Many people believe that the post 911 decision to invade Iraq was motivated by Groupthink. Whether or not this is true, Groupthink is present when ever people of a group do not exactingly consider mental efficiency, morality and reality testing. It is called being “inside the bubble” in more common language, and for good reason.
Being insulated inside a bubble collectively, people do crazy, counterproductive and even immoral things. The Tech crash of 1999 was an example, the more recent global economic collapse and housing bubble burst is another. Go back in history and one finds that such horrors as the Nazis, and the attack on Pearl Harbor, 911, and more, happen when Groupthink happens. In happens on both sides of any conflict, especially where there is a subjective good and bad.
In fact, the decision to launch wars heedless to consequences, cost and reasoning is one of the most serious outcomes of Groupthink. The “deciders” are not stupid, just biased, and they do not look critically at consequences, historical morality and mental strategy.
The term Groupthink was invented in 1972 by Dr. Irving Janis. It was simply a name to describe an insulated collective prejudice that occurs when people have psychological defenses and rationalizations (or they believe they do) to justify their far reaching conclusions. Each person of the group “thinks” the others support a stand. Big decisions are disconcerting so they easily exchange positive reassurance and reinforcement of one another. They may or may not think they are supported by evidence, which is easily refuted by conviction.
In the launch of the Challenger space shuttle, for example, the Groupthink of wanting to send a teacher to space, the PR to be gained by NASA, outweighed all the evidence and science which warned against it. NASA needed the publicity, so risks were downplayed, even ignored.
History is literally strewn with the debris of not-well-thought-out group decisions. Rather than catalog them here, it is more of value to warn people that no one, even those who can identify Groupthink, is immune to its influence.
This is because people think always they are on the side of good. The Third Reich was designed (despite the baby ovens and walking corpses) to be a paradise of one thousand years. Even the members of the Third Reich and those who bombed the World Trade Centers believed they were on the “right” side of history.
This fact is often obscured by -guess what? Groupthink! When people decide others are the epitome and very definition of “evil” they are in Groupthink. They often act on what they see as righteous indignation. They forget to strategize, and reality test huge decisions. They do not weigh the factual evidence which shows the perpetrators are acting on what they think is “best.” People start things nobody expects like the Spanish Inquisition, burning heretics, witches and spreading plagues and worse on “Crusades.” Yes, this is messed up, but until humans are capable of learning those who believe in absurdities will forever commit atrocities, this is going to happen.
People, especially when banded together for truth, justice and the (____insert nation name here) way, are going to be a least a little blind to all other considerations. They stand up for their convictions and a kind of pride drives bold action, whether or not it is the best course of action. When people Groupthink with the herd, they often choose the worst course of action.
Global warming is another more ominous outcome of Groupthink. No one wants to feel they are “in the wrong” so they continue to deny and/ or bewail it, even as they consume earth. When all nations agree the earth is both of value, and we (earth) is homo sapiens best ally, they will claim power to protect these selves. Then, it is hoped, the entire “us” of the creation, that is presently being Group-thought out of viability and burned like a deranged, protesting sixteenth century witch, will be given another chance to create a paradise , a Himmelreich, (or best approximation,) of a Kingdom of heaven on earth.
