“The value of opinion minorities lies in their ability to guard the group against complacency, to challenge conventional wisdom, and to keep the group sharp and on its toes. In that way, dissenting minorities can change norms or behavioral conventions that have lost their utility”
We are under tremendous pressure to “self silence” these days. From our workplaces, to political arenas, to our places of worship and even at the family dining table, everywhere you turn, you are quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) being told to shut up and fall in line.
But who is it, exactly, that is doing the pressuring? And what is their end game? Silencing dissenters is beneficial for the leaders of a group who hope to keep the group’s members aligned with the mission. The problem arises when the mission is one of corruption, value extraction, or even exploitation.
So the next time you are pressured to keep quiet, are told you are causing distraction, or are otherwise a troublemaker, stop and think what those doing the pressuring are hoping to achieve by keeping you quiet.
And when you are in a group where you observe the pressure or the self-silencing, ask yourself why this person is being silenced. Perhaps they have a good point. And perhaps you want to find your voice in this moment as well.
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