Humans are a Herd Animal

Posted by Cynical Sarah on February 9, 2006

Everyone is different, so different is normal. I don’t know how many times I said that while I was growing up. It started out as a way to tell people that I was normal, that I fit in. Then as I got older it was a way of stating my individuality and that it was normal to be different.

I think we all go through something similar. It’s pretty much a rite of passage to be called names and be picked on at some point or another. Anything is fair game, your looks, your smell, your clothes. Nobody wants to have to go through that though and the best protection comes from forming a group of friends. A protective “herd” is less likely to be attacked than if you’re out on your own.

Of course the herd doesn’t do you any good if you’re caught on your own out in the open without them. But that’s not the point. We’ve all been through it as the prey (who is probably now very successful) or the predator (who is now very ashamed and living in a shack somewhere if karma has anything to say about it).

The point is, after years of struggling to fit in, we eventually also try to break free and prove ourselves as individuals also. My path took me down the road that rejected all things girly. I never wore makeup, hated dresses and even had mostly guy friends that I hung out with. My route was fairly tame compared to the goth kids, metal heads and soon to be crackheads.

I’m not sure why we consider it seeking out individuality though, because no matter what path you choose to find it, you still end up back in the same place – another group to belong to. It’s more like a shift to a group that suits you better.

Think of it more like outgrowing clothing. Just because you’ve grown and your clothes don’t fit anymore doesn’t mean you’re going to give up wearing clothes at all.

It’s the same with our herds. It’s not that we’re seeking individuality; we’re growing and learning and our interests are shifting from the other members of our groups. Eventually, we see that we’ve become separate and outgrown the rest of our herd and we have to seek out another herd we’re more comfortable with.

We’re really just like cows or zebra at heart. We may stray and we may shift to greener pastures, but we’re still going to find the safety of our groups.

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