Have you ever participated in an activity with a group or crowd that you would not have considered undertaking on your own? Throughout the sources, numerous instances illustrate how collective fear can profoundly impact both groups and individuals. As shown in the Crucible and the article, "It's No One's Fault When It's Everyone's Fault", collective fear compels individuals to go against their beliefs to protect themselves, leading to broken relationships and societal decay. Collective fear can profoundly undermine societal cohesion and well-being. In the Crucible, Arthur Miller explores the complexities of collective fear and how it negatively affects society. One of the most poignant moments occurs when Abigial is afraid of being exposed …show more content…
Fear can influence individuals to make rational decisions on the spot. This is shown in the Article, "Herd Behavior", when it mentions that "Herd behavior in humans is frequently observed at times of danger and panic; for example, a fire in a building often causes herd behavior, with people often suspending their individual reasoning and fleeing together in a pack" (CommonLit Staff 3). Many times in history, there have been moments when collective fear has impacted individuals in a positive way, like fires or other life-threatening situations. Throughout these times, lives have been saved because people made the decision to follow a group. Another instance of how collective fear has benefited society is mentions in the same article, "Herd Behavior" where is mentions, "Herd behavior does not always have such harmful effects; it can be influential in people's everyday simple decisions...It simply involves peoples' tendency to follow a crowd rather than carve out an individual path in many situations" (CommonLit Staff 5). Sometimes herd behavior may just be people deciding to go to a crowded restaurant over an empty one. An innocent everyday decision that people make day in and day out. Based on the previous quotes, collective fear has more than horrible effects on individuals who have followed a