The desire to belong to a group, team, or any type of collective clique has an obvious lure, namely the sense of being involved and part of a fraternity. The development of the principle of mass is fine so long as it does not injure, hamper, or in any way hinder the development of INDIVIDUALS within the group.

It is very easy to fall into line with massed opinion - it requires minimal effort and offers a clear sense of security to all those involved. The ideas expressed are uniform in so much as that the group normally has a stern unbending ethos behind it, which deviates negligibly over time.

Self expression at times is regarded as something particularly weird and alien by certain people, who themselves prefer to be dictated by principles which they regard to be the usual ones expressed by their fellows. Indeed it may be the case that many individuals feel they ARE expressing themselves, but through a massed front. If this is the case then they can be satisfied that they have formed their own ideas, thoughts, beliefs and actions. The tragedy arises however when self expression does alter from the 'norm' - when beliefs or ideas expressed by an individual are wildly different from those looked upon as accepted and totally normal.

A further tragedy arises when self expression is not tolerated. When this happens the answer is not for the individuals to concede, but to continue their quest for individual expression.

K.H.R.