In any group, most people are pretty conventional. They fit in the 80 per cent of the standard bell curve.
PICTURE: Toa Heftiba/Unsplash
Then you have the artisans, the alternatives, the out-of-the-box thinkers. Groups need these unconventional people to ensure we don’t succumb to group-think.
This is a profound design of God. We need people who don’t quite fit, to ensure the smothering status quo never quite fits.
The internet has done something weird. It has enabled us to group together in our weirdness. On one hand it’s great – “these people are all like me” – but it’s also terrifying – “these people are all like me?”
We are strangely designed to be in groups who find each other strange. Without this we don’t stretch, question, learn, see danger.
What echo chamber are you stuck in? How will you add diversity to your world?
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
