Understanding the culture of association, within a group

If chosen and managed well, groups can offer immeasurable benefits such as; psycho-social support, like in burial societies, quick financial support like in metshelo, and plain human company to keep you updated on what is going on in your work or social circle, or even share your thoughts and experiences with, like in group chats.

On the downside, if chosen without proper care, groups can be a source of fraud, especially where financial transactions take place, like in metshelo, where one person would borrow money and disappear into thin air or opt to be a treasurer, and creatively narrate stories when it is time to pay other shareholders. Groups can also breed negative peer pressure as well as bullying when other members of the group join hands against a member, for being different from them. This usually takes place in groups where members are expected to be totally uniform in the way they think, feel and act. It is therefore important for parents to guide children on some basic principles of choosing groups.