What part do you play in the human hive mind?

I love it when someone posts a question on social media addressed to “the hive mind”.

Possibly this is because I’m an avid sci-fi fan, but I think it’s also because I believe in the potential of collective thought. Many minds are better than one, right?

Yes they can be, but I worry there is danger here too – a hive mind can potentially become an echo chamber where only internally reinforcing ideas have a place. Alternatives and creativity are lost.

We saw this with the polarisation of views on Brexit with some pros and antis struggling to see viewpoints of the other.

So I challenge you: what role(s) do you play in the hive mind?

Reinforcement is great, and ideas need this to gain traction. Thank goodness there are those who build on the ideas of others. And we need challengers, to disrupt and disturb; to drive big shifts in thinking.

Being in our comfort zones is great, but perhaps it’s good we aren’t too comfortable all the time?