This metaphor “Even a dead fish will go with the flow”emphasizes the passive nature of going along with the prevailing circumstances or following the crowd like something lifeless and inert, such as a dead fish moving with the current without using personal agency.
It is a reminder of some individuals ‘ tendency to conform, adapt, or simply follow the crowd without questioning or asserting their own beliefs, values, or desires. They would rather go with the flow effortlessly, devoid of independent thought.
Just as a dead fish being carried by the current has no control over its direction or destination, such individuals who choose to mindlessly go with the flow lack personal autonomy and are easily influenced or swayed by external factors. They relinquish their personal values, aspirations, or principles in favour of conformity or the path of least resistance. They haven’t in them the slightest modicum of a reformist rebel who toils to bring about a new and better social order.
On the positive front though, in certain contexts of life, the state of acceptance, adaptability, and flexibility is of practical value when making waves of resistance or opposition may be futile or counterproductive, which implies an ability to navigate smoothly through life’s challenges by embracing the prevailing circumstances.
By and large “Even a dead fish will go with the flow” underscores the passive characteristic of blindly following the crowd or conforming without critical thinking. It typifies dull mindsets lacking assertiveness or own beliefs and values in the face of societal or political pressures.
Individuals lacking the understanding of the value of personal autonomy and conscious decision-making often become victims of the tyrannies of others in all spheres of life. For them finding meaning or fulfilment remains an alien concept.
Anil Kumar