Academy of Ideas Why are People so Obedient? – Compliance and Tyranny
Sep 13, 2023
Explore the impact of public conformity and private disagreement, illusions of consensus and their effects on self-censorship, the role of collective illusions in the rise of tyranny, the power of individual actions in bringing about political change, and the importance of voicing one's opinions against political agendas and ideologies.
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Public Compliance vs. Private Disagreement
- Many disagree privately with current ideologies and mandates but comply publicly.
- This hypocrisy is often justified by a perceived powerlessness to change society.
Asch's Conformity Experiment
- Solomon Asch's experiment showed that individuals conform to majority opinion, even when obviously wrong.
- Test subjects gave the same incorrect answer as a group of confederates 37% of the time.
The Illusion of Consensus
- Conforming to others, even when wrong, often overrides truth-seeking for many.
- Our brains prioritize appearing to be in the majority, blurring the lines between appearance and reality.