this rant was inspired by the recent meeting of the GHS senior class to rehearse the Mass Chorals for our senior show. it was a scary experience, which i'm expected to repeat twice more. yeesh.

Mob Mentality.

There seems to be a law of nature that says the bigger a group of people is, the rowdier it will be. What is it about people that makes them totally stupid when they congregate? They are oblivious to all attempts at organization. It's like there's safety in numbers; they're just part of the crowd, so they can't be singled out. People feel more confident and powerful among their friends - and they get real cocky in their anonymity. There's a line from Men In Black that goes something like: "One person is smart; many people are stupid." That captures the sentiment perfectly. Mob mentality is something I don't understand. Evidently the temptation to shut off one's brain and go nuts - despite all logic to the contrary - is more powerful than the thought of the beneficial consequences of logical behavior.

The other day (well, yesterday) I was talking to a woman on ICQ who was convinced that humans are superior to other animals because we rely on logical problem solving skills rather than simple instinct. From my observation of human behavior, that theory hasn't proven true, at least when people are clumped together. Emotions are contagious, as can be witnessed at rock concerts, pentecostal religious services, and other gatherings of people, and the normal rules governing social situations seem to be suspended - at least in part - in these types of situations.

Obviously I'm not very knowledgeable about psychology (yet!), and I'm sure numerous studies have been done on the subject, but the sheer lack of mental function behind mob mentality blows my mind.

The scariest part is, I know I'm not exempt from this quirk of human behavior. I'm just as prone to getting swept up in the excitement of the moment as the next person. It's exhilarating, it can be fun... and yet it's terrible. Honestly, if people can't control themselves, it becomes awfully easy for others to control them. (Think Hitler.) And once that ball starts rolling, there's no telling where it will stop.

Maybe if we're aware of what's happening to us, its effects can be minimalized or avoided. Obviously it is up to the individual to battle this impulse. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own actions.

comment now, if you like.

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This bit o' life captured by Sparky ( kumquat37@hotmail.com )
Written 02/05/98