Group thinking can drive the way society work and
communicate with one another. In my lifetime I have witnessed negative group
thinking that has established bias and hateful ideas about different cultures,
religions, and even regions.
To
avoid Groupthink, it is important to have a process in place for checking the
fundamental assumptions behind important decisions, for validating the
decision-making process, and for evaluating the risks involved. ( http://communicationtheory.org/groupthink/)
We
were not born to hate or to form malice against one another.
For instance, if you had a roommate who expressed bias opinions on the Muslim faith and their culture that does not mean you have to reflect
the same behavior. You may know more and understand more. With you being more aware of Muslim customs, it is beneficial to educate
your roommate instead of allowing them to continue being wrong. When people are
misinformed, it makes the suggestion of trust and unity sound foreign.
Media can fuel
group thinking because society depends on the media to inform the public.
When a national or even international
tragedy occurs, such as the Paris shootings or the Orlando nightclub massacre,
the world is emotionally affected. Troy University students are currently in
Louisiana helping complete strangers with the Baton Rouge flood efforts. That is what
humanity is all about, to come together and build each other up!
We are all
entitled to our own opinion, whether it is right or wrong. Instead of
continually spatting hatred towards one another, just agree to disagree. Not
every discussion or debate will end with you changing a person's ideals because you
can't force everyone to change their minds.
Do not conform
to negative behavior because it discredits what you support. As First Lady, Michelle Obama, quoted, “When
they go low, we go high.”
Practice discernment and be open to learning about a person's beliefs and customs before judging them. Being different is what makes each person unique. Individuality is one of the most valuable attributes a person can posses. There is absolutely nothing wrong with following "the road less traveled."
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