On nonconformism, or why we need to be seen and not herded | Aeon Essays - 0 views
-
When we are herding, neuroimaging experiments show increased activation in the amygdala area of the brain, where fear and other negative emotions are processed. While you may feel vulnerable and exposed on your own, being part of the herd gives you a distinct sense of protection. You know in your guts that, in the midst of others, the risk of being hit by a car is lower because it is somehow distributed among the group’s members
-
The more of them, the lower the risk. There is safety in numbers. And so much more than mere safety.
-
Herding also comes with an intoxicating sense of power: as members of a crowd, we feel much stronger and braver than we are in fact.
- ...14 more annotations...