Herd behaviour

This is something that i've picked up on during my limited years, and am amused to find replicated even in cyberspace.

We are all individuals, yet human nature seemingly dictates that we seek comfort as part of a collective herd.  Within the herd, there is a hierarchy of influence, and despite the ability to exist independantly, members of the herd will often gravitate towards the pack leaders, often to the detriment of their own integrity.

I suppose that we all want to belong, and the way in which our cultures have evolved has revolved around this core need.  To swim against the concensus, or to contradict the pack leaders is therefore an exception to the rule.  However, you would think that in this virtual world in which we now co-exist, this paradigm would be negated by the freedom to create new herdsor to act independantly, without the fear of losing the physical benefits of belonging to a collective (such is the access to required resources in our modern world)

I suppose that the power of crowds has evolved from being sustained by an offerance of collective physical protection, to a supposed sense of belonging to a concensus of intellectual ideals.

I've raised this point due to the number of members that jump on the popularist bandwagon in many forums.  What satisfaction is there to be gained from publically agreeing with others, or demeaning anothers postings in a pathetic attempt to garner favour with the concensus.

Doesn't it seem a rather cheap way of entering into a conversation, are you expecting the people whose prose you have repeated/validated to thank you?..to say

" hey thanks, do you wanna be friends now"

My point of view is that life is much more interesting with variety, debate creates refinement, disagreement defines clarity, and the ability to think for yourself is more likely to validate your own sense of intellectual parity.

In the end my advice is play devils advocate, if nothing else you'll find it will pay humourous dividends owing to the limited responses of those unable to think for themselves

Independantly? Does not exist chess forum pal.

Independently yes!

Are you saying that we sit back and do not post any message on any forum? Or are you saying that we only can disagree before doing so and until then we don't converse on any forum? Would you then disagree that forums are also meant to simply have fun. Just to carry on someone else posting means that we are being sociable. And humans are sociable beings. Unless you are martian you must agree. It is not a pathetic thing to have fun and toi be sociable. No matter how trite the postings are.  But then i get your point - you are simply having your own fun yourself and being miserly and provocative is your way of having fun!!! I am sure you do not take yourself seriously!! Surely you do not think that you are a great philosopher for example? lol!!!

 So you are invincible to confusion?

With such a clear mind, your chess must be stellar! 

Okay, enough making fun. My point is that we are all chemical beings, and to say that drugs will not work on you seems pretty pretentious.

Great response Spair.

Oh wait! I am agreeing. S---! 

Oh, believe me, the drugs do work on me, i wouldn't pay for them otherwise

oh the pedantry, dear me , did i forget to do a spellcheck, what a worthy opening reposte!!!

So.. so far, i'm pretentious, and "surely don't think that i'm a great philsopher"

Humans are social beings, that is exactly my point!, They rely on social interaction to validate their own sense of self-worth, i am arrogant enough to forgoe such validation.  What is pathetic is those who can only point out the obvious, who are unable to countenance the bigger picture, or rely on minor issue s(such as spellingg) to get into a conversation.

Its easier to critise, than to be constructive, why create when you can react,

why be different, when you can conform, why take risks, when you can play it safe.

Baaaaaaaaaaa (thats the noise a sheep makes for the less imaginative of you)

xx nighty nighy, its 3:30am here so i'm off to bed to get sleep off my crack comedown,so you have a few hours to launch your outraged tirades, before i awake with renewed vigour to tackle the vultures circling the solitary mammal (mammal..has backbone)on the great plains of this wonderful cyberworld

reposte - better choose riposte

forgoe??????

typical of an englishman who only 'thinks' that because he was born as such CAN speak the language. I suggest that you take citizenship lessons before you should consider TRYing to be the chess.com baddy!  he he he

I am actually astounded at your continued attack upon my spelling, were i bothered by such trivial matters, i would've used the spellcheck function!

You clearly lack the ability to focus on anything else, why not meekly surrender as many of your countymen have throughout history, or we could continue....

Remember agincourt, waterloo, or the two times this great nation of mine participated in the liberation of your ungrateful country.

I suggest that you follow the one good policy the french have given the world,

laisse faire

seconded !!

Amusing.

I thought this was going to be about sheep.

I was sadly mistaken.

"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

I think I understand some of Pimp's main points and I think I agree with most of them to a point.  I don't know much about herds though.  I would say there's not necessarily a sharp division between leaders and followers and that not all people who do neither argue nor confront on forums are necessarily sheep, just as not all people who constantly find things to argue about are necessarily shepherds.

The more I read certain threads in the forums, the more I realize their is as much value in what is NOT said as there often is in what is said.

'Laissez faire' - monty , 'Laissez faire' is the phrase ; you seem chronically poor at english, let alone french phrases. Of course anything you'll say will be seconded by your english 'tamworth' pal. This is normal. Similar attitude is seen with the mcCanns problem - whom the Portuguese  suspect are involved with their 'missing' daughter. Many english take this as an affront and turn on the Portuguese as a whole calling them all names under the sun. Forgetting there is a girl probably killed. Then they go off and accuse the poor but innocent Moroccans, simply because they are 'foreign' enough. Even in their own country mind. Even if they themselves have blonde haired little girls. Yet the english go to portugal for their 'joyous' holidays to escape their drab rainy porridge-laden fields. I am truly sorry for arguing with you monty - but you did say that we needed to find something to disagree on before we can decide to write in forums.  

Vive la France!

vive l'Angleterre!

vive Les États-Unis!

vive......ummmm.....

viva Las Vegas!