A polite fiction is a group’s ability to substitute fiction for reality when doing so promotes group unity. The following are some examples to get you started.
Politeness
Politeness often necessitates the use of fiction. Bowing is, for example, an etiquette rule in Japan that expresses humility and respect. When there is no genuine humility or respect in the relationship, this might happen.
Expressions on the Face
Smiling is one of the most common facial expressions used to create a calm atmosphere. For instance, smiling at a neighbor to show that you have no grudge against them. When you’re not feeling feelings that are compatible with smiling, this can happen.
Insincerity
Pretending to be friends with someone you despise because they have a high social rank or authority is an example of insincerity.
Denial
When reality is inconvenient to social cohesiveness, groups have the potential to deny it. Consider a company that causes economic harms such as pollution and has a culture of avoiding the subject.
Groupthink
Groupthink is an intensive ideological atmosphere in which individuals of a group must pretend to believe what the rest of the group claims to believe or risk being shunned by the rest of the group. Self-appointed thought leaders and thought police are in charge of mapping out and enforcing the ideology.
The Elephant In The Room
An elephant in the room is a problem that everyone is thinking about but that no one wants to talk about because it is socially awkward in some way. For example, at a Christmas celebration, an extended family may fail to disclose a recent divorce in the family.
Keeping Face
When a group assists a person in avoiding embarrassment, this is known as saving face. Coworkers compliment you after you give a presentation that was clearly a flop, for example.
If you are interested in learning more about social norms and culture, here’s an article on some common examples of social norms.
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