The Individual and The Crowd

Have you ever joined in criticizing someone because everyone around you was doing it? Felt certain about a political issue simply because people on your side seemed so certain? If so, how much of what you believe have you actually questioned for yourself?

Look at the world today. In France, workers and students have taken to the streets over wages, the cost of living, and public services. In Indonesia, workers recently rallied in support of the president while women and civil society groups marched against his policies. Consider Nepal's Gen-Z protect of September-2025. Different groups, different beliefs, and different demands. But within each movement, how many people have examined the cause for themselves, and how many have simply adopted the views of the crowd? Are we thinking independently, or following the emotions, slogans, and political agendas around us? Kierkegaard once said, "The crowd is untruth."

We see the same behavior in everyday life. Imagine a group of coworkers complaining about a colleague. One person starts criticizing, others join in, and soon everyone has an opinion. But how many actually know the full story? How often do we accept a judgment simply because everyone else seems to agree?

Jung once wrote, "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." Could some of the anger we direct toward political opponents, other communities, or people with different beliefs reflect something we have not examined in ourselves? Do we judge others by the same standards we apply to ourselves, or do we become so attached to our side that we stop questioning our actions?

Being part of a crowd is not necessarily wrong. Sometimes standing together is necessary to challenge injustice. But does following a group require us to surrender our judgment....?