The Herd Mentality - by Emilia's Pen

There's something oddly comforting about not thinking for yourself — about seeing everyone move in one direction and assuming they must know the way. Not having to ponder, marinate thoughts, or even decide. Just doing what's already established because it’s convenient and seems okay. Like how we may not even plan to buy anything, but suddenly someone on TikTok or Instagram is selling a “must-have” item — and boom, we’re adding it to cart. Or how we casually repost and like videos, not because they’re impactful, but because the likes and shares are high. Bonus if it’s from a creator or influencer we already like. Then there’s the part where a famous person gets caught in a scandal or an old post resurfaces — and suddenly, they’re the villain of the day. Everyone scrambles to play judge and executioner. “Cancel culture” takes the stage, and no one stops to ask, wait, what actually happened? I won’t pretend I haven’t been a part of this too. But today, it hit me out of nowhere — when did I stop thinking for myself? When did I start moving just because everyone else was moving? When did I hit pause on my individuality and allow random internet voices to direct me? The moment that realization sank in, one word escaped my mouth: OMO! We all claim to be independent thinkers, yet somehow, we all started drinking matcha and saying “soft life” at the same time. Coincidence? I think not. The other day, I saw a TikTok of a girl wearing Crocs. Some of you might say, “Crocs are cool na, what’s she even saying?” But let’s be honest — just a few years ago, people would rather walk barefoot than be caught wearing them. Crocs were once ranked among the top 50 ugliest fashion items in the world. Then a few celebrities wore them and suddenly, everybody — and their grandma — had a pair. Instance one of following the herd. Next up: baggy trousers. Back in secondary school, around JSS2, the boys in my class couldn’t stand baggy trousers. They slim-fitted them to the point they looked like leggings. It was a whole trend! Fast-forward to today, and if you wear skinny jeans, you’ll be compared to a 2014 Facebook picture that came to life. Now, baggy jeans are back in full force — and those same skinny pairs are hiding somewhere in the wardrobe, waiting for the day mum says, “Do you have any clothes you want to give away?”And how can I forget the day a classmate shouted “snake!” and everyone ran out of class without confirming anything? (Safety first, of course.) We later found out there was nothing there. Instance two of following the herd. Now, let’s talk about our collective fascination with things that honestly have no business being in our lives.As Nigerians, what’s really our business with sushi? Or matcha, which apparently tastes like grass? Or calling okrika “thrift” and slapping a ₦25,000 price tag on it? Even locally made outfits that used to be affordable now go for hundreds of thousands.We seem determined to copy lifestyles that don’t even align with our economy or reality. The other day, I saw a TikTok (yes, I’m recovering from my doom-scrolling phase, please) where a lady was asked to pay a late fee at a salon. Apparently, she was delayed because there was a traffic standstill caused by an accident — two drivers trading insults while blocking the road. She arrived late, tried to explain, but the receptionist (at a salon, mind you) didn’t want to hear it. She’d already paid a booking fee o, yet they still demanded a late fee!I just sat there thinking, “When did we import this nonsense?”The herd we’ve followed here is both wild and confusing. Do we really need to replicate everything we see online? The truth is, the crowd doesn’t always move because it knows something. Sometimes, it moves because silence feels unsafe. Because we fear being the only ones standing still. And honestly, it’s okay to move with the crowd sometimes — as long as you know where your own feet are headed.

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