Speak Your Mind or Eat Subway

The Power of Group Think

May 08, 2025

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“For it is dangerous to attach one's self to the crowd in front, and so long as each one of us is more willing to trust another than to judge for himself, we never show any judgement in the matter of living, but always a blind trust, and a mistake that has been passed on from hand to hand finally involves us and works our destruction.” -Seneca

The Abilene Paradox is a fallacy where a group of people collectively make a decision that is against the preferences of the group. Here’s a harmless example. You’re in a work meeting and it’s time to order lunch. Raising Cane’s is down the street and also Subway. You, having a sophisticated palate, want Cane’s but think the group as a whole would like the much “healthier” Subway. So you suggest Subway. Derrick is sitting next to you and loves Cane’s sauce but doesn’t want to be contrarian or rock the boat so he too says he likes Subway. Pretty soon a group of chicken loving employees is singing Subway’s praises.

The charade of group-pleasing creates only the illusion of satisfaction, while everyone’s stuck chewing on something called a ‘Spicy Chicken Teriyaki’. Now use your imagination and swap food with matters far more consequential.

Pipe up, say what you mean, or enjoy that soggy sandwich.

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