Gangnam way to herd mentality

Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak

Learning Curve: Perspective

New Sunday Times - 16-09-2012

 

AT large gatherings where emotions hold sway, herd mentality is at work. One of those arrested for stomping on a picture of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the recent Janji Demokrasi gathering said: "I merely followed what the others were doing."

 

Such behaviour if taken to the extreme can result in disastrous consequences -- often with negative impact. It's more of a "mob mentality".

 

This takes us back to the question that was posed by many, including the Prime Minister, about the gangnam horse trot-like dance. Why are youth in particular so caught up in it? There is nothing wrong but why?

 

Is it herd mentality again? The "following others" syndrome? It used to be poco-poco at one time even in high places. Before that, it was rap.

 

We now have our own version of the gangnam. Apparently, there is a Sabah version that caught the attention of the state government which is delighted with it. This too has gone viral with more than 1.5 million hits on YouTube.

 

 

If the Korean gangnam is a protest of some sort, what is the Sabah version?

 

If it is about "promoting the state" as claimed by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Peter Pang En Yi, then why not do something original? Sabah, like elsewhere in Malaysia, is rich in cultural diversity. What about the well-known sumazau which is more graceful and culturally meaningful -- not a mockery of some kind? Why not make it go viral in an attempt to popularise Sabah, if not Malaysia?

 

No doubt the gangnam has catapulted Korea back to the international music scene. The prime mover, Jae-Sang Park, or better known as Psy, elicited loud applause when he performed at the recent MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, the United States.

 

According to The Wall Street Journal, this is also the first time a Korean artiste has topped the iTunes Music Video Charts.

 

But this is all unintended, of course. The gangnam, after all, is a satire mocking those who try to imitate the rich and trendy. It is apparently targeted at the South Korean poor who want to follow the Joneses in Gangnam-gu -- one of the many gus (local government districts) of the capital city, Seoul, dubbed Korea's Beverly Hills!

 

There is always a risk of not understanding the context when it comes to herd mentality. It is almost as good as blind compliance or acceptance, even sloganeering to an extent. You easily confess "to following what the others are doing" when confronted. The first option is, of course, to chicken out and plead ignorance by imitating others.

 

But ignorance is not a good excuse when it comes to something stupid or silly.

 

You cannot show sheer disrespect without rhyme or reason, or when an act is clearly hurtful to someone when you are persuaded by public hatred. This is generally regarded as unacceptable emotional outburst in public which is purely driven by herd mentality. It is perfectly fine if you do not fancy someone but to demean him in public is another issue altogether! Turn his picture into a dartboard in the privacy of your home, by all means, but not publicly.

 

Creating our own gangnam style may not be considered as bad as a display of public expression -- so long as it is not intended to mock or insult another.

 

But it is an indication of a bankruptcy of ideas -- we have to lean on others to promote ourselves. Malaysia has on quite a few occasions been accused of "stealing" the culture of other nations.

 

Though imitating the gangnam may not be quite the same, it is ironic because its core message is to refrain from the act of copying others, in this case the affluent.

 

Yet aping the Koreans draws the same criticism that the gangnam is critical of.

 

On that score alone, you begin to wonder how to "un-herd" the all-pervasive mentality that borders on some form of inferiority complex when facing peer pressure and wanting to be recognised regardless of the heinous act that follows.

 

It is good to ponder on this today as it is Malaysia Day.

 

 

- The writer is the vice-chancellor of Albukhary International University