In Praise of Cynicism

Emmet Sweeney

The herd instinct is as much a characteristic of people as of animals. There is an inherent desire to blend in with the crowd, to not stand out, to not be seen as odd. According to evolutionary psychologists we inherited this from pre-human ancestors, where sticking with the crowd, looking and acting like all the others, helped ensure survival. Whatever one feels about evolutionary psychology, there is no question that the herd instinct is also found among people, where it manifests itself in following the latest trend – whatever trend one’s nature is drawn to; the latest fashion in clothes, or (for the more high-brow) art, literature, music, or even science. In short, moving with the times.

But, whilst following the herd undoubtedly helps animals stay alive, among humans it’s just as likely to get you killed (notwithstanding the short-lived social benefits). One obvious example that springs to mind is the hordes of young men who rushed to “join up” at the beginning of World War I. No doubt they believed, on some level at least, that they were doing a great service to their country, or perhaps the world in general, as they marched against the Germans, whom the mass media of the time had convinced them were barbarians or “Huns.” But the Germans were not barbarians, and millions of young men throughout Europe were butchered in a needless and pointless war that should never have happened in the first place.

The herd instinct also played a major part in the COVID affair of the past two-and-a-half years. The perplexing question as to why some people saw through the COVID scam from the beginning whilst others – the great majority – fell for it hook, line, and sinker, is one that has exercised the minds of many since March 2020.


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