How much power does an individual wield?
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Everyone is, by definition, an individual. Why then, does a group of individuals behave so differently? It seems only logical that a larger number of people could achieve more. In practice, however, the social and intellectual bottlenecks that arise actually make groups less efficient.
Individuals have more potential than most people realize.
One recurring theme in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is racism. Many of the characters are racist simply because that's how they were raised. Aunt Sally, for example, disregards the black man that was killed in a steamboat accident. She casually states that "sometimes people do get hurt" (223). Aunt Sally is by no means a vicious person; she's just behaving how everyone else is behaving. The feud between the Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords is a similar situation. Buck dies without even knowing why he was fighting. Colonel Sherburn's speech exemplifies the kind of mob mentality that is so prevalent in the novel. He scornfully disperses the crowd, knowing that most are "afraid [they'll] be found out to be what [they] are—cowards" (149). Sherburn is able to think clearly because he's not caught up in the mob.
Throughout history, there have been people who profoundly impacted the world, for good or evil. Their names are still common knowledge today--Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, Adolf Hitler, Albert Einstein. Very rarely, if ever, is a group remembered the same way. It's always been individuals whom the world has immortalized. Godwin's Law states that the longer an online discussion lasts, the higher the chance that Hitler is brought up. This is a testament to how an individual can affect the lives of many, although in this case we would have been better off without his influence.
1984 and Brave New World, two dystopian novels, both depict the general public as mindless subjects, subject to the laws and regulations of higher powers. The point Orwell and Huxley make is that groups are easier to control than individuals, as shown by Big Brother's ruthless treatment of Winston.
The individual wields power because they aren't bound by social rules or obligations. Individuals are free to innovate and/or act on convictions without having to worry about what others will think of them. They are usually the people heading a group and creating change.
I agree, if you are part of a group, you automattically assume they are right and you dont even question why believe something, you just do; rather than taking a step back and seeing if this actually makes sense or is just total nonsense, like racism
ReplyDeleteI, too, agree with your argument. Mob mentality is like follow the leader. Everyone blindly follows the person giving directions without contemplating whether or not it is actually a smart choice. Only the individual who is leading actually thinks and this is usually for his own benefit as in the case of Hitler and Big Brother.
ReplyDeleteBeing the first to reject the conventional views of a group can be challenging. It takes courage, bravery, willpower, and an extra thick skin. One must have the intellectual capacity to question mob mentality from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteQuickly accepting the majority's opinion requires nothing more than a nod of one's head. This is why it is so much easier to agree with a group than to disagree.
Could this be why we are all agreeing with your post? It is the easiest to say "I agree" and restate in our comments what you wrote in your blog, rather than disagreeing and having to formulate our own ideas, going against the grain.
None the less, nice post. I agree. (:
It is a nice post, and Godwin's law is interesting!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great analysis. I like how you pointed out the prominent leaders of influence throughout society, like Martin Luther King Jr., Lincoln, and even Hitler--demonstrating that not all influence is positive. Yet you point out that all influence has benefits and consequences, and aren't bound to the conforming social "rules". I agree.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Newton! I think it is really interesting how society mainly remembers individuals, not groups, and how a person can be immortalized in history regardless of his or her goodness or evil. Godwin's law is pretty interesting. Where did you hear about it? Lastly, I love your first picture. It is so accurate! In Boy Scouts, they taught us that when you have a group of people in an emergency, you must assign people specific tasks instead of saying, "Someone do this!" or "Someone do that!" Again, great job.
ReplyDeleteAlong with everyone else that already comment, I agree with you, Newton. I had no idea what Godwin's Law is until this post. It's actually quite scary the mark the Hitler has left even after years since the end of World War II.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing first post. Pictures, historical references, quotes, you have it all! Although I mostly do agree with your points, I don't think all individuals, or even a majority of them have the ability to effect such a change. Even if they don't follow the rules or obligations, I think those certain individuals were able to accomplish that much because of the exact opportunities they were given. There are undoubtedly some other Einstein's out there, but they won't be able to accomplish as much because of the lack of opportunities to utilize their knowledge. This was a good read.
ReplyDeleteI would disagree with your views. Although only a single person is remembered, that is because its much easier to push fame or blame onto a single person than a group of people. For example, the American public always places blame on the president while its mainly Congress that screws up. Similarly, Hitler is much easier to condemn than the entire Nazi party. Aside from this, groups are what give a famous individual his/her power. Without the backing of hundreds of thousands to millions of others, people like M.L.K. and even Hitler wouldn't have made it into the halls of fame and infamy respectively.
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