Individuals’ inclination to imitate each other is a phenomenon which can be seen in fashion and other consumer goods industries. I largely agree with this perspective because people are willing to follow one another in order to be part of a community and align with social norms.
Initially, the fear of rejection from society plays a significant role in human behavior. When individuals have different behaviors and appearance, the likelihood of rejection by members of society can be increased, so people have a tendency to emulate other members of society, leading to a sense of belonging. In the realm of the fashion industry, wearing similar clothes can contribute to being part of groups, which can avoid separating from others. For instance, in a country, where all the people wear jeans and shirts, wearing traditional Indian clothes can stand that person from others.
Additionally, advertising and celebrity endorsement have significant influence in people’s choices. Many people incline to imitate the behavior of famous people because it is believed that they do appropriate and normal actions, which help them to be successful. Meanwhile, the media try to advertise the clothes and products used by well-known people to normalize such items because the more items become available and visible, the more the products will be normalized. For instance, influencers try to use a model of smartphone and show it in their online platforms to build a sense of need in customers that all the people have this item, so they should buy it.
However, individuality should not be overlooked. Although many members of society try to copy others, there are individuals who try to be creative and innovative in their lives. These creative personalities are the ones who can make change in society in various aspects. For example, designers have an inclination to make new products, providing various options in the industries. If innovative people had a copycat lifestyle, we would be unable to have an optional world.
To conclude, I firmly agree that humans tend to follow each other. Because of fear of rejection of society and tendency to follow normal culture, individuals are inclined to imitate each other, but the importance of creativity among some people should not be ignored.