The Cult Of Likabilty

[Delancey]

Yesterday the New York Times published an article by critically acclaimed author Bret Easton Ellis that examines how groupthink in social media and the "Cult of Likability" marginalizes individuality and nonconformist thinking to the detriment of the diversity of our culture for the benefit of corporations.

Because Cuisers Forum is a form of social media where nonconformists are routinely and heavily discouraged, despite the fact that cruisers are by their nature a fringe group that chooses to live outside the norms of conventional society, I thought it might be of interest to some.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/12/08...ikability.html

[Boathooked]

I read it earlier today and what he says is spot on. Another slant on this is the term I heard the other day "weaponized outrage" where a vocal group can wreak havoc, especially if their target is outside of the "group think" construct.

[sharkbait]

Is this going to become an anchor/ gun thread?

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by sharkbait

Is this going to become an anchor/ gun thread?

Classic examples of nonconformists being shamed for thinking differently. If I had a dollar for every time someone outside the sailing mainstream had to defend their choices to the more conservative members of this forum I would be sailing around in a big ass catamaran.

[MarkJ]

4 15 year old boys brutally tortured a puppy.
They were arrested but as minors can't be identified in the press etc.
But Facebook et al found their names and photos and ran a hate campaign of such severity (death threats by the hundreds) that I weighed in and told the adults to grow up.
I knew I would cop a bit of grief for that one.

Apart from haters I am supremely well liked. Oh, except by internet sailors. And, well, any internet user...

It worries me.

[Jim Cate]

It worries me.

Ahh, Mark... don't worry, be happy!

Jim

[Sea Dreaming]

No worries Mark J. I've never been in "the fold" . I believe my classmates called me weird.
I used to think that approval from others was a sign of "being ok" . As I've matured I now realize that approval from others means nothing of value.

As to the group think on this forum ...it's simply human nature to desire community and to assume joining with others on certain subjects will provide that.

[s/v Beth]

And I thought it was just my opinions that were "weird" or "hateful" If Mark and Jim are in that category I am in good company.
In all seriousness, it has caused me to consider whether I want to be in CF many times. I stay as long as I am learning. Someday I will know enough to leave.

[LLCoolDave]

Thanks for the link. Personally I don't consider CF to be a social media site, more of a tradesman forum. To be a cruiser you need to be a plumber, electrician, cook, and a sailor, and probably a couple other things. For social media most people are just spouting off about their daily lives and pop culture.

I have only met one person off this forum so the effects of a forum member telling me to eff off make me less likely to conform then on Fb, twitter, etc. I don't conform anyway so I don't have many friends on either.

The article is really about the "reputation economy" and I've been a waiter for ten years and I've seen the difference. We really don't have that here on CF. None of us are being punished because of our opinions financially.

[Kenomac]

I believe in always going along with the group think majority, especially when it comes to topics like global warming, guns, anchors, multihulls, climate change, monohulls and global cooling. This way, I can be popular with the smart people.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I believe in always going along with the group think majority, especially when it comes to topics like global warming, guns, anchors, multihulls, climate change, monohulls and global cooling. This way, I can be popular with the smart people.

The "group think majority" are rarely the "smart people". Go along with the former and you will not be popular with the latter.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by StuM

The "group think majority" are rarely the "smart people". Go along with the former and you will not be popular with the latter.

I was being sarcastic... 'thought it was obvious.

[zboss]

Not one of us.....!!!!!!

[Delancey]

Recently on a thread elsewhere I expressed some opinions deemed unpopular by the majority and I found myself publicly and privately denounced, disavowed, and discouraged for my non-conformist thinking.

The irony being that my non-conformist thinking amounted to me trying to share my professional expertise with some people who very obviously knew little about what they were talking about but who were too busy falling over themselves liking something to tolerate what I was telling them.

I thought it was funny they were so bothered by what I was saying but it was also sort of sad.

I don't come to this forum to make friends and influence people. I come to learn what I don't know and hopefully pay it back by sharing what I do know. Sure, I've got my biases and imperfections. Requiring external validation to feel good about myself isn't one of them.

Probably explains why I am usually so blunt. Maybe if I was more warm and fuzzy I would have more green "reputation" squares on my profile page indicating that I am well liked?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I was being sarcastic... 'thought it was obvious.

Sorry, forget what thread I was in.

We've been seeing too much boneheadedness in the Arctic.... thread. That comment would be right at home with a few of the posters there without any sarcasm intended