The penguin Island and group dynamics of deindividuation. Are we all just clothed animals?

The Penguin Island.

I have no doubt in this. It looks like we are clothed monkeys. For this matter I would like to point you to the novel by Anatole France the French author "The penguin Island". It was a confusing novel as I was very young when I had my hands on this. I can specifically remember how these naked humans, freshly baptized, in a faraway island first started to wear cloths. One of the less attractive women in the Island started to cover herself up and suddenly she became the most attractive women to the men. As now, the beauty is in cloths, not in the naked female form. Obviously soon everyone started to wear cloths and, the things start to evolve like a normal human society. And it makes me wonder are we really naked monkeys? Or just we are a higher human form?

Penguins gather on a snowy shore by blue water, with distant icebergs and a cloudy sky. Majestic, serene Antarctic scene. — Penguin Island: https://unsplash.com/@tamwarnerminton

Human behavior in groups.

There are fascinating facts about how human behavior changes in a group set up. Different from individual encounters. Rather than explaining it, I can give you an example.

I participated in a protest once when I was a university student. And these protests were common during that time, against government about money allocation for education, privatization etc. were the main issues. I considered myself an obedient citizen for most of the time. Yet I can remember on this particular day, I felt alien. We were marching down the road shouting slogans, and it started really slow but as time went on it escalated. I felt myself even bit of angry, adrenalin pumping all around. There were heated encounters with the police, in front parts of the march, I was somewhere in the middle. Fortunately, police did not raise their weapons against us that day. And if they did, I am sure I would have involved. I would have thrown a stone or two and I might have injured myself in the process. And I did feel like I was marching for a great cause and, my involvement was small when I consider what was happening with the group.

Protesters holding signs, including "No Justice No Peace," march wearing masks. Urban backdrop with trees and building. Energized mood. — Protest: https://unsplash.com/@heathermount

Normalization of behaviors - real life examples of deindividuation.

What I did not realize at that time was its deindividuation that I was feeling. It's a feeling that we feel less responsible for our actions when we are in a group. We might even commit a crime and even enjoy it. I could have broken a window of a building and felt less responsible when consider what's going on all around. Later when I contemplated my behavior that day, I understood I am just a monkey in cloths. At least that there is evidence that we are truly different when circumstances change. I would have been Tarson in the jungle if was stranded with monkeys.

With this view we can explain some of the things happen around the world. You can be watching CNN, in the comfort of your couch and think how stupid, people in Gaza strip fighting for a bag of rice. They seem rude and unethical. But fact is it happened to toilet rolls in supermarkets when the first wave of covid hit few years ago.

It may seem like a joke to imagine the extreme. But it's good to challenge ourselves after all if we are aiming for a more ethical world, we must accept our true origins and nature. Earlier we do that longer and sooner we will be connected with universal peace. Its lucky we are not born in a cannibalistic group. A group that worship money. Even the era of WW11 is a good example of these complex human behaviors. Let's not forget but forgive ourselves. And learn how to look at a criminal with even kind heart. Some might call this Stockholm syndrome. But that is just a discussion for another day.