"Crowd-Effect” or Conviction

A general saying posits that - "the voice of man is the voice of God". This statement is controversial and debatable as it may not always be true. 

Certain actions or activities which occurred as a fall out of a generally accepted opinion on some occasions might have yielded wonderful results and serve the benefits of the majority but it is equally important to note that there are times that certain decisions or projects embarked upon either personally, family level, work-environment or on a national basis which seemed not to align with demands of the majority and as such was perceived as "selfish", "wild-goose-chase" or termed as a "misplaced priority" could in the long run become a laudable legacy making initial critics the advocates and promoters of same. 

It is important to note that some of the worthwhile initiatives, inventions and discoveries start from a positive, passionate, and propelling conviction of an individual before they become generally accepted.  

Although there are instances whereby majority determines what must be done, a "product manager" who designs a product or service without consulting or seeking opinions of the end-user risks embarking on a failed project as it may not meet the current need, taste, or expectations of the target market.  

Crowd-effect and conviction have their respective benefits and demerits but the important thing to note in all of this is - "what is the underlying motive?"

Herman Siu advised that - "it is better to walk alone, than with a crowd going in the wrong direction." 

Conviction or crowd effect could be linked to leadership and as such, Ronald Reagan gave an apt conclusion when he said - "the greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." 

May God Help Us All (Amen).