In Solomon Asch’s 1951 experiment, students were shown three lines of different lengths and asked which one matched a target line. Despite seeing the obvious answer, 75% of participants conformed to the group’s false consensus. This phenomenon is still relevant today, where online environments amplify loud or coordinated voices to create an illusion of true consensus.
Embracing discomfort is key to resisting this illusion. It means questioning majority opinions, slowing down before signaling agreement, and trusting our own judgment. Philosopher John Stuart Mill encourages us to live in this uneasy place, where we can question norms and social conventions.
Mill’s “independent mind” test involves taking ownership of doubt and voicing it, even if friends or groups look at us skeptically. Friction is not proof that views are right but rather a sign that they’re being tested. To understand our beliefs, we should entertain opposing ones and be willing to expose ourselves to discomfort.
Choosing not to speak can be just as nonconformist as open dissent. In today’s environment, the pressure to declare an opinion on every issue can lead us to perform agreement even when uncertain or uninformed. By embracing discomfort and questioning norms, we can cultivate independent thought and resist the tyranny of prevailing opinion.
Source: https://bigthink.com/thinking/the-illusion-of-consensus