Who Are They?

"They say that all that glitters is not gold."

"They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

"They say when it rains, it pours."

"They say the early bird catches the worm.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words." a statement that lives in our language has found its way through countless dialogues and writings. But who are "they"?

Who are these unseen commentators who have spent time in our lives, gifting us pearls of wisdom and cautionary tales without ever revealing their identity?

They know Politics

In a cozy café, where chatter mingled with the scent of espresso, I found myself face to face with the first alleged member of "they." A lively gentleman in his sixties, Prof. T, his eyes sparkling behind thick glasses, told me the latest political changes that happened over the weekend in Luxembourg and of course his opinions on the matter.

After a while I saw his attention shifted to two female university colleagues. While the information he shared during our talk seemed accurate, it was the imperceptible mixing of his opinions and facts during the next conversation with the two colleagues that truly made me stop and think. You see, Prof. T thought that CSV's win in the elections was the result of the changing political tendencies.

After about a half an hour one of the ladies referenced the election outcome in Luxembourg as something "they said was long time coming." And there it was! In this cozy café, the fist breaths of "they" and what "they say about Luxembourg's political changes in 2023" has been born and started to travel across our town.

They love to design and dictate our Fashion

In the world of fashion, where trends come and go with the seasons, "they" are especially opinionated about styles and faux pas. With an air of authority "They say polka dots will be all the rage this spring." Creators ever so concerned with their social perception take what "they" say very seriously.

🧐In fact, maybe I have come close to finding out who "they" are in Fashion?

"They" dictate the unspoken rules, cautioning against the pairing of stripes with checks, or boldly regulating white after Labor Day.

In the boutiques "they" guide the hands of

shoppers, recommending the little black dress that is deemed timeless, or the daring neon that "they" have declared is the color of rebellion for the season. The elusive "they" rule the threads and textiles, creating norms that sculpt our bodies and our societies.

They know Art

In the halls of art galleries "they" emerge as the omnipotent connoisseurs of true aesthetic.

"They say this abstract swirl of blue is a poignant embodiment of existential despair," and the crowd agrees. As spectators nod, gazing at the canvas with a newfound appreciation for the melancholy of azure spirals, "they" explain that peeling back the paint reveals the tormented soul of the artist.

With an air of sophistication "they" declare that the true essence of art is to be abstract, to be felt rather than understood. "They" love the abstract space of un-definition.

So, viewers, often feeling insecurity about how to perceive their experiences with art, are subtly moulded by "they," the unseen experts of artistic vocabulary. "They" skilfully elevate art, turning it into a strong investment, pieces to be sold and traded among the rich and knowing.

They know Medicine and Nutrition

"They" also persist as a powerful authority in our health habits. "They" provide counsel that sits in the line between traditional wisdom and contemporary understanding.

"They say laughter is the best medicine" suggesting a chuckle might be the antidote to stress. "They say you should drink eight glasses of water a day," became a mantra for hydration, though the origin of this numerical advice is still a mystery.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away," they insist, making the humble fruit a symbol of healthy living. "They say carrots improve your eyesight," told to children who don't like to eat their vegetables.

They say it is important to stay connected

To refer to "they" is to bring in a social authority with no name or face. "They" float through our cultural consciousness and in popular nonfactual opinion. What "they" think matters because "they" stand-in for everyone and no one all at once.

Some see "they" as a crutch, that allows people to outsource responsibility for beliefs to an anonymous mass. But I think "they" also serve a social function, helping cement group cohesion and herd us toward commonly held norms.

See the article on Why we Judge?

Even today, modern humans still feel primal impulses to follow to what "they" think thanks to eons of evolutionary shaping that reward conformity over singular dissent.

And so we remain linked to the flock, by invisible ties to that most elusive of social shepherds—"they."