Where Individuality Goes to Die: The Mob Mentality of LinkedIn

As I reflect on the essence of my best-selling book — Attracting Miracles, where we align with the universal flow of love, intention, and authenticity to manifest our highest potential, I can’t help but see a stark contrast in the digital landscape of LinkedIn. Especially given that most users on LinkedIn, if asked, would swear to adherence to a set of values at sharp odds with those that fuel the actual behavior that is displayed on the platform. But hypocrisy aside, this article is meant to be more of a wake-up call than a condemnation. LinkedIn, meant to be a utopia for professional connection, often devolves into a vortex of mob mentality, where individuality is sacrificed at the altar of conformity.

Drawing on what I’ve learned from Jan Ryde’s When Business is Love, I personally believe that business — and by extension, platforms like LinkedIn — should be an expression of love, trust, and mutual growth. Yet, LinkedIn’s dynamics frequently embody the shadow side of Graves Level 6 Values — self-expression twisted into groupthink, community warped into cancel culture, and egalitarianism morphing into a suffocating demand for consensus.

Let’s explore how this happens and how LinkedIn Users can reclaim their authentic selves.

The LinkedIn Algorithm: A Trap for the Soul’s Expression

In Attracting Miracles, I emphasize that miracles flow when we align with our true selves, unencumbered by fear or external validation. LinkedIn’s algorithm, however, is a silent saboteur of this alignment. It rewards posts that garner quick likes, shares, and comments, creating echo chambers where only the loudest, most conformist voices thrive.

A 2023 study on social media dynamics, echoed in discussions on X, confirms that algorithms amplify emotionally charged or widely accepted content, sidelining nuanced or dissenting perspectives. On LinkedIn, this manifests as a deluge of recycled “thought leadership” posts — generic platitudes about “hustle” or “resilience” that feel more like praise of performance than perpetuation of purpose.

This algorithmic tyranny feeds deeply and dangerously into the negative aspects of Graves Level 6 values, particularly the obsession with communal harmony over truth. Graves Level 6, in its ideal form, champions self-expression and collective well-being, but in its shadow, it breeds groupthink — a fear-driven need to belong that stifles authentic voices. Users, craving visibility, conform to trending narratives, afraid that a single “wrong” post could trigger the wrath of the mob. This is the opposite of Jan Ryde’s vision of Business as Love, where trust and vulnerability foster genuine connection. Instead, LinkedIn’s environment often feels like a stage where professionals perform for approval, not a space for the miracle of authentic and meaningful connections to unfold.

The Mob’s Pull: Groupthink Over Individual Truth

The bandwagon effect on LinkedIn is a powerful force, pulling users into a cycle of validation-seeking that mirrors the darker side of Graves Level 6. When a post about “work-life balance” or a trending social issue goes viral, users pile on with affirming comments or reposts, not because they deeply resonate but because they fear being left out. This isn’t self-expression; it’s a surrender to the mob. In Attracting Miracles, I teach that true manifestation comes from aligning with our unique purpose, not chasing external applause. Yet, LinkedIn’s culture rewards those who blend into the collective, echoing popular sentiments to gain likes and connections.

This dynamic reflects Graves Level 6’s misguided egalitarianism, where the group’s voice drowns out that of the individual — societies most basic minority . The platform’s competitive atmosphere — where users vie for endorsements or “thought leader” status — creates a scarcity mindset, the antithesis of the abundance I advocate in Attracting Miracles. Ryde’s When Business is Love reminds us that love in business means celebrating others’ successes without envy, yet LinkedIn often feels like a zero-sum game. A user on X nailed it by stating, “LinkedIn is just corporate karaoke — everyone’s singing the same song, hoping to be noticed.” The mob’s pressure to conform erases the diversity of thought that Graves Level 6, at its best, should champion.

Cancel Culture: The Shadow of Graves Level 6’s Community

LinkedIn’s public nature, tying posts to real names and job titles, amplifies the fear of dissent. Unlike anonymous platforms, every word is a potential career landmine.

Question a popular leadership trend or critique a corporate initiative, and you risk being “canceled” — shunned by connections or labeled as “problematic.” This reflects the shadow of Graves Level 6, where the drive for community cohesion becomes a tool for exclusion. Cancel culture, rooted in the obsession with group consensus, punishes those who dare to express unconventional views, creating a chilling effect that silences honest dialogue.

In When Business is Love, Ryde argues that trust and empathy are the cornerstones of meaningful business interactions. LinkedIn, however, often lacks this empathy. Instead of engaging with differing perspectives, users join ‘dog piles’, flooding posts with generic or AI driven praise like “Inspiring!” or “Spot on!” to signal allegiance. A 2024 analysis of social media behavior, reflected in X posts, shows how fear of ostracism drives these ‘dog piles’, with users prioritizing safety over truth. This performative conformity suffocates the pure exchange of inspiring ideas that come from bold, authentic self-expression, leaving us trapped in a cycle of fear rather than Love.

The Survival Reflex: Conformity Over Courage

At its core, LinkedIn’s mob mentality taps into a primal survival instinct, though not the raw survival of Graves Level 1. Here, it’s a professional survival — securing jobs, clients, or promotions or even just likes and shares or to be seen as an “Expert” in a high-stakes environment. Posting against the grain feels like risking your livelihood, so users churn out safe, predictable content: endless posts about “leadership lessons” or praise of the hamster wheel of ‘hustle” that lack depth but almost guarantee likes. Ideas that if actually put to practice, cause one to risk the things that matter most like family, friends, and community.

In Attracting Miracles, I argue that true gratitude is about embracing the messiness of our journey, not polishing it for public consumption. LinkedIn’s survival-driven culture, however, rewards those who suppress their quirks and conform to the mob’s script.

This suppression of individuality is the death knell for Graves Level 6’s ideal of self-expression. The platform’s obsession with polished professionalism leaves no room for the unconventional or the boldly honest. As one X user put it, “LinkedIn is where your soul goes to dress itself up for death.”

This environment clashes with Ryde’s vision of business as an act of love, where vulnerability and authenticity create space for everyone’s voice. Instead, LinkedIn’s mob mentality fosters a scarcity mindset, where only the “right” opinions survive.

A Path to Authenticity

To break free from LinkedIn’s mob mentality, it’s important to embody the principles of Attracting Miracles and When Business is Love. We must align with love, trust, and abundance, rejecting the fear and conformity that define the shadow of Graves Level 6 Values. Here’s how we can start:

• Post with Intention: Share ideas that reflect your true self, even if they challenge the mainstream. Miracles happen when we trust our unique voice, not when we echo the mob.
• Engage with Love: Move beyond generic comments. Ask questions, offer insights, and listen with empathy, as Ryde advocates, to build real connections.
• Embrace Abundance: Celebrate others’ successes without fear of losing your own. There’s room for every voice in a world of love and trust.
• Practice True Gratitude: Share stories that honor your authentic journey, imperfections and all, rather than chasing likes with performative posts.

LinkedIn doesn’t have to be where individuality goes to die. By rejecting the shadow of Graves’ Level 6 — its groupthink, cancel culture, and obsession with consensus — we can transform the platform into a space where miracles of connection and authenticity thrive. Let’s choose love over fear, trust over conformity, and abundance over scarcity.

As I express in Attracting Miracles, when we align with our highest truth, the universe opens doors we never imagined. Identify the door that fits you best. The one that leads to your ideal outcomes and your best life ever. Then walk through it with boldness and courage — Alone if Necessary, but even better together with those you Love.