Our collective illusions
A couple of weeks ago, I came across a YouTube Video by the channel Big Think titled "Collective Illusions": Why false consensus in society is so dangerous | Todd Rose introducing the concept of collective illusions. A concept I have never heard of before.
According to Todd Rose, collective illusion is a situation where most people in a group go along with an idea that they don't agree with simply because they incorrectly believe that most people in the group agree with it.
Tod Rose then highlights some major implications collective illusions have on our society. For instance, it can be a threat to free society since individuals can do something that they don't believe in for the sole reason of conformity. Another potential threat is that the collective illusions of one generation tend to become the private opinion of the next. Therefore, being aware of collective illusions in our society and being ready to have open conversations and constructive debates is the first step to combat collective illusions in our society.
Curious about the supporting research, I checked one of the mentioned sources: Populace a research think thank, founded in 2013, dedicated to building a world where all people have the chance to live fulfilling lives by (i) changing the cultural narrative around success and (ii) transforming the public system to meet people expectations.
On the populace website, I found a report that highlights the gap between Americans’ privately held beliefs and their publicly vocalized opinions about sensitive topics such as abortion and COVID-19 using a national quantitative survey of around 3000 American adults. According to the report, 60% of men publicly agree that the decision to have an abortion should be left to the woman and her doctor; however, privately the percentage goes down to 45%. Another report investigates what the American public wants — and what they believe most others want — regarding their work. An interesting finding, for instance, is that prestigious jobs are collectively ranked as number 5 of important job features while privately holding rank number 55. All of this has led me to think about my own environments and society and attempt to hypothesize over some potential collective illusions I experience myself.
Living a fulfilling and exciting lifestyle
It appears to me that in my environment, there is a general opinion that living an exciting and fulfilling life means constantly seeking new experiences, traveling to exotic locations, partying on the weekends, and always being surrounded by friends and loved ones. While I can't deny the appeal of these activities, I can't help but think that this is a rather narrow definition. Personally, I believe that true fulfillment can be found in simple things, like binge-watching a new series on Netflix, getting lost in a good book, or dedicating an entire weekend to researching collective illusions:) Interestingly, I've found that many individuals who seem to be living the "fulfilled" life according to society's standards have their own secret hobbies and interests that they keep hidden from the public.
Being open-minded, unprejudiced, and unbiased
Almost everyone in my environment considers themselves to be open-minded, unbiased, and free of prejudice when it comes to sensitive topics such as disability, race, and social status. However, it's often a different story when it comes to matters that directly affect them or their loved ones. For instance, I have encountered many people who in the public claim to be against racism and discrimination, when in reality they have much more nuanced opinions. They would reject a job applicant because they wear a scarf (Hijab) or advise their family and friends to not have black or Muslim partners. I believe it is important to have open and honest conversations, rather than pretend everyone is on the same page.
Valued personality trait
I often hear friends and acquaintances placing such a high value on being nice and friendly as if it is the ultimate personality trait to have and look for in other people. While they say they admire the friendly and easy-going person, in practice and when you look at their friends and people they respect and admire, it's often the more assertive, confident, and even arrogant individuals who command their most respect and admiration.
I think there are a number of collective illusions that shape our beliefs and perceptions without us noticing. However, it is important to acknowledge them and to actively seek to question and challenge them. At least that is what I am personally aspiring to achieve to gain a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of the world and the people around me.