Group minds by Doris Lessing (summarize) - Essay Example

Lecturer Group Minds: Doris Lessing The essay is about people’s behaviors, especially in groups. Doris indicates that people have a natural tendency of behaving and thinking as a group, which affects individuals thinking and behavior. People are always involved in a group in one way or another, such as in families, politics, at work or in social groups, in which individual thinking and behavior are influenced by the group. According to Doris, it is very difficult (in fact almost impossible) for a person to stand against the idea or opinion of the majority of a group even if the idea or the opinion of the majority of the group is illogical or does not make sense.

For example, a person may end up indicating that there is no difference in two shapes or sizes yet difference in the two shapes or sizes is significant simply because his/her group or peer members indicate that there is no difference. According to Doris, this behavior is often natural and unnoticeable, which could arise from the idea that there is no way one person can be right against the majority of the group under consideration. However, it s possible to overcome this natural weakness by understanding human behavior especially in groups.

According to Doris, information about human behavior is increasingly accessible, and people should make use of such information to think individually. Consequently, people will have the courage to stand on their opinions without being influenced by their groups, from making opinions blindly. Works CitedDoris Lessing, Group Minds, 1985.