Everyone Does It

   "Everyone does it" is an argument quite often used by simps to justify
   their unjustifiable actions. It is often used alongside the "[1]just doing
   my job" argument. This is not to be confused with [2]"monkey see monkey
   do" behavior which just signifies mindless imitation; "everyone does it"
   is rather used as an excuse by a normie to do something that even he knows
   is bad, but which he just wants to do and he needs to say some words when
   someone tells him it's indeed bad -- it's similar to dog barking or
   [3]autist screeching.

   The argument has a valid use, however it is rarely used in the valid way.
   We humans, as well as other higher organisms, have evolved to mimic the
   behavior of others because such behavior is tried, others have tested such
   behavior for us (for example eating a certain plant that might potentially
   be poisonous) and have survived it, therefore it is likely also safe to do
   for us. So we have to realize that "everyone does it" is an argument for
   safety, not for morality. But people nowadays mostly use the argument as
   an excuse for their immoral behavior, i.e. something that's supposed to
   make bad things they do "not bad" because "if it was bad, others wouldn't
   be doing it". That's of course wrong, people do bad things and the
   argument "everyone does it" helps people do them, for example during the
   Nazi holocaust this excuse partially allowed some of the greatest
   atrocities in history. Nowadays during [4]capitalism it is used to excuse
   taking part unethical practices, e.g. those of corporations.

   So if you tell someone "You shouldn't do this because it's bad" and he
   replies "Well, everyone does it", he's really (usually) saying "I know
   it's bad but it's safe for me to do".

   The effect is of course abused by politicians: once you get a certain
   number of people moving in a certain shared direction, others will follow
   just by the need to mimic others. Note that just creating an illusion
   (using the tricks of [5]marketing) of "everyone doing something" is enough
   -- that's why you see 150 year old grandmas in ads using modern
   smartphones -- it's to force old people into thinking that other old
   people are using smartphones so they have to do it as well.

   Another potentially valid use of the argument is in the meaning of
   "everyone does it so I am FORCED to do it as well". For example an
   employer could argue "I have to abuse my employees otherwise I'll lose the
   edge on the market and will be defeated by those who continue to abuse
   their employees". This is very true but it seems like many people don't
   see or intend this meaning.

See Also

     * [6]excuse
     * [7]they do it too
     * [8]just doing my job
     * [9]someone has to do it
     * [10]if I didn't do it someone else would

Links:
1. just_doing_my_job.md
2. monkey_see_monkey_do.md
3. reeeeeeeee.md
4. capitalism.md
5. marketing.md
6. excuse.md
7. they_do_it_too.md
8. just_doing_my_job.md
9. someone_has_to_do_it.md
10. someone_else_would.md