Examples Of Herd Mentality In The Crucible

Camryn Sharpe
Mrs. Wenshau
English 11
Block 4
3/10/23

The Consequences of Herd Mentality in The Crucible and in Modern Society

The knowledge that one’s actions are their own is something that most desire and feel comforted by. Everyone wants to be able to think for themselves and form opinions based on their personal experiences and values, but that is not always the case. Many who find themselves caught in the snare of groupthink are blissfully unaware of their position. They believe that they are genuinely doing what is right, which can lead to loads of social issues caused by the adherence to ‘bad’ perceived opinions by ‘good’ people. Others affected by this psychological phenomenon know that what they’re doing is not necessarily ‘good’,

The only real way to combat the negative effects of groupthink is to cast aside your surrounding society’s norms of what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and to take a personal stance against that society no matter what the cost may be. The Salem Witch Trials as represented in The Crucible by Arthur Miller are a perfect, if slightly extreme, example of what herd mentality can lead to if left long enough to fester and grow. John Proctor is the character who takes a stand against his surrounding society, losing his life in the process but also breaking the thrall of groupthink for the town of Salem, effectively setting them free from the Witch Trials.
There are two main types of people affected by groupthink: those who unconsciously go with the crowd and are unaware, and those who are simply too scared to speak up. Unaware victims are the most dangerous type, especially when the crowd consists of mostly these people. Sometimes, it can be easier for someone to grasp onto one idea and stick with it firmly no matter what they learn, and to let others form opinions for them. This doesn’t require much thinking, which some are not very skilled in. These people are often outspoken in the group and like to claim authority. An example of this type of groupthink in

Entrapment in herd mentality is a tricky thing. It is easily taken advantage of by self-centered people, it’s not always easy to identify, and it takes courage and personal sacrifice to break free. Usually it takes some sort of death, if not always in the literal sense. Death of reputation, death of friendships, death of social safety. This is true both in The Crucible and in modern-day real life, with the ‘herd’ being comparable to the government, society, corporations, religion, and more. Recognizing that one is participating in groupthink is the first step to getting out of it, and it’s always important to take a step back from any polarizing situations to assess how one really feels, and if their actions reflect their true opinions and morals. Everyone will find themselves in a herd mentality situation at some point in their lives. The true test is: will they find the courage to break free? Or will they sit idly by as injustice after injustice happens around them? That, of course, is for the individual to