groupthey

groupthey is a term that emerged from online communities, particularly on platforms like Reddit and Twitter, to refer to a hypothetical group of people who exhibit a specific pattern of behavior or possess certain shared characteristics. The term is often used humorously or sarcastically to describe a collective that, in the eyes of the user, consistently acts in a predictable or undesirable way. The specific traits attributed to "groupthey" vary widely depending on the context and the community using the term.

The concept of "groupthey" is not tied to any real-world organization or identifiable demographic. Instead, it functions as a linguistic shorthand for expressing a perceived shared opinion or action among a nebulous group. The "they" in groupthey is intentionally vague, allowing users to project their observations onto an undefined collective. This vagueness can sometimes lead to misinterpretations or the generalization of specific criticisms to broader populations.

The usage of groupthey often reflects a sense of exasperation or amusement with perceived groupthink or a predictable response to a given situation. It can be employed in discussions about social media trends, political discourse, or any area where collective behavior is observed. The term's informal nature and its origin in online subcultures mean it is not typically used in formal or academic settings. Its primary function is to quickly and often humorously encapsulate a shared observation about collective behavior.