As of June last year, Instagram has captivated over one billion active, daily users. Though technology is all well and good, as a community, it would be wise to begin considering the effects of not just social media, but the social, digital world that surrounds us everyday and is constantly influencing our decisions.
In 1951, Solomon Asch, a Polish-American sociologist, began a test known as the conformity experiment. Through a series of tests, trials, and games, Asch essentially determined whether or not individuals would trust their own reasoning and sense, or simply move with the masses. The end result is rather predictable. Out of the 18 complete experiments run, 12 displayed that an individual was more likely to simply conform than question the group decision, even if it was clearly wrong.
This result is evident in our everyday life. Magazines, newspapers and social media are all just part of this network of things pulling our attention in every direction.
Whether it be the newest fashion trends or how you should vote, we have been taught to trust in our community, and as a result, we have become easy to manipulate. Many people pretend as if this is only relevant for the upcoming generations who were raised on technology, but in reality, everyone today is affected by the chaos around us.
Since we are not consciously disregarding common sense for a feeling of solidarity, this problem forces us to ask ourselves how we can really push back and avoid the pulls of culture. Personally, due to experiences in my own life, there is not a doubt in my mind that a God who loves me unconditionally has my back.
This is my touchstone. My reference away from the rest of the world that never changes.
And I’m not calling for a religious revolution to take up throughout the suburbs of Naperville. My point is simply that everyone needs a constant in their life that is not determined by the world around them as to avoid the pulls of society.
