Social norming explained…….
Firstly, an introduction to the Book of Judges.
Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, has died. They now have no clear leader. Strong leadership under Moses and then Joshua has just about kept the people on the straight and narrow….now there seems there is very little hope of that.
The tribes are now living in their allocated land, surrounded by pagan neighbours in parts of Canaan that have not yet been conquered. The temptation to stray from the one true God and to worship the pagan gods of their neighbours will prove too strong for many.
Yes, there will be some heroes on our journey through Judges – but prepare yourself for disappointment, disobedience, defeat, oppression and depravity.
Straight after the death of Joshua, the people are still in communication with God –
Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?
Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands. Judges 1:1-2
They ask. They listen. They trust. They obey.
Accompanied by the Simeonites, the men of Judah attack and conquer the Canaanites and Perrizites. They chase and catch Adoni-Bezek and cut off his thumbs and big toes. Nice.
No more than he had done to others before though –
Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them. Judges 1:7
They also took Jerusalem, Hebron and Debir. And Zephath, Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron.
Caleb gives his daughter in marriage ‘to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher’ (who ends up being his brother!) and he gives them land in the Negev and springs of water (sounds like the start of a fairy tale……).
The descendants of Moses’ father-in-law settle in the Desert of Judah. Hebron was given to Caleb. The tribes of Joseph take Bethel (and allow one man and his family who help them to live – like Rahab).
However, whilst land is captured, the indigenous people are not always driven out – the Jebusites live alongside the Benjamites in Jerusalem for example. This is the story time and time again –
The Canaanites were determined to live in that land. When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely. Judges 1:27-28
And this is where the trouble starts I guess. The power of peer pressure to conform to the norm, to the traditions of the region so firmly established.
It happens so gradually, barely without noticing at first.
That’s always the way, isn’t it?
Everyone is doing it – what harm can it do? Being economical with the truth regarding benefits or taxes, throwing a ‘sickie’, grumbling about the boss, flirting with a colleague, gossiping about a friend, gambling, lying, swearing, cheating…..the list goes on and on…..
We talk about peer pressure amongst kids and forget that we as adults are surrounded by it too. That’s what advertising is all about. Andy was telling me yesterday about a selling technique that is widely used in behavioural economics called social norming – ‘most of our customers in your demographic chose option B’; ‘many people like you……..’
This is what we all want to hear, you see. We want to be normal. We don’t want to stand out. We want to do what everyone else is doing.
Which probably doesn’t matter much when choosing a magazine subscription or a brand of toothpaste – but is a dangerous way of thinking in the workplace or pub or coffee shop.
It’s OK to be different. Good to stand out.
We can be the one to set the standard, be the inspiration……..let’s lead the way in living life to the full today!
