now. Do not follow the crowd because many could be wrong. Be happy to stand alone if need be, and follow the right path based on an informed decision.
To be continued next week, don’t miss it.
I hope you have found this post valuable, please leave a comment below and share with others. Send in your questions or contributions as well if you have any, I will be glad to hear from you.
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You could certainly see your expertise in the article
you write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers such as you
who are not afraid to say how they believe.
Always go after your heart.