Скачать или смотреть The Spiral of Silence: Why we fear the majority and how media creates an illusion of consensus.

#Spiral #Fear #Opinion

The narrative explores the internal conflict that arises when a person chooses to remain silent against their convictions to avoid disrupting group harmony. This personal experience is revealed as a manifestation of a powerful socio-psychological mechanism: the spiral of silence. At the core of this phenomenon lies not a weakness of character, but a primal fear of isolation, compelling an individual to conform to what is perceived as the dominant opinion.

Central to the story is the concept of an innate social radar that continuously assesses the climate of public opinion. The account explains how this mechanism, amplified by the mass media, shapes a distorted perception of the majority view. As a result, dissenters fall silent, further reinforcing the appearance of unanimity and creating a gap between private beliefs and public statements.

The events also touch upon those who can resist the pressure—the avant-garde and the hard core, who for various reasons do not fear social rejection. The narrative concludes with the idea that understanding the principles of the spiral of silence grants a person the freedom of choice, allowing a shift from instinctive silence driven by fear to a conscious decision.