When we stop and look at some of the things we’re doing, maybe we should ask ourselves – now why are we doing this [again]? The answer might be because “we always have done it this way”, or “Susie did it that way, and you remember Susie don’t you?” I can’t say I do… but that’s beyond the scope of this text. 🙂

Herd mentalities can develop pretty easy in this life. Need I say that following the herd might not be the optimal solution? I mean one thing is for sure, herds can get us into a heap of trouble sometimes. First of all, a little over 2,000 years ago Jesus was sacrificed on a cross because of herd mentality being imposed on the Romans, thanks to the Pharisees. The native buffalo and their herds just about went extinct in this country because of herd mentality. It took an act of Congress (I think) to protect them after Indians learned how to drive buffalo herds off cliffs. Adding insult to injury, we have all witnessed a ton of people lose a ton of money (from time to time) because of herd mentality among investors. These things happen, look back at any of the great stock market crashes, herd mentality was behind much of it. It kind of takes on a life of its own where “thinking” stops and “following” just takes control of the helm. And just when we find that the herd is all fattened up for the taking, can a cliff be so far away? Have you ever witnessed a big skool of fish meandering around in the ocean. Coolest site in the world. I’m sure those fish feel a sense of personal security being that they’re so closely wound and traveling altogether. Though I suspect to other predators in the ocean their skooling creates a big neon sign saying come get me! And there’s so many to choose from right inside a skool? So are these fish really skooling for themselves?

The point I’m investigating here is my theory that sometimes the herd just gets it dead wrong. I posted once on FB that the (consensus), the general public, is usually wrong regarding most things. There’s many examples of this in financial markets over time and I’m suspecting it may carry over to other facets in life as well, just thinking out loud here. Look at our national healthcare decisions, they seem to have taken on a rubber-stamped herd mentality. Maybe it’s the lack of independent thinking that is driving herds. Maybe laziness sets in at some point and people just find it way easier when they follow the herd. I’m guilty of having a herd mentality on some things myself, especially when faced with the alternative of having to climb a mountain in order to achieve an alternative outcome. I realize that effort equals reward but then I also know that some things require passion + effort to master… and I may not be willing to spend that kind of time and effort to always reinvent a wheel.

I think I have resigned myself to never stop asking questions, at least I reached the lower pinnacle. Because confronting the general consensus on things is “healthy” in my mind. I suspect you may be doing something that in essence is your way of following the herd… and as long as you’re aware of it when it’s happening, then you’re halfway there, to the place where you can avoid some of those (out of left field) surprises. 😉