PPS#112 | Follow the Leader; Why are humans copycats?

Following the leader, the leader, the leader

We’re following the leader wherever he may go

We march in line

And follow the other one

Following the leader, the leader, the leader

We’re following the leader wherever he may go

Lyrics from ‘Following the Leader’, Peter Pan (1953 film)

Survive and thrive by being a copycat.

As humans we are both Homo sapiens, or “man the knower” and Homo imitans; “man the imitator.”[1] Meaning that we are both the doer and the observed; the latter being the imitated and the mimicked.

Dear Patient Reader,

The involuntary and voluntary acts of imitation fall within the realm of social psychology. The ways we humans behave in public. We are constantly subconsciously aware of the actions and mannerisms of others, and often, imitating them. It’s one significant reason why humans can come together so easily. Form social groups, come together to protest, and to stand in a line.

The act of copying is associated with conformity.[2] It’s also directly related to mimicry and imitation. “Human beings often mimic or imitate others unconsciously due to the fact that mimicry has social benefits. For example, imitating others helps build rapport between two people or bond together in social groups. Copying others can range from non-conscious processes whereby perception (seeing others engage in a certain behaviour) becomes directly linked to our own behaviour. To conscious strategies, where we choose to imitate either because we are uncertain about the best course of action or because we want to fit in.”[3] There is a very real human need to fit in. “We perform and imitate apparently impractical actions because doing so is the key to learning complex cultural skills, and because rituals create and sustain the cultural identities and solidarity we depend on for survival. Indeed, copying others is a powerful way to establish social rapport.”[4] Hence, to fit in.

Apart from our big brains, the fact that humans unconsciously and consciously copy one another accounts for our species’ evolutionary successes.[5]

That is, that we are self-reliant innovators and savvy conformists. Ayn Rand talks about that through Roark in ‘The Fountainhead’. “We perform and imitate both apparently impractical actions, and practical actions, because doing so is the key to learning complex cultural skills. Plus, because rituals create and sustain the cultural identities and solidarity we depend on for survival.”[6]

Why is it that we impulsively copy others? Like the phobia of lightning (astraphobia) present in part of the population of the human race, copying, imitation rather, is in our DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). It’s in the very genetics of our bodily molecules. Standing in line is a good example of this evolutionary-social-Darwinian phenomenon. Think of standing in a line, copying the other passengers, at a departure terminal before an announcement has been made to board the flight.[7]

“The way a country stands in line can tell us a great deal about its culture and history.”[8]

The formation of lines has quite a history in Russia, Soviet Russia to be specific. Hence, the name tagged “Soviet Queues”, a legit common occurrence. The occurrence of “breadlines” which is almost synonymous with communism. “In Soviet times, forming a line would often happen due to the same [imitation] phenomenon. Someone would stop at an ice cream stand that had no ice cream. Several people would form a line and wait, only to find out there was never any ice-cream.[9] At the time, lines were the sign of the times. For example, people queuing up due to the shortage of food supplies. Queues providing any forms of aid during wartime, to standing in a line for books, meat, and art.

In fact, queues were an important part of life in the Soviet Union.[10]

“The Soviet queuing practices turned “First come, first served” into a social Darwinist principle. The first few people in line for meat could get their hands on the best pieces. The rest of the people waiting in line could only get bones and skin with lower meat contents. This same Darwinist principle applied not only to stores but the entire nation. The shops in Moscow were better-stocked with meat and other goods, and thus attracted provincial shoppers from as far as 161 kilometres away.”[11] A shiny example of capitalism, and copycatism.

Till the next.

P.S. Quick Fact: “Echopraxia (also known as echokinesis) is the involuntary repetition or imitation of another person's actions.”[12]

P.P.S. The next post is titled “5 Love Languages”.

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References

[1]https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_imitation_is_at_the_heart_of_being_human?msclkid=a73afbdbad0a11ec98aade7c925e06f9

[2]https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/consumed/201204/copy#:~:text=Copying%20is%20often%20associated%20with%20conformity.%20One%20study,a%20unique%20combination%20of%20choices%20than%20specific%20possessions.?msclkid=a7390febad0a11ecba14a1c3d0976a04

[3] "Ibid."[2]

[4] https://philosophy-question.com/library/lecture/read/167436-why-do-humans-copy-each-other?msclkid=a73987caad0a11ecbf16cbe3a2e4c786

[5]https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_imitation_is_at_the_heart_of_being_human?msclkid=a73afbdbad0a11ec98aade7c925e06f9

[6] "Ibid."[5]

[7] http://www.russiaknowledge.com/2018/06/14/the-russian-zen-of-standing-in-line/?msclkid=2d32e068ad0b11ecbc1355eebb94408c

[8] "Ibid."[7]

[9] "Ibid."[7]

[10] https://www.qminder.com/blog/queue-management/queues-in-ussr/?msclkid=2d337b76ad0b11ecbf2b90149dc4d8c8

[11] "Ibid."[10]

[12] "Ibid."[4]