Free-write on “Group Think” and “Group Minds”

Griselda Mercado

English 250 B

Blog Response #1

January 12, 2012

Free-response

1. The benefits of following the opinions and social “norms” of a majority group are that you are accepted, and you become part of that group. You might get popularity, or be liked. Another benefit would be you might meet more people and become popular. A benefit that comes with agreeing with family is that they will be more supportive of what you decide to do, because it is what they want for you, and they will try to help you accomplish those goals, because they want you to accomplish them. Another thing would be that they might be more proud of you, for example depending on a career you choose, and your parents want you to be a doctor or a lawyer, they would more likely tell other people “oh my son/daughter is going to be a doctor” they will say that with more pride than something that you choose to do, and it’s not like those choices.

2. The Benefits of following your own heart would be that people will like you for who you really are, you can be true to yourself around them, and you don’t have to feel like you have to be someone who you’re not. You don’t have to do things that you don’t like to please them. You might not fit in one particular group, but that doesn’t mean you won’t fit with others. You can be yourself and not have to like something that others do but you don’t. You can have control of YOUR brain, and think for yourself, and make your own decisions, because you want to. A benefit of going against your family would be that you would do what you want not what they want for you. If it wasn’t the best choice you don’t have to blame anyone, but yourself, on the other hand if you do something that you don’t want because of influences from your family it can cause problems, because you’ll always blame them for your unhappiness.

3. The consequences of maintaining your individual self would be the feeling of loneliness, because you might be shunned by your family, and ignored by your “friends”. If you need help from your family, they’ll be mad at you for not doing what they wanted, so that might cause them not to want to help you as much.