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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Your observations?

This post will be deleted in not many days. So, if you are going to comment, do so now. 

Outside Pressure and Identity

             Sociologists tell us that to endure groups must be cohesive. The basis for cohesion is a clear set of values and goals.  Some sociologists see this as a revelation from the late 19th Century. It is, in fact, a common observation repeated through centuries of human history. An example is Benjamin Franklin’s “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we will all hang separately.” Probably apocryphal, this aphorism reflects this. Remainder of post has been deleted.

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2 comments:

Noah said...

This is an underappreciated angle in Watch Tower history. Some writers have discussed Bible Student or Witness attitudes toward the outside world, but I am glad to see a discussion of the role of opposition from the outside in contributing to group cohesion.

March 26, 2026 at 4:59 AM
Gerry Kaspin said...

I think I would have liked to see the rest of this post, but am late to the party and so note some of it has now been deleted.

Yes, a clear set of values and a supportive community is important.
In his study of imprisoned conscientious objectors to the Vietnam war, while noting the loss of self esteem and depression that typically plagued other COs, psychiatrist Willard Gaylin noted that Witnesses “tend to be compliant, orthodox, untroubled young men, firm in the sense that what they are doing is right, supported by their families and their community.”

March 29, 2026 at 9:58 AM

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