Is Groupthink Causing Society to Split in Two?
My intention with this article is to explore the existential struggles of being a centrist creative in a world increasingly dominated by groupthink, examining the potential consequences of a society that divides itself into two distinct factions: those who prioritize truth and authentic connections versus those who are swept up in consumerism and superficiality
Is anyone else struggling to create these days? Not because of writer’s block, but because of something deeper, something more existential? It feels as if the act of creating, especially for a broader audience, has somehow lost its meaning. Every day, more of the world feels like it’s spiraling out of control, and each headline screams that we’re barreling toward world war. On top of that, all the revelations about Hollywood have proven the so-called “conspiracy theorists” right — it’s actually a cesspool of corruption. With more people pulled into these traps of “groupthink,” I’ve had to step away from my passion for indie film.
For clarity’s sake, let’s define a few words:
Groupthink: a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals prioritizes consensus and conformity over critical thinking and independent decision-making.
Commodify: to transform an object, service, idea, or even a cultural practice into a commodity that can be bought or sold.
Producer: someone/something that creates something that can be sold to or used by others, ideally fostering authentic connections and community rather than merely contributing to a cycle of consumption.
Consumer: someone that purchases goods or services for personal use, often seeking validation or identity through material possessions rather than through meaningful relationships.
Over this past year, I have found myself creatively burnt out. I wouldn’t say I am experiencing writer’s block, but a profound feeling that, at this moment in time, the world doesn’t need me to produce fiction. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but hopefully, a few of you understand the feeling I am trying to describe. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the concept of groupthink, particularly influenced by what I witnessed unraveling within my old indie film community.
(For those of you who haven’t read my pieces before, the groupthink in indie film that I am refering to is how I frequently witness project funding going to projects that push certain world views, thus encouraging other filmmakers to only produce films that push those very same world views, therefore encouraging an endless production chain of nearly identical films. This results in very few people producing anything remotely artistic — just low budget regurgitation of similar previously exposed opinions.)
In an effort to ignite a different part of my brain, I have found myself reading a lot about various religions and spirituality. These explorations often lead me back to the idea of groupthink and how it influences our choices — whether we lean towards nurturing family connections or getting lost in the consumerist mindset that prioritizes profit over people. Is it human nature? It feels parasitic. Through my random spiritual readings, I have learned how every major religion has formed by absorbing and suppressing smaller ones, just as capitalism commodifies every new subculture that dares to emerge. I keep wondering if groupthink is an inevitable part of the human condition or something we are, for lack of a better term, being propagandized to experience.
As someone who has upset more than a few people with her painfully centrist worldviews, I want to play devil’s advocate and suggest that you could argue groupthink serves a purpose — humanity’s way of crowdsourcing the truth and being more efficient. However, when you look at the state of media today, it’s hard to buy that argument.
I personally don’t consume a lot of fiction. I tend to find myself drawn to what I will refer to as “meta-art” — works that are about the creative process itself: films about filmmaking (ex. The Disaster Artist), books about the craft of writing (ex. Stephen King’s novel, “On Writing), songs about songwriting (ex. Marianas Trench’s Pop Music 101). I’m a satirist at heart, and those things tend to speak to me. There’s something pure in watching the act of creation, something honest and real in seeing how creativity expresses itself differently for each person. Maybe that’s why I resonate so deeply with Taoism — this sense of “the way.” (This isn’t a report on spirituality, so I won’t explain Taoism, but think of “the way” as when you are working on something and experience a flow state.)
Creativity, to me, is that way — truth itself. Individual expression and authenticity give life meaning. Yet so much of what makes up our modern society — corporate narratives and ideological agendas — acts to keep us from experiencing our truth. (Yes, I also roll my eyes at the phrases “our truth” or “my truth,” but I couldn’t think of a better way to put it.)
I know I am not alone in this feeling, this search for understanding and this dislike of groupthink. Through the isolation of no longer being a part of my old community of artists, I find myself constantly returning to this idea of a societal split — one side moving toward family, authenticity, real food, and truth, while the other clings to products, mass media, and an illusion of freedom. It feels like two distinct paths are forming. What happens if these paths continue to diverge?
I propose we’re in the midst of a societal split: one side rooted in authenticity and genuine connection, versus another defined by consumerism and superficiality. This split will shape future generations, influencing their identities and how they engage with the world.
So, what’s causing this split? It could be a natural reaction to an increasingly corporate world, leaving many disillusioned by a manufactured culture disconnected from our need for meaning. On one side, we find a vision of society rooted in authenticity and creativity, inspiring future generations to seek meaning and to live sustainably with integrity. It probably involves more spirituality, or dare I say, religion. On the other, we have those with their heads in the sand, clinging to old ways, believing corporations would never sell harmful products, and thinking the 100th Marvel movie is better than anything an indie filmmaker could create. This culture risks pushing individuals to seek identity and self-worth externally, falling into groupthink for the sake of safety.
The implications of this split are profound. Let’s picture two very different childhoods: one child might be home-schooled on a farm (if that’s still allowed), while another grows up immersed in consumerism, where every thought and expression is subject to judgment by peers and algorithms. A life without privacy or the freedom to fail — permanently documented — will have dire consequences for creativity. I worry about a future filled with individuals sporting extremely short attention spans. Have you seen teenagers watching a split-screen video on their phones of someone giving a lecture while some weird abstract video plays underneath just to keep their focus on the screen? It’s horrifying. (As an aside, can you imagine what it will be like to be in a seniors home in fifty years? We’re going to have nurses wearing headsets that make dings and beeps to indicate digital badges or rewards for changing our catheters.)
This split doesn’t just shape lifestyles; it influences how future generations will perceive themselves and their relationships with others, determining whether they will seek genuine connections rooted in family values or chase after the hollow promises of consumerism.
One path celebrates human potential and diverse perspectives, while the other risks leading people toward a homogeneous culture that feels spiritually empty.
But it doesn’t have to be this way; our future is not set in stone. We have the power to choose empathy over apathy, to stop consuming mindlessly, and to reject Hollywood’s manipulative narratives. We can create simply for the joy of creation, sharing our stories with those we truly care about — rather than for an audience we may never meet. In a world where corporations thrive on our divisions and fears, we must unite and confront the shadows on the cave wall, refusing to let them dictate our reality.
There is a genuine risk involved. When individuals rebel against a system that profits from them, they often become outliers — the “weirdos” who are hard to control. While I hate to mention the dark times of 2020 to 2022, the pandemic was a firsthand look at how people who don’t conform are treated. In a society that relies on compliance and consumerism, non-conformity — especially of a thoughtful, principled kind — can be upsetting to those who want you to keep mindlessly consuming. It’s no surprise that people pursuing this path of authenticity could face various forms of resistance, whether subtle or overt.
To be honest, there’s no neat conclusion to this article. I wish I had comforting words. This is just my way of expressing a gnawing feeling that something is deeply wrong with the world. The deeper I dig, the more I believe that creativity might be the only way through this corporate purgatory we call modern society.
What do you think? Is society doomed to split into two distinct factions of consumers and producers, or will empathy prevail?
Ashley Good
Ashley Good is the brains behind Haus of Fog. After directing the Foggy Isle Film Festival, which shone a spotlight on dark/horror indie shorts for the past five years, she decided to launch Haus of Fog to better reach her niche of fellow film weirdos. You can learn more about her work at ashleygood.ca.
Instagram: @ashleyegood | Youtube: @ashleyegood
