Ostracism or social exclusion within a group serves to discipline disagreeable, awkward, or free-loading members and thus promote cooperation – at least this was the assumption of previous research in this field. However, ostracism also develops in situations in which there is no need to discipline the behaviors of others, and the victims often seem to have been selected randomly. When asked, the ostracizers are oblivious of their acts, stressing that they had no intention of leaving a person out. Researchers reasoned that ostracism may develop more incidentally than previously assumed.
Social exclusion was not so much an instrument to discipline others, but rather an unintended side effect. This side effect arises when people choose to join up with individuals they have previously had good experiences with as a result of simple learning mechanisms. In other words, if the first random grouping in a social situation works out well, people have a tendency to repeat it. This means, however, that others are excluded from the interaction and thereby incidentally ostracized. (1)
People wanting to be with other people.
People afraid to be alone.
Speaking about ostracism as a problem.
Without realizing it’s the greatest blessing.
In a society full of interactions…
Those who don’t interact are the most active ones.
In a society full of relationships…
Those who have less are the most genuine ones.
In a society full of people…
The real ostracism if not from other people.
But from your own self.
Seek ostracism. Be alone.
Only then can you grow into a Lion…
And eat the Sun.
