توهمات جمعی: همرنگی، همدستی و دلایل تصمیمات نادرست

by Todd Rose, سوگل قشقایی (Translator)

میل به انطباق یکی از نیرومندترین تمایلات در یک جامعه است. تاد رز معتقد است که ما انسان ها به طور مداوم برخلاف منافع خود عمل می کنیم، زیرا مغزمان باورهای دیگران را اشتباه درک می کند. مجموعه‌ای پیچیده از توهماتِ ناشی از تعصبِ انطباق، نحوه نگرش ما به جهان اطراف را تحریف می کنند. از کمبود دستمال توالت در زمان همه‌گیری کرونا گرفته تا کلیه هایی که به جای پیوند دور انداخته می شوند یا تفکیک نژادی و حضور زنان در سیاست. ما به طور معمول از دیگران کپی‌برداری می کنیم، در مورد آنچه باور داریم دروغ می گوییم.، به قبایل و گروه‌های خود می چسبیم و سعی می‌کنیم دیگران را ساکت کنیم.

ما به قدری عمیق اجتماعی هستیم که وقتی با گروه ناسازگار باشیم و به عزت نفسمان آسیب دائمی وارد کنیم، از رفاه ما می کاهد و هرگز پتانسیل کامل خود را درک نمی کنیم. به همین دلیل است که ما اغلب دنبال تله‌های آشنای پول، شهرت و موفقیت می‌رویم که باعث می‌شود حتی وقتی به آن‌ها دست می‌یابیم احساس پوچی کنیم. به همین دلیل است که کورکورانه از دیدگاهی که لزوماً به آن اعتقاد نداریم حمایت خواهیم کرد تا با گروه ترکیب شویم. ما خودمان را در زندان‌هایی به دام می‌اندازیم که خودمان ساخته‌ایم که ما را از زندگی شاد و رضایت‌بخشی که تصور می‌کنیم باز می‌دارد.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Sociology, Self Help, History, Audiobook

264 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Todd Rose is the cofounder and president of The Center for Individual Opportunity, and a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His work is focused on the science of the individual and its implications for advancing self-knowledge, developing talent, and improving our institutions of opportunity. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't think it would be, but this is a self-help book. That is not a compliment. The author points out how the US has some very bad systemic problems (which we clearly do) and proposes that we fix them with individual actions (which will never work). Behind all the problems are clearly racism and capitalism, but Rose never calls them by their name. He does call out communism in a very strange way and makes heroes out of a company--equating success with constant growth (that isn't sustainable for companies and I would like to see a different form of success normalized), so he seems to think capitalism is great and not the problem at all. He ties it back to one single person, Frederick Taylor, not stopping to think that Taylorism wouldn't have caught on if the attitude wasn't already pervasive among the upper classes for centuries.

Additionally, he only addresses the problem on one side of the issue, as if everyone in the world never speaks up or speaks their mind and that is the only possible issue. He never addresses the idea that lots of people must be enforcing the status quo for it to stick around for so long. He insists that it is just a few (or even one person) enforcing the status quo. We can tell only a few people enforce it because that is what happened once, which is ridiculous. So maybe he should also tell people to be willing to listen to new ideas.

Furthermore, he never addresses the issue of what to do when some people have really bad ideas that are INHERENTLY bad (like the problems we are facing right now). The premise is basically, "everyone actually wants to go against the status quo and our problems will be fixed immediately if you cowards would just speak up". I got to tell you, that is just not my experience in life.

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an interesting book! Especially right now, it is just intriguing to dig deeper into the psychology of belonging...to fit in or go with the masses. At what cost do we alter our own values and intuition to be accepted? I really really really enjoyed this book. This is a topic I oddly think of often, so it was a joy to hear someone elses thoughts. It is eye opening and empowering!!

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great commentary on the current state of society and closes well with something we can all do to counteract.

Example:
- We believe we are more trustworthy than we think the average person in society is
- We subscribe to a more holistic definition of success (being happy, following your curiosities) than we think society does (fame/prestige)

As a result of things like these two examples, we end up preaching, acting, and speaking up in ways that might betray our own beliefs in fear of being ostracized by our communities.

Fear of being ostracized shows up neurologically similarly as physical pain.

So on average, humans will misrepresent their beliefs and stances based on what they think others, on average, believe, whether it is true or not.

The reality is that if we were more honest about our own individual beliefs, we will find more congruence within ourselves and hopefully help society move forward in a meaningful way.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Ideas Marred By Author's Dogma. This is one of those books that presents a lot of interesting ideas, and indeed Part I in particular, where Rose is describing the problem and how it works, is quite remarkable. Yet even through this section, there are elements of Rose's partisan blinders (though also some refreshingly positive signs). For one, Rose, while spending an entire book speaking to the ills of conformity, repeatedly appeals to conformity to claim that "the science is settled" on "climate" "science". Ummm... Yet in the positive column, it is exceedingly rare for someone of Rose's political persuasion to cite the libertarian-based Cato Institute, and Rose actually cites this very organization within this text. It is really in the final third of the book though where Rose's political blinders become most obvious, often citing things in support of his overall narrative seemingly not noticing that doing so fails Occam's Razor - there are far simpler, and therefore more likely correct, answers to some of these things (such as the rise in violent crime during the 2020 COVID lockdowns). Still, Rose actually does present quite a bit here that is absolutely worthy of consideration and discussion, even if he is off at times in certain areas. Very much recommended.

[Richard Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As social animals, humans have a natural tendency to go along with the group, and that's a good thing because without that instinct we wouldn't be as effective as we are at building a large functioning society, and we wouldn't be as good as learners. But sometimes following the crowd leads us astray because the wisdom of crowds is not always so wise, and sometimes we are led astray by our misperceptions of what everyone else thinks. According to Mr. Rose, as an example, in the days before the Civil Rights Act a majority of people in the South were opposed to segregation but would not speak out because of their false belief that the majority favored it. Maybe.

Mr. Rose's suggested ways to deal with the problem of too much conformity are (i) having a willingness to question, particularly by asking "Why?", (ii) participating in diverse social circles that expose us to a variety of different ways of thinking, (iii) cultivating the trait of sincerity, and (iv) being more trusting of others.

All of this rang true for me, but it also all seemed pretty obvious and was mostly telling me things that I already know and practice.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

More people need to read this book in 2022 — before we're a country with 330,000,000 people and only 2 opinions.

[Chris Boutté · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m an audiobook listener, and when I get review copies, they’re in PDF format, so I rarely need to step foot in a book store. Recently, I had some time and decided to go into a Barnes and Noble where I came across this new book from Todd Rose, and I’m so glad I did. This quickly became one of my favorite books about group psychology, and I can’t recommend it enough. I read a ton of books about this topic, and Todd not only brought a fresh take and unique angle, but he covered a ton of studies that I was unaware of. While the book starts out making you feel nihilistic about human nature and wondering what we can do, Rose’s last few chapters explain how we can break free from these collective illusions to make the world a bit better when we work together. I could also really relate to some of the personal stories he discusses later in the book about being in poverty and how we treat low-income and poor citizens. This is a phenomenal book, and you need to go get a copy ASAP.

[Maher Razouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

‏الأوهام الجماعية هي أكاذيب اجتماعية. تظهر في مواقف يرفض فيها غالبية الأفراد في مجموعة ما رأيًا معينًا، لكنهم يوافقون عليه لأنهم يفترضون أن معظم الأشخاص الآخرين يقبلونه. عندما يوافق الأفراد على ما يعتقدون أن المجموعة تريده، يمكن أن ينتهي بهم الأمر بفعل ما لا يريده أحد

Todd Rose

[Krystal 🦢 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made scrambled eggs out of my brains in the best way. I’ll definitely have to read it again, and probably again after that. I did the audiobook, which was excellent (except that the reader mispronounces Hooper, it’s supposed to be pronounced like hooker but with a p) but about half way though I ordered a hard copy because I knew I’d want to go through and mark it up.

I picked this up because a friend recommended it during a conversation we were having about cognitive dissonance and the Ashe experiments, and while she was recommending it, mentioned that the author grew up in my very tiny hometown, and she wanted to know if I knew him. I don’t. He’s a bit older than I am. But still, if someone from your tiny hometown writes a book on a topic that’s already been popping up all over in your life in random ways, then it’s a sign you should read the book immediately. So I did. And it was awesome.

The parts I loved the most were about the philosophy of Chang (not sure the spelling) which is being authentic and sincere in a way the benefits yourself and society; and the whole chapter on trust and social trust. I will spend a long time thinking about and trying to implement the ideas in this book. And failing and having to dust off and try again. But I think it’s worth attempting.

I recommend this book to everyone. Even my kids were interested in the parts they overheard on various car trips. (There’s a little of bit of mild language, some peer pressure examples with tobacco, some mob activity, and non graphic mention of female circumcision in Egypt.)

“The truth is, there isn’t anything we can’t solve together. We already have the answers to our social problems hiding in plain sight. We’re not as divided as we’re told. We share common values. We are trustworthy, and we want the best for each other. When we recognize our own private power, commit to congruence, and stand up publicly for what we believe, we can dispel the fog of collective illusions and live up to the promise of a better society.”

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Toilet Paper Debacle of 2020 explained at last!

Seriously though, Collective Illusions is a fascinating, enlightening read, drawing on neuroscience and social psychology to show us how false assumptions spread to create a mistrustful, unhappy society.

Our brains are badly flawed when it comes to independent thinking. Often, when we believe we’re forming our own opinions, we’re really just falling in line with our tribe. This book breaks down the how and why of this behavior, and most importantly, teaches us how to shatter the damaging illusions we’ve come to accept, so we can see the truth.

Todd Rose presents this complex topic with an easy to understand, entertaining writing style. Anyone who makes decisions about anything in life should read this book.

*I received an ARC from Hachette Books.*

[Homa]

Reading Collective Illusions was easy and honestly pretty fun, the kind of book you can move through quickly without getting bogged down. Rose explains how people often think their opinions differ from the majority, while in fact many quietly feel the same way. This "collective illusion" ends up distorting how groups behave and make decisions.
For me, the strength of the book was how clear and relatable the examples were. But I have to say, the core idea isn’t really new; it’s been around in social psychology and philosophy for a long time. What Rose adds is mostly fresh packaging and contemporary examples. Because of that, the book feels more like an accessible overview than a deep dive.
More than anything it helped me see that some odd decisions often come from fear of judgment or pressure to conform. Now I feel more understanding and less surprised.

[Read By Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this new book by Todd Rose. I've listened to Rose on some podcasts and generally appreciated his insights so I was keen on trying one of his written works. I think this is a great distillation of cognitive biases and tricks we play on ourselves that affect the way we think. Rose does a great job of highlighting how collective illusions harm us individually and as a society, and the pitfalls that come with not speaking up when you think differently than the crowd. I would definitely recommend this both to people who have no prior knowledge of cognitive science as well as those that do (although those that are already well versed will not find much new here, maybe just packaged in a way that they may find meaningful.)

[Hodjat ghoreishi · Rating 3 out of 5]

از اون کتابایی که ارزش خوندن داره
مخصوصا الان مه شبکه‌های اجتماعی خط مقدم اطلاع رسانی هستن و از همه طرف بمباران خبری هستیم.
مخصوصا این روزها خیلی خوندنی‌تر هست به نظرم.
کتاب تحقیقات علمی به همراه داستان‌های روایی ترکیب می‌کنه و از نحوه‌ی تصمیم‌گیری افراد در مواجه با تصمیمات و اثرگذاری جمع در کتابش میگه

[Angie Boyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very thought-provoking book with ideas that are very pertinent to both our personal lives and the state of society. It cites an impressive array of sources.
What could have been an intimidating or boring academic read , though, benefits from an enjoyable writing style. As Mary Poppins once said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!"

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book in a single afternoon. This is far from fluffy brain candy, but the author's writing style is so excellent that you'll lean into the book without feeling put upon or exhausted later.

It is an apt almost prophetic description of our time. We all assume no one believes what we do or believes it in the same way, so, we opt for silence rather than strengthening our courage by taking a stand that may prove unpopular. But why the silence? Why do we swallow back the urge to eradicate errors by perpetuating them with our silence? The author assures that we're wired to be extremely social animals, but he insists that we're also equipped with the ability to swim upstream so to speak and exhibit courage if only we will do it.

The book is filled with almost heartbreaking examples of how often in life we swallow our objections or lie to ourselves and pretend we're in agreement with what appears to be the vast majority. But those self lies are destructive beyond measure, and the so-called massive majority may be far smaller than we think once we start speaking out and taking stands. After all, courage is contagious. The best news about collective illusions is that they're fragile and we can easily destroy them. This is a must-read for any of us who are sure our divisions as a society are too intrenched to fix. That may not be as true as we think it is, and we may yet be able to find common ground. These collective illusions also foster societal mistrust, a condition that seems to be at an all-time high. If you read this, you'll understand better what's happening from a scientific perspective, and you'll find hope in the premise that none of these delusions are set in stone.

[Joe Byram · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's...fine. The concept is interesting, and Rose is obviously quite knowledgeable about the subject.
He often cites studies, which I appreciate, but he does not provide context for many of them. This alone is not problematic but because he universalizes anecdotes in a questionable way, I am left wondering how solid the research is.

The book, like many in this genre, is repetitive, offering little depth in the pages where depth ought to be. The final 30 pages are skippable.

Overall, Rose has an admirable life story and interesting insight on the topic. However, part of the book's seems to be him trying to show the reader how smart and well-read he is. I am not sure if that is the intention as he seems like a modest person (and I am sure actually is well read and smart!). But it detracts from the persuasiveness. By referencing and quoting to the extent he does, I felt as if his voice and opinions are lost: he's speaking through others rather than himself.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read and makes a lot of interesting points. From how to climb Maslow's hierarchy of self-actualization by just trusting others, to being a positive nonconformist, Rose offers a lot of antidotes for the problems of the social media era in a world with alt-right propaganda cranking up the crazy shit for your uncle on Thanksgiving. I don't know if Rose has got the magic answer but if a few people follow the advice in this book, which is not a self-help work but does have some practical suggestions, the world will probably be a better place.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start with his interview with Mel Robbin’s on her podcast (This one research study will…). One of the most insightful and hopeful discussions I’ve noticed in a long while.

This book covers much more ground. It’s well worth the read (or listen). So many examples and stories are often hard to keep up with and sometimes distracted me from the key points.

All in, important subject matter during our age of media propaganda and collective illusion.

[Samantha DesLauriers · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

[Anna Mock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book centers on a fascinating and extremely important topic that I think we would all do well to contemplate, ponder, and address as it applies to us in our lives - which it certainly does for all of us! I really enjoyed thinking about the concepts of groupthink and his definition of "collective illusions" - the idea that we usually go along with the crowd because we think that's what everyone else believes/does/thinks and it's easier to be a sheep than to face potential ostracism despite the fact that frequently people/groups/societies are harmed in the process of keeping divergent opinions silent. But there was something about this book that was really bothering me and it took me a while to put my finger on it. I was getting pretty argumentative with the book. (I apologize in advance to anyone who might ever pick up my copy at a used bookstore and have to slog through my contrary comments in the margins. There aren't too many, I guess.) But it's not so much that I disagree with the main points of the book, but I think he is leaving out something absolutely essential in his argument. That creates a problem in his argument, in my opinion. So although I have argumentative viewpoints all over the place regarding a variety of things (such as: it's important to question other people's beliefs as untrue/fake/pretended if they don't conform to YOUR belief because you can set them free from lying to themselves; the call to activism - but only in the things he believes are true because he's pretty sure we all believe what he believes and are just lying to ourselves; and that if the belief is traditional, tied to religion, or connected with conservatism, you should be very skeptical because THOSE are the type of things people just fake believe in and the world would be a better place if we could all just stop lying to ourselves; etc.) My beef really comes up against one main thing. The book was great. The ideas super intriguing. The studies were interesting (although in my argumentative mood I'm skeptical that the results he got proved what he thought they did). And I honestly don't mind that he sees the world differently than I do. I think there are SO MANY things in this book that we can apply to almost every opinion and almost every social situation. It's been helpful for me to introspectively examine my own actions and thought patterns to see if I am just going with the flow when that might be harmful or even just less efficient or helpful. This is why I think people should read this book! It has much for all of us to ponder about society and our place within it. But because the author and I see the world differently, this one big thing stuck out to me and I think it hurts his main thesis to some degree and weakens some of his lesser points.

So I've boiled my irritation down to his belief that to be happy we need to be true to ourselves and our feelings and if we don't voice those in the face of opposition (in order to change or eliminate that opposition) we are living a lie, we are inauthentic and insincere- or rather in his words, living incongruently. Not all of that sounds bad. But I think this is all premised on the idea that YOUR FEELINGS and YOUR OPINIONS should trump ANY and EVERY opposing feeling or opinion because the other opinions and feelings are potentially dangerous. He gives some pretty good examples of this being true. If you FEEL that racism and sexism are wrong, you should not be silent when you see racism or sexism because you are enabling all the others who believe the same as you but are just sitting there hoping not to stir the pot, to give the impression that racism or sexism is appropriate. Number one, I don't believe every act of injustice should or can be solved by an instantaneous act of vocal protest, although some should. But number two, and this doesn't really count for racism because I'm pretty sure that just about everybody feels and KNOWS that injustice and inequality is wrong, but he keeps equating your FEELINGS and OPINIONS with TRUTH, and anyone who doesn't share those same feelings and opinions are wrong.

I just can't agree with that. Deep inside, there are a multitude of shared core values that we all hold, usually regardless of gender, time, culture, geography. But that isn't because WE are so smart and so holy and so absolute, but because there are eternal principles that are just true. How many times have we had very strong opinions and feelings that were definitely wrong because we didn't have all the facts (or at least enough to form an informed opinion) or we were starting at the wrong premise? Many times, I'm sure! Truth, in my opinion, is not subjective to how we feel or our opinions about things regardless of how many people feel the same way, either vocally or in silent. I agree with the author on so many things - it is definitely important to not live a double life, to have our inner self agree/ be congruent with our outer self, to feel confident enough to share our opinions especially when we are in the minority without fear of retribution or punishment, and to stand up in the face of injustice and other things that are dangerous. I totally agree that if one person believes something or is thinking something, they are most definitely most often not the ONLY one, and voicing their opinion gives courage to others to be bold and speak their opinion as well. But speaking your opinion is not the same thing as speaking truth. If we believed that always, that would mean that you were always right and everyone else was always wrong. The opinions you felt were dangerous would have to be eliminated for the safety of society. And in that case, you become the "Mrs. Salt" who uses her boldness and strong opinions to intimidate others into silence. (Mrs. Salt, of course, has traditional, puritan-based values, therefore she must be wrong. Although of course, in the example in the book, she was certainly in the minority. And honestly, I'm not convinced she had any malicious intent and actively tried to intimidate others. I think she was deceived into thinking everyone agreed with her because nobody ever said anything!)

I believe there definitely IS an absolute Truth with a capital T. I believe that there are eternal principles that are observable in nature and in human nature and that if we live by these principles, we will feel at peace and be happier. I believe that happiness, fulfillment, peace, self-confidence, and self-esteem come from being congruent with those principles, and therefore with God, not by being true to your own individual truth and feelings and making sure everyone knows what they are so that you and like-minded people can become a force to eliminate the "untrue" opinions and feelings of others. THAT is polarizing and THAT creates distrust and all the uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner conversations and whatnot. His example of the author who was such a nice lady and worked so hard and had a family and then wrote a book that some people didn't like and subsequently wrote negative reviews about was a perfect example of that. It's ok if people don't like that author's book, regardless of how much other people DID like it. Just let people have their own opinions without decrying them as false and sometimes dangerous. And certainly DO NOT become an activist for differing opinions.

Here's my opinion based on my experiences and eternal principles I have learned and am still coming to understand in my very imperfect state. When we willingly acknowledge and allow people to be diverse in their opinions, backgrounds, perspectives, lifestyles, and beliefs, but we seek to learn from others and seek to use our knowledge and experience to come to that absolute Truth which reigns supreme regardless of how we feel about it or how well we understand it, we all come to a better place. We get there at different times and from different avenues, but because Truth is eternal, and because when we live by eternal principles, we don't have to fight against them, we get those feelings of peace and rest and happiness and congruence. Sometimes the majority has already figured something out and it's ok to join them when we figure that out, too. And sometimes the majority is very, very wrong. But Truth is not dependent on how many people believe it or how many people THINK others believe it, or whether even we ourselves believe it or not yet.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read on a relevant topic. I liked it. I recognized some of my past and, yes, current thought patterns and behaviors in the author’s explanations of group conformity. I think it’s important to be aware of our natural proclivities and question our knee jerk responses, especially when in a group, so reading about what our pitfalls are felt edifying.

However, there were some glaring oversimplifications that, ironically, made me lose trust in him despite his urging for readers/society to be more trusting. For example, the success of the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia is not a mystery, as the author claims, nor was it set off merely by the student protest. It should not have surprised anyone who was paying attention (hello, the wall fell in November of that year). Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) created opportunities for many eastern bloc countries to challenge their oppressive communist regimes, and his choice not to back those regimes as they fell highly influenced the local governments’ capitulations to the populace.

While some of his recommendations are sound on a personal level and could likely work within a larger group, I think the solutions he seemed to be offering for society at large were too pat to be useful.

The power of the people to organize and enact change from the ground up is real and necessary, but the author implied several times that it was peoples’ complacency and willingness, or, more accurately, biological predisposition to go with the flow that was keeping us from self actualizing the change needed in the world, on both a micro and macro level. As if structural issues like racism and sexism can be done away with if only enough people stop pretending like they’re okay with them. Ummm what? Yes, people need to speak up. But there are actual advantages to the higher echelons of society (the 1%) to maintain these power structures, and that is who (increasingly) has all the wealth, and as such controls both our government and our society.

Surveillance capitalism? Environmental destruction? What are those! Let’s stop perpetuating the collective illusion that we can improve the world without addressing the oppressive forces that are also tapping into our biological predispositions, except in ways that insidiously keep us from reaching our potential.

[Kokoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions" by Todd Rose offers a compelling and nuanced exploration of the intricate psychological and sociological dynamics that underpin human decision-making. Rose adeptly challenges readers to reevaluate their perceptions of conformity and complicity, encouraging a deeper understanding of these complex phenomena. While the book undoubtedly offers valuable insights, there are opportunities for further development.

1. Rose's adept analysis of the psychological and sociological underpinnings of collective illusions is commendable, yet the book would benefit from a more expansive examination of the broader cultural and historical forces that shape these phenomena. By incorporating a more diverse array of real-world case studies and historical examples, the book could provide readers with a richer understanding of the multifaceted nature of collective illusions, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities inherent in these societal dynamics.
2. Todd Rose's exclusive focus on criticizing communism while selectively highlighting examples that favor capitalism may limit the depth and balance of his work. In doing so, he inadvertently becomes ensnared in the collective illusions he aims to dismantle, potentially oversimplifying complex socio-political and economic systems. This approach risks perpetuating the narrative of individual self-sufficiency without fully acknowledging the intricate realities that people navigate. Acknowledging the multifaceted nature of these systems is crucial for cultivating a more empathetic and informed understanding of societal dynamics. Therefore, a more inclusive and nuanced exploration of diverse economic and political paradigms would enrich the discussion of collective illusions, leading to a more insightful and credible analysis.

[Chainsaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A worthwhile and informative read about how one's impression of the majority or group opinion may be completely off-base, how one's silence or implied agreement with that position may reinforce others' misperceptions along the same lines, and how sometimes one small act of reasonably questioning or disagreeing with the "group" opinion may open the floodgates to truth and honest discussion that clarifies broad-spread but common misunderstandings.

Well worth the read, and particularly pertinent in today's antagonistic, often vitriolic society. We're typically not actually as far apart from our fellow citizens as one would be led to believe, especially through social and mass media, and the author demonstrates how to help correct wide-spread false beliefs about what others truly think.

Recommended!

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book named and described one very important social phenomenon: that often in social groups, the majority of people secretly disagree with a certain belief or norm, and yet act in accordance with it because they infer that the majority of other members agree with it. This usually reflects a vocal minority reinforcing the norm and the rest remaining largely silent to avoid social sanction. He calls this a "collective illusion," and I think examples will readily spring to mind for most readers.
However, the author's analysis of collective illusions in the digital space is not particularly insightful, he relies on hackneyed generational tropes, and his overall solutions seem inadequate and unfulfilling. I had hoped for more.

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas (we're often bad at predicting what the larger group thinks and think our opinion is the minority opinion b/c a vocal minority exerts an outsized influence. This can lead to suboptimal outcomes for society so we should try to employ various strategies mentioned in the book to surface the consensus opinion). I think there was quite a bit of fluff beyond the first third of the book but it was entertaining in its own way, if not a bit extraneous.

[Ashley Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collective Illusions by Todd Rose explores the creation and maintenance of social lies that are fuelled by false assumptions, conformity, silence, and a lack of questioning. Drawing on social psychology and neuroscience, this book shows just how skewed these norms can be from the reality of what most people actually think.

Collective illusions occur when most members of a group privately reject what appears to be the widely accepted group norm. This phenomenon has also been referred to as pluralistic ignorance, but the author explains that he prefers the term collective illusions because it’s not so much a matter of people not knowing what others think; rather, it’s an issue of being convinced that we know and being wrong.

One example that the book addresses is people’s perceptions about what constitutes success. In a study conducted by Populace, a think tank that the author co-founded, 97% of people personally considered success to be a matter of having meaning and purpose in their lives. At the same time, 92% of survey respondents thought that most other people defined success in terms of career, money, and fame. That is one massive illusion.

The book addresses various factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of collective illusions, including our brains being hardwired for conformity, which had a survival advantage for our ancestors way back in the day. The fear of ostracism is also explored as a major motivating factor, and the same part of our brains responds to both social rejection and physical pain.

The author also addresses the role social media plays in collective illusions. These platforms give people with fringe opinions the ability to quickly and easily create the perception of majority consensus in support of their positions, which can end up silencing the majority of people who actually have more moderate opinions. Bots can play an important role in further amplifying these fringe opinions and manufacturing consensus that doesn’t actually exist.

Politics was one of the areas the book addressed where collective illusions come into play. For example, candidate selection is heavily influenced by perceived electability, an illusion that can lead to the selection of candidates other than the ones people actually think would do the best job. Social media also feeds into the perception of growing political polarization, with the vocal fringe blowhards leading each side to perceive the other side as having more extreme views than the majority of people actually have.

The book explores the negative consequences of staying silent when we see problems with what appears to be the majority opinion. It can affect us as individuals, with our sense of self-worth and well-being taking a hit when we’re incongruent with our own beliefs and values. The author explains how self-censoring also feeds into collective illusions, as our conformity suggests to others that we agree with the apparent group norms, which sends the message to them to remain silent.

Throughout the book, the author emphasizes that although collective illusions can be powerful, they’re fragile because they’re based on lies, and they only exist because we all allow them to. That means that individuals can do a lot to poke holes in them. The final chapters addressed ways to do this, and the author encourages each of us to take responsibility for the part we play in sustaining these illusions. Even something as simple as asking “why?” or “why not?” can be powerful in exposing these illusions for what they are.

I found this book absolutely fascinating. It exposes a lot of things that we assume to be true as being built on nothing. I liked how the author encouraged readers to take personal responsibility for speaking up, not to the masses on the internet, but within our social groups. I thought this approach was really empowering.

I think this book would be really eye-opening for anyone who feels weighed down by social expectations, as it shows just how arbitrary many of those expectations are and how poorly they reflect what most people actually think. It offers really great insights into how our minds work and how we function in social groups, and I highly recommend it.



I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

[Nicole Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When individuals conform to what they think the group wants, they can end up doing what nobody wants. Think of the parable of the emperor with no clothes. And unfortunately, we can't trust our brains to give us an accurate read on social reality anymore. We like to believe we can discern "objective reality", but that's actually impossible.

Your brain is constantly assessing and making inferences about what to pay attention to based on previous knowledge and experience long before any conscious thought is involved. Since your brain relies so heavily on anticipating what might happen, it has a certain tendency to misinterpret reality as it happens.

Here's a chilling fact: 19 percent of interactions on social media are already between humans and bots, not humans and humans. Bots only need to represent 5 to 10 percent of the participants in a discussion to manipulate public opinion in their favor.

The best thing we can do to improve society is be congruent. True to our word, trusting of ourselves and others, and willing to speak the truth to power. Positive deviance is a powerful engine of social change. It's radical to be authentic. We are created and evolved to need each other. To cooperate. To be altruistic.

People, as a whole, are trustworthy; we just operate under the collective illusion that they aren't.

Consciously reflecting on how you have acted out personal virtues that you deeply believe in--honesty, integrity, generosity, compassion, and others--improves your perception of yourself as a moral being, which makes you more likely to continue helping others. The opposite is also true--if you view yourself as, say, insincere to begin with, then you are more likely to be artificial or dishonest. The community-based chemistry of our brains drives us to prefer sincerity in our own behavior and that of others. Being honest makes us feel better than lying does. This can also mean doing our Jungian shadow work--we have to "name it to tame it" when our irrational or dark thoughts and feelings creep in. How are you moving toward your noblest self?

Just as we need to build up our immune systems by exposing ourselves to various germs, our groups can only survive and thrive by adapting to change. The greater diversity of understanding and ideas strengthens us all. This book is important and powerful wisdom. Thanks to my niece Nadia for lending it to me.

Related titles:
Better Angels of our Nature by Stephen Pinker
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

[Greg Mcneilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

COLLECTIVE ILLUSIONS: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions | Todd Rose, Hachette Go (2022), 304p.


In “The End of Average,” Todd Rose convincingly argues that there are no averages when it comes to humans. Average seat sizes, educational development tacts, food tastes and performances. He argued rightly - if not successfully - for a paradigm shift from a flawed concept of systems aimed at a mass average toward systems that accommodate individual differences.

If the world had shifted and adopted his scientific findings, it would be a better place today.

In Collective Illusions, Rose tackles the human impulse to fit in. To illustrate his thesis, he cherry-picks a series of examples from kidney recipient decisions to “cancel culture.” While his selections of anecdotes betray a bias, the precise facts of our non-rational tribal impulse remain a central tenant of our fallibility.

One of the reasons you can see a community change opinion so quickly is that most people will adopt a perceived majoritarian viewpoint to fit in. Scores of studies and examples back this up. This allows for a small - vocal - sometimes even a minority viewpoint, to sway or lead to an acting majority.

In situations where most people submit their viewpoint to the perception of a majority stance contrary to their own beliefs, Rose terms “collective illusions.” He notes, “We humans are so profoundly social that just our awareness of others can shift our behavior.”

Rose makes a compelling case that we are hardwired beyond our likely self-awareness. Hence, the ancients’ understanding of our infinite ignorance. These cognitive blindspots are likely greater amongst those with less neural diversity in their bubble - aka those in higher ed, contained sub-cult(ures) - and the intellectual rigor to break free is nearly unavailable to them.

Rose's chief downfall is the rampant prejudices of his own mind. He picks examples unequally from one side of the ideological spectrum, ironically limiting the likely salience of his thesis.

His solution is, of course, at the individual level. Live with more skepticism of your thoughts, challenging yourself to live in truth and not conformity. A worthy challenge that, even imperfectly met, leads to better.

[Kaveh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the main point of this book that we need to break the cycle and change things for the better. The current system especially in the US is not geared to make people live a happy life with dignity and a true sense of accomplishment and it needs to change. We, the people, need to change it.

However, I do not agree with Todd Rose's assessment of Taylorism as the main culprit for our current predicament. Taylor's original motivation for his approach (based on the assumption of natural laziness of people) is not why his system or variations of it have worked so brilliantly. At least in its current shape it's to make sure production is efficient and products are what they claim to be.

To understand my point, imagine an iPhone factory at which every worker does his work based on his or her intuition and experience. No two iPhones will be equal and similar. Quality will be random. Every customer will have to pray that what she buys is going to do what it says on the label.
Now picture a rocket that's supposed to take people to space made without a blueprint, processes, quality control and assessment mechanism.
A kit car is a good example. Actually no, not really. A car made of scrap parts is a good example of such a system.

Dr. Rose's claim reminds me of a quote from Ratatouille, the animated movie. "Everybody can cook" which doesn't mean everybody can be a chef or should try to be a chef and write recipes. It means to be a chef you don't have to belong to a certain class or have to have gone to a certain school or college. You could potentially be a good chef regardless of your background. Now remember that most people, including me, should just follow a recipe and try not to change it at all. It doesn't mean they are stupid, or untrustworthy. It just means that they don't have the talent or the training. This doesn't make them less human. It just makes them human.

To say we're all capable of making the right decisions all the time is naive at the very best. I certainly would not trust myself to make the right decision when it comes to fixing the electrical system in my house or doing a surgery on someone.

Change depends on us trying to trust the experts again and the on the experts trying to fulfill their fiduciaire duty to people who trust them. I think Dr Rose too would agree with that.

[Rachel Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it slow to mull over the implications of our incurably social minds on a mass scale in society. If you've ever worried about hyperpolarization, the use of social media today, or wondered what the hell the "other" party is thinking, if everyone has gone crazy in the US the past several years, I would enourage you to read and reflect. We're all closer to the middle than we think. Wish it was required reading for all. Recommend for psycology, sociology nerds, everyone.

Big Take Aways:

We're wired to be social, care about the opinion of the group, conform.

Collective Illusion = the majority of a group holds a dissenting opinion but, believing everyone else to agree and fearing the social/financial/etc. cost of ostracism, assumes they are alone. Therefore, in silence, a group can perpetuate a social norm/belief/support a law/etc. most dislike.

A very small, but vocal minority can easily start a "collective illusion" - sometimes intentionally
^^social media amplifies this effect

We tend to assume others have superior information and follow their lead
^^ often this is a good strategy (Ex - when you see others running, you might want to run too)
^^ other times, not.

Social norms = mental shortcuts that save significant energy in deciding how to behave

Deviating from perceived social norms/beliefs literally trips the "error" circuit in our brains; evolutionarily speaking the group offers much greater chances of survival. Sticking with your "group" is strongly neurologically rewarded. Seeing the "other" group loose is also strongly rewarded.

Our personal sense of identity is strongly tied to the groups we belong to.

Being in the majority (conforming) relives stress, diffuses personal responsibility for our decisions, and makes it easier to bear mistakes.

Sharing a contrary view is an excellent way to discover what a group ACTUALLY thinks, rather than assuming + most people want to share their views.

Best way to affect change :
Step #1 - identify LOCAL leaders with leverage/reach in community
Step #2 - locals MUST be involved with brainstorming/execution