We live in a world where agreement is mistaken for truth.  If enough people say it, it must be right.  If no one objects, it must be wise.  The danger isn’t just in being wrong—it’s in never questioning if you are.  People assume consensus is the result of careful thought.  It’s not.  It’s the result of silence, pressure, and fear.

Disagreement is treated as betrayal.  Dissent is seen as dangerous.  The moment someone raises a concern, they’re shut down.  Not always with a reasoned reply, but with discomfort.  With a look.  With a label.  The group keeps moving forward, undisturbed, as if the objection never happened.  That’s not reasoned debate.  That’s social coercion.

This is how absurd decisions are made and defended.  You’d think someone would stop and ask, “Does this make sense?” No one wants to be the one to slow down the train.  Once the group reaches a conclusion, there’s no incentive to go back.  It’s not about being right.  It’s about not rocking the boat.

Leaders who value harmony over truth are the worst offenders.  They reward loyalty, not insight.  People who echo the majority get promoted.  Those who ask questions are told to “be a team player.” The team becomes an idol.  Independent thought becomes a liability.

Schools teach it.  Workplaces enforce it.  Media encourages it.  Social media amplifies it.  Algorithms push the most agreeable content your way.  You’re supposed to nod along, like, share, repost.  Not challenge.  That’s how groupthink spreads.  Not through persuasion, but through repetition.

People confuse agreement with wisdom.  It’s easier to agree than to investigate.  It’s easier to believe what others believe.  There’s safety in the crowd.  That safety is a trap.  Truth doesn’t require a majority.  It only requires someone to notice.

Real progress doesn’t come from agreement.  It comes from the friction of disagreement.  From someone saying, “No.” From someone asking, “Why?” Without that, the group becomes a machine, and every member just another cog.  No one questions the direction, only how fast they can get there.

What we call consensus is often just collective avoidance.  Avoidance of thinking, of confronting, of risking being wrong.  Groupthink isn’t a flaw in the system.  It is the system.  The ones who see it are told to be quiet.  The ones who go along are praised.  The only way out is to value truth more than comfort, but that’s not popular.

That’s why the group always wins—until it doesn’t.

Reference

Gary Michuta; Revolt against Reality