{"product_id":"conformity-the-power-of-social-influences-9781479810178","title":"Conformity: The Power of Social Influences","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBestselling author Cass R. Sunstein reveals the appeal and the danger of conformity\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e We live in an era of tribalism, polarization, and intense social division-separating people along lines of religion, political conviction, race, ethnicity, and sometimes gender. How did this happen? In Conformity, Cass R. Sunstein argues that the key to making sense of living in this fractured world lies in understanding the idea of conformity-what it is and how it works-as well as the countervailing force of dissent. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e An understanding of conformity sheds new light on many issues confronting us today: the role of social media, the rise of fake news, the growth of authoritarianism, the success of Donald Trump, the functions of free speech, debates over immigration and the Supreme Court, and much more. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Lacking information of our own and seeking the good opinion of others, we often follow the crowd, but Sunstein shows that when individuals suppress their own instincts about what is true and what is right, it can lead to significant social harm. While dissenters tend to be seen as selfish individualists, dissent is actually an important means of correcting the natural human tendency toward conformity and has enormous social benefits in reducing extremism, encouraging critical thinking, and protecting freedom itself. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Sunstein concludes that while much of the time it is in the individual's interest to follow the crowd, it is in the social interest for individuals to say and do what they think is best. A well-functioning democracy depends on it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e New York University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/21\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781479810178\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 192\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.40lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.90h x 4.90w x 0.60d","brand":"Cass R. Sunstein","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39816821899445,"sku":"9781479810178","price":12.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_ac0f5435-36f8-4604-82f8-25dfb46ef699.jpg?v=1618927190","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/conformity-the-power-of-social-influences-9781479810178","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}