Have you ever stopped to consider how many of our actions are influenced by the opinions of others? How many of the major and minor decisions in our lives—from how we find joy or happiness to even the clothes that we choose to wear—are the products of someone else’s thinking?

A couple of years ago, scientists at the University of Leeds researched “crowd control.” They discovered that it takes a minority of leaders, just five percent, to influence a crowd’s behavior. The remaining ninety-five percent follow along without even realizing it.

Our forefather, Abraham, was called Ivri. Ivri means “the other side,” because Abraham crossed over from the other side of the Euphrates River. Ideologically, Abraham stood on the “other side” of the world, teaching a belief in one G‑d and a value system that was then entirely foreign.

So, will we be part of the five percent that lead, or the ninety-five that blindly follow? When can it be positive to be swayed by public opinion, and when is it necessary to swim against the tide?

That’s one of the themes we explore this week.

We love your feedback. Tell us what you think.

Chana Weisberg,
On behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team