Well, Mary, you certainly isolated the single most significant contributing factor to what’s keeping our society stuck and unable to reclaim our freedom and get our lives back.
Walter Lippman had a famous quote: “Where all think alike, no one thinks very much”. Our greatest scientists, philosophers, inventors have never been those who subscribed to “Group Think”. They always struck out in their own unique direction, gone against the grain, or the tide and followed their own instincts. As a result, we have all benefited monumentally from their courage and accomplishments.
I think your choice of “sheep and ostrich” as animals whose names are spelled the same in the singular and the plural couldn’t have been more illustrative of your point.
These lines also spoke to me: “turn(ing) obedience into trust, trust into obedience”. It’s very subtle what’s happening to us. We don’t notice until it’s too late, that we have just been tricked, fooled, “played”.
I had to think a while about the last lines: “the joy of autonomy, and the net that awaits”. I think you were warning that if you choose autonomy, there will be joy, but also risk involved. (Correct me on that if I didn’t get your meaning quite right.)
Thank you for another thought-provoking piece. You never disappoint. Keep it up. xox
Thank YOU for another wonderful comment. You're right, our greatest thinkers were (and are) not group-thinkers. My next essay dives into that more deeply. The Walter Lippman quote is great -- I may use it!
The last lines... wow. Your interpretation is completely valid -- I can see how you would read them that way. My intention was different, but not more valid: that group-think blinds to everything, the good and the bad. I might need to tweak it! Thanks, Rocket. xox
Well, Mary, you certainly isolated the single most significant contributing factor to what’s keeping our society stuck and unable to reclaim our freedom and get our lives back.
Walter Lippman had a famous quote: “Where all think alike, no one thinks very much”. Our greatest scientists, philosophers, inventors have never been those who subscribed to “Group Think”. They always struck out in their own unique direction, gone against the grain, or the tide and followed their own instincts. As a result, we have all benefited monumentally from their courage and accomplishments.
I think your choice of “sheep and ostrich” as animals whose names are spelled the same in the singular and the plural couldn’t have been more illustrative of your point.
These lines also spoke to me: “turn(ing) obedience into trust, trust into obedience”. It’s very subtle what’s happening to us. We don’t notice until it’s too late, that we have just been tricked, fooled, “played”.
I had to think a while about the last lines: “the joy of autonomy, and the net that awaits”. I think you were warning that if you choose autonomy, there will be joy, but also risk involved. (Correct me on that if I didn’t get your meaning quite right.)
Thank you for another thought-provoking piece. You never disappoint. Keep it up. xox
Thank YOU for another wonderful comment. You're right, our greatest thinkers were (and are) not group-thinkers. My next essay dives into that more deeply. The Walter Lippman quote is great -- I may use it!
The last lines... wow. Your interpretation is completely valid -- I can see how you would read them that way. My intention was different, but not more valid: that group-think blinds to everything, the good and the bad. I might need to tweak it! Thanks, Rocket. xox