Breathe

It’s okay to follow the herd

Conformity isn’t always a bad thing

Words: Stephanie Lam
Illustration: Kathrin Lang

You’ve probably seen the word ‘sheeple’ used about people who unquestioningly follow the herd. It’s used as an insult, in its presumption that there’s nothing worse than a sheep for blindly going along with the crowd.

What about you? Have you ever unquestioningly played follow the leader? Most people have. Even if you rebel against being told what to do, the dark arts of marketing and propaganda are influential in more ways than you can imagine. Unless you’ve lived apart from humanity since birth, at one time or other you’ve almost certainly chosen a product, lifestyle or point of view that someone else wanted you to have.

So let’s admit we’ve all followed the herd at one point or another, and to criticise someone else for that carries a whiff of hypocrisy. No one can be constantly nonconformist. In fact, there’s a good reason to go with the flow. It makes life easier, yes, but it also creates group cohesion. Even if you’re part of a subculture that despises authority, you’re still in a herd, albeit a small one. Humans need one another, and standing out too much can lead to isolation from the rest.

Additionally, swimming upstream gets exhausting after a while. You can’t question everything, whatever the graffiti says. And doing so isn’t always helpful. What happens when nonconformity is an automatic reaction, rather than the outcome of genuinely held beliefs? Surely that’s as blind as any conformist might be.

In fact, what the majority thinks might, on occasion, accord with your own sentiments. As someone who has a compulsion to take the road less travelled, it’s been humbling to recognise when I’ve done so unthinkingly, because the common route might have suited me better. The trick is in recognising when to go along with the crowd, and to do so mindfully.

It’s necessary to forge your own path, but it’s possible to do so without accusing others of being blind or stupid. Sheep have good reasons to stick together, and so do humans. Although distancing yourself from the pressure of conformity takes bravery, there’s sure to be another herd waiting for you around the corner. And that’s no bad thing – it may be one you want to follow, after all…

The art of flock watching

Recognise when you’ve travelled in a different direction to the rest.

  • At the same time, acknowledge when you might have unknowingly followed the herd.
  • Begin bringing to your awareness the times when you feel the lure of going with the majority, and when you resist. Remember that even if the herd is tiny, it’s still a herd.
  • Know that following the crowd might be necessary at times. Nobody has the ability to think everything through to the end.
  • Keep yourself as the curious observer throughout. Remind yourself that it’s okay to go with the flow. Who knows? Sometimes the majority gets it right.