Imagine this:
You’re hovering over the “Post” button.
You've written something thoughtful and honest. You're talking passionately about something you care about. You have bared your soul: warts and all. It's a little controversial, but no worse than some of the other rubbish out there.
But you hesitate...
What if it rubs people the wrong way?
What if it gets misread?
What if there's kickback?
You delete the draft.
Urgh.
Silence is not a strategy
Now, I'm sure you have written a post or message, but never shared it. Not because it was wrong in any way, but because you weren’t sure how it would land.
Yeah, me too.
That hesitation is widespread and cultural, and it's not limited to social posts. It happens across dinner tables, between friends, and in boardrooms.
According to Populace’s 2025 report, 63% of Americans admit to self-silencing. Among college grads and high earners, it’s even higher. We often edit ourselves because we fear backlash, misinterpretation, or awkwardness.
And that's a problem...
Research by the same folk shows that 80% of social content is created by just 10% of users. And Dr Todd Rose's research suggests that about 1/4 of online content is being generated by bots. (He thinks that's a conservative estimate.)
To compound this, the small group posting online tends to hold more extreme views on almost every social issue.
As a result, we end up with the loudest voices being repeated often, starting to feel like the majority. When actually, they’re not representative of social sentiment in the slightest.
This creates a warped sense of society.
I'm sure you've sensed this discrepancy, whether in a meeting at work or a hunch along the lines of: "people can't really believe this sh*t, can they?". But instead of resisting it, we often ignore it. And that is mega risky.
Because when the thoughtful stay quiet, the polarised get louder.
As a wise human once said, "If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything."
Oh, and this matters for people and brands. After all, brands operate in the broader cultural landscape. When brands tiptoe around their values, they dismiss the power they have to make a difference and may end up in a culture that doesn't care for them at all.
This is social norming in action
We’re social creatures. And that means we don’t just ask, “What do I believe?” We ask, “What will people think of me?”
In behavioural science, this is the foundation of social norms. We take cues from others to decide what’s acceptable, desirable, or safe. It’s why people check TripAdvisor before booking, or glance at the tip jar before deciding what to drop in, or look when someone points.
The EAST framework developed by the UK’s Behavioural Insights Team captures this elegantly in the advice: Make it Social.
In short, if something feels like the social norm, we’re more likely to do it.
But here’s the catch: the norm doesn’t have to be real. It just has to look real. When a small, extreme minority dominates conversations, it distorts the norm.
Suddenly, thoughtful counterpoints feel risky. And silence starts to feel safer.
That’s when pluralistic ignorance sets in. You know, where everyone’s thinking the same thing, but no one’s saying it. (We've all been there.)
So what can be done?
Well, we must break the silence.
Someone must take the brave act of going first and sharing their opinion, so we can have a cultural discussion about how to proceed.
There's no better brand example than this:
In case you missed it, this is Nike's 2018 ad featuring Colin Kaepernick.
It aimed to highlight social justice issues and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs, even in the face of resistance. It was during a period of controversy, after Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem at NFL games in order to raise awareness about racial injustice and police brutality.
The line of copy is so good it bears repeating: "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."
So what does this mean for you?
We're in a chaotic political moment. Views are getting more and more extreme. Dangerously so. So if silence signals agreement, the antidote is to speak up.
This can feel scary. Risky even.
So start with whatever is manageable for you.
Speak up in a meeting.
Speak up at home.
Speak up over text.
And if that's too much, that's OK. Try this first: whenever something feels off, take a moment to reflect on what is wrong and tune in to your opinion of that moment.
Your thoughts and feelings matter. Don't neglect them.
This matters for your wellbeing too (look up: emotional invalidation).
So, speak up.
As a brand. As a human. As a community. As friends.
We need to hear you.
