It's interesting to me how much our environment impacts the way we live. While it can be debated that some people in this world are just evil, it seems highly unlikely that everyone involved in the deep hatred of the Kosovo conflict was simply evil. What made soldiers volunteer? Why was there such a deep-seated hatred in the first place? Groupthink helps to explain at least a part of this situation. It helps to explain a flawed NATO policy and the beliefs of both Kosovo Albanians and Serbians. Groupthink is a recently developed concept in psychology where the desire for harmony within a group leads to an irrational or poor decision. Groupthink can be caused by information biases, inspiring leaders, and pressure to reach a solution. When a child grows up in a neighborhood full of Albanians who hate Serbians she will be hard-pressed to not follow suit. Even if she eventually realizes that there are many kind and loving Serbians the fear of being ostracized from a group or the fear of conflict may keep this child from speaking out. Groupthink has its roots in what we've all grown up hearing about: peer pressure.
When reading interviews of NATO generals and soldiers on both sides of the battlefield it was obvious that these people had very different ideas of the war. There was passion on both sides of the war, with strong beliefs in both purposes. The officials in charge of the NATO involvement believed that their actions would speed Milosevic's loss of power, while impacted citizens believed that NATO involvement was delaying a solution. Even Milosevic and his highest officials probably believed to some extent that their cause was just. How did all of these rigid opinions form and remain for so long? I believe that this is caused by the inability of an individual to speak out confidently against a group with such strong opinions. All of the social implications of going against the grain keep people from speaking out.
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