Learning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates

Essential Update #2

The social mind is the external influence of other people's thinking that guide our perception or understanding of the world around us; it is the nurture aspect (community and culture). I think an excellent example of "social thinking" can be observed in the way that marketing and or the media effect adolescents and teenagers. Although these adolescents and teens may have their own independent beliefs or thoughts about popularized ideas, concepts, and values targeted marketing and media can influence how they think and dissuade them from individual convictions.

To me, community has two forms: one that a person is born into and one that a person voluntarily creates. The familial community inform/instills a person's initial values, morals, and beliefs. The voluntary community is one that evolves later, and reflects a person's personal values, morals, and beliefs. Beyond community as nuclear and extended family or social groups, TikTok and Instagram are also communities that shape learning and culture. I believe that none of these "communities" are better than the other however the influence of the community has a determining factor that could be beneficial or detrimental.