Are you an independent thinker? Or do you follow the crowd on everything? Give examples.

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout Very true.

@JustNik A bunch of possibilities. I like possibilites. 🙂

@exexec Haha, I like that.

@Angelwarfare
There are worst things of course. Agree. And true that we are all unique. Right.
But same can be said about that a lot of the most significative things are due to what humans have in common.

I value and practice indeppendence of thought.
I don´t forget, anyway, that thought is ABOUT what is not the thought.
Just cos you brought Japanese culture I remembered a Zen saying that used to be told by one of my Senseis on the few occassions he was not silent.
The Moon is not the finger that points at it,

@ElRengo Ah yes, I've heard that one before, also studied some Buddhism, and we can't not think about something we've been told not to think about.

@Angelwarfare
Till in the way next step may be that mountains and cows become again to be mountains and cows.

@Colonelmustardseed Fair point! I can relate to not having enough information, for example some medical choices I've made.

I was sort of forced into an unconventional life since I was a kid. My father was admired by many for being completely independent in many things. I think part of that was a defiance of authority because he didn't like his father, also because he was from an independent farming background (later became a doctor).

I admire that you don't buy into the lesser of two evils voting. Ultimately if everyone voted for who they truly liked, things would be different.

@Angelwarfare Great example. Medical is especially difficult to understand at times, or hard to trust a method that hasn’t been “tried and true.” There are times I go with the crowd to find a trustworthy doctor or clinic because I want testimonials. That’s when other people’s opinions and experiences are especially handy.

@Colonelmustardseed Yeah, we most definitely need other people and their wisdom! I'm so grateful for all those in the past that have contributed to our collective human knowledge. I'm really into watching survival shows, of people stranded somewhere, and these big burly able men are absolutely lost without the help of others. We do need each other.

@Convivial Well, no one is fully independent. It's impossible, we're social creatures but there is a continuum. Some seem that they haven't had an independent thought in their life. Following trends, celebrities, celebrity gossip, being told by media what to wear, who to hate, etc. No one is completely immune to cultural influences, including myself, but many are completely lost in it.

@Angelwarfare agreed about the lost in it.... One thing i wish they would concentrate more on school is critical thinking skills... And that's it's ok to be different

@Convivial Yeah, absolutely. I hate how their methods of teaching never seem to change either. Like WHY do teachers feel the need to make anxious or shy kids get up in front the class or participate more? Do they think they are going to 'cure' their anxiety when psychologists can't even do it. I mean, it's better than it was. I've heard horror stories of kids getting whipped, slapped, beaten, losing their hearing from being hit, being pulled by their ears, by nuns etc Who were the REAL savages?

@reflectingmonkey That seems accurate to me!

@akindheart True. If you think for yourself, you have no one else to blame if you've gone down the wrong path! Perhaps that responsibility is too much for some.

@Angelwarfare i think you nailed it plus the accountability factor...

@SW-User You're just trynna be trendy. 😜