A lot of life coaches and best friends go around propagating the fact that one should be too worried about what other people think of their choices in life and their actions. While caring about what pother people think is thought of as a negative trait, it isn’t necessarily so. However, there are some pretty solid reasons that make us care about what other people think.
No man is an island
Man is a herd animal instinctively. Evolutionarily, we are hardwired to stick together. And a strong team is as strong as its weakest link which means that in situations where the survival of the group was concerned, everyone needed to be on board with the plan for decisions like hunting, setting up camp or moving. That instinct has survived the ages where being a loner became fashionable.
We like to know if we can trust others
Trust is an important part of human bonding. Getting others opinions and asking their opinion about your own choices helps you understand whether you and a friend are on the same page or not. Since such opinions and exchange of ideas is crucial to understanding whether or not you are compatible with someone else, we place a lot of importance on the opinions of others.
Other people’s opinion offers a different perspective
While it is believes that weak willed people are the most concerned and preoccupied with other people’s opinions, the fact remains that even very strong willed and independent people seek out others’ opinions so they may have a different perspective on a situation. At times, this may help people better adjust their attitudes while at other times; it helps people build trust with a group where they are an outsider or a newcomer.
