We should not always follow the majority opinion
Every day we determine many things through a principle of majority. In school, company, even in the government the majority often get a beat on the minority. Most people think it's right, and they usually follow it without dissent eventhough sometimes some of them think it's not rational. Furthermore, in the field of art, some artists only follow the trend to attract the public, so sometimes they ignore the value that art itself should have. Also, there are always trends among students in many countries. However, we usually overlook a fallacy that idea of the majority makes and problems caused when we just follow trends that are led by the majority. We have already learned the importance of our identity and individuality, and insisting our opinion strongly respecting others, and keeping our pace. In fact, although most people have learned those things, they take it for granted that we should always follow the majority, and they must be right. On the other hand, we have to realize that they are not always correct. Thus, I think we should not always follow the majority opinion.
Since many people have discussed logicality of the majority opinion, the controversies are still incendiary. Some people argue that the majority rule is always right and is the best way, but others claim the majority is usually wrong. Rousseau, who is one of the most famous french philosophers, wrote "a majority vote is always binding on all the others." Say, will of the majority creates basic rules. He insisted the importance of majority rule. However, Henrik Ibsen, who is Norwegian playwright, claimed the majority is not always right. He said, "The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population -- the intelligent ones or the fools?" What he told shows his opinion obviously. Moreover, Henri Lamoureux, who is Canadian writer/essayist, wrote that who makes an innovation or revolution is the public, say, the majority not the isolated heroes that are usually leaders in common. Like this, for many years, a lot of philosophers and writers conflict with a topic of majority rule.
To look at an example of an article that Vaughn Wilson wrote. It says even though many conservatives claim the majority of Americans are against gay marriage and thus gay marriage should be banned; it should not be law right. The writer says that there are a few times when American "majority" was wrong from the past. One can look at the issue of civil rights for example. If America had gone with simple majority rule, then the majority of white Southerners would have voted to keep segregation in the 1950s and 1960s. He continued asserting that simple majority rule should be accepted carefully. The article claims the government should consider if it's right or wrong no matter how many people agree or disagree with the statement. Also, Brandon Smith wrote that majority is an illusion. He insists that the majority is usually wrong because those people who claim to be a part of the majority are sometimes ill-informed and do not have all the facts at their disposal. Furthermore, he said they are too open to exploitation, and too easy to sway, and each has right to say and be accepted by others regardless of what the so-called mainstream believes.
Of course, it's important to know a convenience of majority rule. However, majority rule resonates with daily routine of students and artists either. Recognizing the importance of determining rightness of the majority opinion is getting more and more significant today that people value respecting each identity as manners.
There are challenges to discuss this topic because it's philosophical and psychological. And I strongly believe that we should not always follow the majority opinion. Let's take a look in terms of history first. There are many examples that when the majority was wrong. The most representative case is that conflict between the geocentric and heliocentric model. Many people at that time believe that geocentric model which is a description of the cosmos where Earth is at the orbital center of all celestial bodies is right, so scientists who insisted heliocentric theory was criticized a lot. People just trust what most people believe, not thinking carefully on their own. Although the idea of a heliocentric model which is the astronomical model in which the Earth and planets revolve around a relatively stationary Sun at the center of the Solar System had been around as early as 200 B.C., it did not gain popularity until the 16th century. Yet, it has turned out that the heliocentric theory was right that only the minority claimed long time ago. Moreover, many ancient people believe that 'the world is flat', 'humans cannot survive at speeds greater than 25 miles per hour.' But all these propositions are turned out to be false. It is dangerous to accept the majority opinion. At that time, these claims usually gained lots of popularity, so the ideas took holds of most people.
Not only following the majority makes problem of accepting information not critically, but also it makes trends only following majority opinion. It is because that popularity is made by the majority, and many people follow them to gain popularity. Artists or musicians are the most common example who follow the majority opinion often. Today, especially, many singers pursue sexuality and popularity, not the true value of a song. For example, Korean woman singer named Hyun-A presented music called "Bubble Pop." However, this music and her performance very controversy because it was too sexually suggestive. Korea Broadcasting and Communications Review Committee also mentioned about her performance negatively. Her music was the representative example that only pursued popularity to make most people like it. But 'music' is one of 'arts'. It should have the value of art. In the field of art, especially like this, problems of current k-pop are getting more and more serious. If this tendency does not change, someday we will lose our real value that usually art should chase. Pursuing popularity in the domain of music, it is an extension of a concept called 'following majority opinion.'
What about students? Of course, they are influenced by majority opinion. For example, they follow 'trends.' In fact, trends are just formed when family and friends are wearing them and inspiring others to inspire others to inspire others, so on and so forth until the world is wearing the same outfit varieties. Trends that are usually made by majority of students are changing and changing, every week and every month. One of the trends is clothes. Many students buy clothes that are like others, but they usually don't think carefully about what they really want. For instance, in Korea, for about three years from 2010 to 2012, there was a 'boom' of a certain brand named 'North Face'. It was so popular among students that the jacket was dubbed 'the second school uniform,' or 'the uniform over the uniform.' However, there were several problems caused by the trends. According to a Korean blog post, North Face jacket wearers can be immediately classified according to the type of North Face jacket they wear. (It was so controversy in Korea that many internet communities also posted it.) At the bottom of the scale is the North Face Nuptse 2, cost ₩250,000, which is generally worn by “losers". Next on the list is the “common” Nuptse 1, worn both by “losers” and “gang members”. Two categories up is the Dry Loft, ₩470,000. "Losers don't wear the jackets starting from this category because they're afraid of having them swiped by gang members." At the top, priced at ₩700,000 is the “rare” Himalayan Down Parka, the most expensive model worn by “the boss.” However, this shows clearly that 'clothes' can cause school bullying. Many students were stressful at the time because they thought they would be isolated if they don't have 'North Face jacket'. Then they pestered their parents to buy jackets, but those are not that affordable for common people. (And that is why they are called 'backbreakers.' Parents need to work harder in order to afford the jackets for their children.) Furthermore, when several isolated students buy the jackets, they were usually swiped by students who have powers in school. And they would not be able to tell their parents because the jacket was expensive, so they tried to get back the jacket; then they are bullied by bad students... The vicious circle continues.
Not only these problems, but also trends cause many other problems to students and even to adults. First, trends only last for a short period. It means that people have to buy a new one if they think their clothes are outdated. It only increases their expenses. Furthermore, they might become not special anymore. All the people wear same jackets, shoes, pants... They are not individual anymore; they might lose their identity. Not considering their preference, just following trends that the majority make and follow is so dangerous that our individual identity would totally disappear someday. People wearing all the same clothes would not be attractive anymore.
But why are they follow the majority like this? It might be due to a concept of 'groupthink'. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within groups of people. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas and viewpoints. Say, most people follow the majority opinion not to make a conflict between others. Also, groupthink usually includes some characteristics: high group cohesiveness, group insulation, lack of impartial leadership, lack of norms requiring methodological procedures, homogeneity of members' social background and ideology. And the characteristics-especially group insulation or lack of impartial leadership- are reasons why people can't help following majority opinion in various fields such as making a decision, art, and students.
There would be plenty of people who will rebut my position with examples with Robert's Rules of Order, May's theorem, and some good effects of following the majority. First of all, a book called Rules of Order, whose the author was U.S. Army Colonel Henry Martyn Robert, is designed for use in ordinary societies, and it is the most commonly adopted parliamentary authority among societies in the United States. Also, it claims parliamentary procedure whose heart is at the rule of the majority with respect for the minority. However, this book was published in February, 1876 - when South Korea first signed a treaty with Japan. It was very long time ago, and it isn't an appropriate way in nowadays, respecting all individuals' ideas and identities. Moreover, assemblymen usually are so busy that don't want to think carefully about a certain statement then if majority rule is applied, they will not consider which is really right and adequate, just following the idea the most people agree with. You have seen many examples that the majority was wrong. Majority rule itself is not that entirely wrong. I mean tendency of following the majority not thinking more carefully, which could make leaders in a parliament or the government lazy should be cared a lot. Second, May's theorem that Kenneth May first published states that simple majority voting is the only anonymous, neutral, and positively responsive social choice function between two alternatives. But like it was mentioned, majority rule is just a simple way. To be sure, it has several good points - it's anonymous. But I think it's not neutral. People tend to minimize conflict with others so they may follow the majority opinion. The concept of 'groupthink' also pointed that. It is no longer neutral and fair, as long as 'groupthink' works and people try not to be isolated unconsciously. Lastly, some people argue that following fashion trend has some good effects. They say, it makes shopping easier, helps followers look happy, and is a great way to enjoy the youth. However, it is flawed. How about their individuality? The youth enjoying following trends will not change when they grow up, so all the people will have the same fashion. Nowadays, personal individuality and identity are regarded as one of the most important value. Also, followers might be happy when they buy new clothes, they will be depressed soon when it's outdated after a few months. Considering their true own preference and finding true themselves different from others are more important than being happy for a while by pursuing trends.
Could majority opinion be an enough standard to make a decision? In fact, what we do to solve a certain problem at first is asking people as many as we can find. As a certain idea is supported by many people, most people tend to believe it and follow their idea. Also, many people feel relieved when they are anonymous and are within a group. However, is it always right and should we always follow the majority? No. Plato wrote that majority rule shouldn't be accepted, and intelligent people should be leaders. The leaders should teach people to make a decision critically. He also said idea of the public is not always reliable, and politicians should sometimes offer a policy opposed to the public. According to him, following the majority is not trustworthy enough. And as he had concerned, more and more people are following majority opinion such as trends or popularity among teenagers and even musicians. And those deeds may cause plenty of problems as I have mentioned. Of course, there must be a conflict between the majority and the minority. However, the conflict should be resolved through debate or to listen carefully to opinion of the minority who might be smarter than the majority. If we keep following the majority, closing our eyes, we will miss the better decision and lose our personal identity.
Bibliography
http://www.universetoday.com/36487/difference-between-geocentric-and-heliocentric/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocentric_model
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliocentrism
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-popularity.html
http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/7222202.html
http://talesofateenagefashionista.blogspot.kr/2011/04/pros-and-cons-of-following-trends.html
http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/life/what-north-face-jacket-means-south-korea-032182
http://www.kiasportage.net/index.php? document_srl=13815897&SSOID=ksuqm1hvn1ircvjruc0b0fr0n1&mid=s001
http://larrycheng.com/2011/11/21/when-the-majority-is-wrong/
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