In the modern social sphere, decisions that seem deeply personal are often the product of an invisible molding process. The crowd effect - a psychological phenomenon where individuals act, think, or believe in something simply because many others do the same - is taking deeper root in the social structure. Especially under the explosion of the digital age, this effect doesn't just stop at harmless habits but has become a “phantom” manipulating human perception and behavior.
Social Media: A New Living Space and the “Shield” of Anonymity
As digital technology continuously evolves, social media has transcended the boundaries of a communication tool to become a second living space - where people expose, express, and assert their egos. The emergence of platforms like Threads, Reddit, or closed groups has created a perfect environment for the curiosity of the youth and netizens. The common thread among these platforms is their ability to provide a “shield” of anonymity, allowing people to freely express their views without taking direct responsibility under their real identities.
Along with this, the smartphone has become an “inseparable object.” Statistics from user behavior research organizations consistently show that mobile device usage accounts for a major part of a person's waking hours. In that digital space, many people who are inherently introverted and timid in real life choose to borrow the shell of anonymity to speak up. This shift inadvertently creates massive “virtual crowds,” ready to intervene in every aspect of social life.
The essence of the crowd effect operates on the pressure of the majority. When an issue is brought up for discussion, if 90% of the opinions lean toward option A, the 10% who believe in option B will immediately be isolated. The crowd does not care how scientifically sound or logically reasonable B's arguments are; the pressure of the majority will label B as deviant, eccentric, or even a “sinner.”
This bias creates a fatal loophole for public opinion to be steered. More alarmingly, hostile forces or professional scam organizations have quickly realized and thoroughly exploited this factor. By using “seeding” techniques (creating fake comments) and botnets (networks of automated accounts), they easily forge a fake “crowd” to shape the thoughts of real users. From there, fake news, distorted rhetoric, or smear campaigns spread at a dizzying pace, causing social agitation and weakening public trust.
The Psychological Roots Behind the Blindness
The submission to the crowd is not simply out of fear, but also stems from the deep psychological vulnerabilities of the individuals themselves:
· Insecurity and the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO): Humans always harbor a desire to belong to a collective. The insecurity of standing outside a trend and the fear of becoming obsolete make individuals rush to follow the crowd, forgetting to cross-reference it with actual value.
· The illusion of power: When immersing oneself in a wave of online criticism, individuals often develop an illusion of power. They act in the name of the “justice of the majority” to satisfy their ego's desire to judge others without facing legal or moral consequences.
· Overconfidence in “collective intelligence”: There is a naive belief that “millions of people cannot collectively be wrong.” Laziness in critical thinking has given way to the habit of copying the perceptions of others.
Obvious Consequences of Herd Decisions
Reality has proven the destructiveness of the crowd effect through countless specific cases:
· In consumption: Livestream sessions closing tens of billions of VND in orders on TikTok Shop are the clearest evidence. Thousands of people rush to click buy on useless items just because they see “purchases increasing rapidly” and hear shouts of “almost out of stock.” The decision to spend money at this moment is entirely controlled by the herd effect, not stemming from actual needs.
· In finance and lifestyle: Over the past few years, a series of cryptocurrency scams and financial multi-level marketing (such as high-interest capital mobilization projects) have pushed tens of thousands of families into destitution. Victims often ignore all risk warnings, blindly following the advice of “online experts” and those around them because they believe “everyone is doing it and getting rich.”
· Cyberbullying: With just an unverified “expose” post, tens of thousands of people are ready to flood a user's personal page to hurl insults, launch mental attacks, and push the victim to the brink.
However, it would be one-sided to completely deny the power of the majority. In special circumstances, the very resonance of the community becomes a tool to forge immense humanitarian values. Thanks to brave individuals who dare to speak up as “sparks,” the crowd has joined forces to create real power: donating thousands of billions of VND in relief to compatriots in storm and flood areas, uniting to search for lost children, or creating a wave to boycott brands that severely violate business ethics. When guided by compassion and awakening, the crowd becomes a solid shield protecting the good.
The crowd effect is a sharp double-edged sword, and in the digital age, its lethality has been multiplied. The crowd can be a massive source of power to solve social issues, but it is also a ruthless “tyrant” ready to crush the truth and manipulate people's property and dignity. The boundary between a civilized community and a blind mob is sometimes separated by just a click.
