"La foule est mensonge"

At its heart, "The crowd is untruth" is about how groupthink can lead us away from what's true or right. Sometimes, when a lot of people believe the same thing, it doesn't necessarily mean they're correct. It's about the danger of losing individual judgment and getting swept along with the masses.

This idea was put forward by Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher in the 19th century. He was a bit of a rebel in his time, challenging the status quo and the complacency of societal norms. Kierkegaard was concerned about how people's individuality gets lost in the crowd—how we stop thinking for ourselves when we just follow what everyone else is doing.

Let's bring this concept to life with something from today. Think about social media. You've seen it happen: a rumor starts, gets shared a million times, and suddenly everyone believes it. Remember the dress that was either gold and white or blue and black? People went nuts arguing over it. Or when everyone was pouring ice water over their heads for the ALS challenge—sure, it was for a good cause, but how many did it just because everyone else was doing it?

Imagine you're at work, in a meeting. Your team is brainstorming solutions to a problem. Someone suggests an idea that's not great, but everyone's nodding along. It's the easy path—agreeing with the crowd. But you, you have a better idea. It's risky to speak up; you might stand out or even face some backlash. But if you go with the crowd, the problem might not get solved properly.

Here's some advice: trust your gut. If something feels off or you have a different idea, voice it. It's scary to go against the grain, but it's important. Keep questioning things, even if it feels uncomfortable. That's how we get to the truth.

Let's consider a simple but relatable story. Picture a small town where everyone believes a certain food truck sells the best tacos ever. No one questions it. Then, you try it, and honestly, they're just okay. But because everyone has said they’re the best, people just go along with it. One day, a new food truck arrives. It’s not popular yet, but their tacos are amazing. You try them and realize they’re far better. Now, you’ve got a choice: keep quiet and follow the crowd, or share your new discovery and potentially shift the town’s taco allegiance.

This whole concept boils down to independent thinking. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd, but don’t lose your voice. Challenge ideas, even if they’re widely accepted. Sometimes, the truth isn't popular—but that doesn't make it any less true. Remember, the crowd may be loud, but that doesn't mean it's right.