It’s My Way Or the Highway.

Last year I was interviewing healthcare professionals about how they use a specific medical device. Each doctor I spoke to said firmly that there was one proper way to use this device, although each one’s approach was somewhat different from that of the others. The nurses had a different point of view. While each had his or her own approach, they all acknowledged that there are a variety of ways to use this device, and the approach for a specific situation might vary based on several factors, including personal preference. When I told the nurses about the doctors’ POV that there’s only one right way, they all laughed and said something like, ‘yeah, that’s doctors.’

It’s common for people to develop rigid attitudes about things. So common that there’s a name for it: ‘orthodoxy.’ ‘Dogma’ is also a good description.

I’ve written  about how difficult it’s become to have conversations about sensitive topics – introducing the idea of ‘hyper-morality’ to explain why this is happening. But there’s another force at play: an increase in orthodox mindsets. Orthodoxy – the idea that there is only one correct way to do or think about something – has a way of shutting down conversation. I see this across the social and political spectrum.

Orthodoxy can be seductive, and none of us are immune to its charms. Establishing dogma can be an effective way of gaining the upper hand in a conversation or relationship. Orthodoxy can engender group cohesion – if everybody’s willing to buy in – and can also lead to efficiency and predictability. That’s the reason so many organizations, particularly large ones, can be so rigid. Having one way to do or think about something certainly simplifies things.

But there’s a dark side to orthodoxy. For one thing, it can stifle creativity and personal expression. And, in social settings—not to mention focus groups – it can be pretty toxic. When people put forth a point of view as being the only correct one, others can react badly if they are not willing to subordinate their opinions to the orthodoxy being presented. They might shut down or they might become belligerent – neither of which is a good thing.

It’s important to remember that orthodoxy is a mindset. As with all mindsets, we are free to adopt or reject it as we wish. In an age when I hope we’re all looking for ways to get along better, being on the lookout for orthodoxy in our own thinking can pave the way for friendlier, more productive conversations.