#Mob Mentality

[pratchettquotes]

Rumor is information distilled so finely that it can filter through anything. It does not need doors and windows--sometimes it doesn't even need people. It can exist free and wild, running from ear to ear without ever touching lips.

It had escaped already. From the high window of the Patrician's bedroom, Sam Vimes could see people drifting towards the palace. There wasn't a mob--there wasn't even what you might call a crowd--but the Brownian motion of the streets was bouncing more and more people in his direction.

Terry Pratchett, Feet of Clay

[odinsblog]

In the darkest chapter of German history, during a time when incited mobs threw stones into the windows of innocent shop owners and women and children were cruelly humiliated in the open; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a young pastor, began to speak publicly against the atrocities.

After years of trying to change people’s minds, Bonhoeffer came home one evening and his own father had to tell him that two men were waiting in his room to take him away.

In prison, Bonhoeffer began to reflect on how his country of poets and thinkers had turned into a collective of cowards, crooks and criminals. Eventually he concluded that the root of the problem was not malice, but stupidity.

In his famous letters from prison, Bonhoeffer argued that stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice, because while “one may protest against evil; it can be exposed and prevented by the use of force, against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here. Reasons fall on deaf ears.”

Facts that contradict a stupid person’s prejudgment simply need not be believed and when they are irrefutable, they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this, the stupid person is self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack.

For that reason, greater caution is called for when dealing with a stupid person than with a malicious one. If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature.

This much is certain, stupidity is in essence not an intellectual defect but a moral one. There are human beings who are remarkably agile intellectually yet stupid, and others who are intellectually dull yet anything but stupid.

The impression one gains is not so much that stupidity is a congenital defect but that, under certain circumstances, people are made stupid or rather, they allow this to happen to them.

People who live in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals in groups. And so it would seem that stupidity is perhaps less a psychological than a sociological problem.

It becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power, be it of a political or religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. Almost as if this is a sociological-psychological law where the power of the one needs the stupidity of the other.

The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, such as intellect, suddenly fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence and, more or less consciously, give up an autonomous position.

The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us from the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with him as a person, but with slogans, catchwords, and the like that have taken possession of him.

He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and is abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the stupid person will also be capable of any evil – incapable of seeing that it is evil.

Only an act of liberation, not instruction, can overcome stupidity. Here we must come to terms with the fact that in most cases a genuine internal liberation becomes possible only when external liberation has preceded it. Until then, we must abandon all attempts to convince the stupid person.

Bonhoeffer died due to his involvement in a plot against Adolf Hitler, at dawn on 9 April 1945 at Flossenbürg concentration camp - just two weeks before soldiers from the United States liberated the camp.

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Theory of Stupidity

[counterbury-tales]

Witchcraft

Slice #294

[dougielombax]

No.

I wouldn’t trust 99% of the general population with firearms.

Especially considering how Neurotypicals act around people like me.

Half the time they usually think that I’m insane and act like I should be sectioned or sterilised. Or worse!

Do you really think I’d want a mob of dumb, panicky, dangerous animals (to quote Men in Black) like them to be carrying guns?! With all their bigotry and othering on top of that?!

No.

I wouldn’t.

Absolutely not!

It’s out of the question.

Any of us (autistic people) even look at them funny, they start panicking and bleating on about how we’re frightening them and how they have a god given right to attack us on sight!

Heck, many of the dumb fuckers don’t even need an excuse! They just do it!

I’d keep them as far away from firearms as possible.

I’d keep the dumb fuckers away from crayons and sharp objects! To say nothing of actual guns.

Stupid animals!

[gale-gentlepenguin]

You ever realize how fucked up the internet culture is. Someone posts something that is not common consensus and they get attacked for it. Death threats, doxxing, and so on just over a few mistakes, misunderstandings or badly timed jokes. Doesnt matter if the person apologizes or claims it was a mistake. It doesnt matter to the mob, its is just a relentless barrage that usually results in someone (usually the person on the receiving end) getting hurt.

[cyber-phobia]

No pressure tags @redrobin-detective @lollitree @figurativepieceoftrash

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

These NPCs are literal fucking morons. They don't have any values or ethics or beliefs of their own, only what they glean through osmosis from the mob mentality. Like the BLM riots of 2020, they just want to be seen to have the "correct" moral alignment.

Five minutes ago, these were the "punch a Nazi" people. "I was just following everyone else" is how the original Nazis rose.

The jihadis and terrorists love that these useful idiots are running interference for them, though.

Guaranteed that the ringleaders are the true believers, the Islamic supremacists eager to destroy Israel and exterminate the Jews, as Hamas themselves have declared. Some other proportion will be agitators who just want to engage in violence and destruction and are there for when it happens. The rest are just mindless drones who think they're going to be the stars of a cultural moment.

[coulsonlives]

A lot of people on tumblr need to hear this.

[rex-shadao]

Now listen carefully, there is NO National Youth Movement. You thought you were so special, better than everyone outside this room, you traded your freedom for the luxury of feeling superior! You accepted the group's will over your own conviction, no matter who you hurt. Oh! You thought you were just going along for the ride, that you could WALK AWAY at any moment, but where were you heading? How far would you have gone? Take a look at your future! Yes, you would've all made good Nazis, you would've put on the uniforms, turned your heads, and allowed your friends and neighbors to be persecuted and destroyed. Fascism isn't something those OTHER people did, it's right here! In all of us! You asked 'How could the German people do nothing as millions of innocent human beings were murdered? How could they claim they weren't involved? What causes people to deny their own history?' Well if history repeats itself, you'll all want to DENY what has happened to you in the Wave. But if our experiment is successful, you'll have learned that we're all responsible for our own actions, and that you must question what you do rather than blindly follow a leader. And that for the rest of your lives, you'll never allow a group's will to usurp your individual rights. I know this has been painful for you, it certainly has been for me, but it's a lesson we'll all share for the rest of our lives.

Ben Ross, The Wave 1981

[defensive-tactics]

Avoid Street Mobs. Do whatever you need to do to get out of the area as quickly as possible.

[elmokingkong]

Recently there's a... Situation? Debacle? Of a Youtuber called Kwite where another person called Orion says that Kwite did a bunch of terrible things to him. When it first pop up in my Twitter feed, I thought to myself "Dang! That is terrible. Why would somebody do something like this? Kwite seemed like a good person.", liked a few posts about the situation, then moved on with my day. My opinion of Kwite has changed, and the world is just a little bit worse.

Now Kwite has posted a video telling his side of the situation, and it was obvious watching it that Orion lied about what Kwite did. Looking at the Kwite tag now shows people realizing they made a mistake, them knowing that Kwite would never do this, and this is why people should be neutral in these kinds of situations. The first bit was just my situation, but that last bit got me thinking. I always thought I wouldn't be in the mob mentality, but this just proved me wrong.

I've seen posts about chronically online people and how social media can change our mentality, but this is the first time I REALLY think about it. I've, never really fact checked any online, because somebody is already saying things about it. Why bother when the facts are already laid out in a simple way? Laziness at its finest. This self reflection of mine has made me realize that I need to install some habits, like getting both sides, staying neutral at first, and fact check things. I don't know if I'm gonna be able to live up to this list, but I'll try my hardest.

Uhh, stay safe out there? And use some brain cells?

[pratchettquotes]

"What mob?" said Magrat.

"We'll organize one," said Nanny.

"You don't organize a mob, Nanny," said Agnes. "A mob is something that happens spontaneously."

Nanny Ogg's eyes gleamed.

"There's seventy-nine Oggs in these parts," she said. "Spontaneous it is, then."

Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum

[matt0044]

RWBY, 13 Readons Why & The Dissuasion of Curiosity.

This is something I've often experienced with other shows be they stuff I have it bad for or stuff that I acknowledge is good but isn't for me. It's gotten to the point where when I see something getting dunked yet see that it's a fairly thriving series or even a full-on franchise, I start to scrutinize the scrutiny.

Especially when a lot of the popular talking points are either memes or passed around so often, they may as well be meme.

A while back, Netflix's 13 Reasons Why was bandied about Tumblr and YouTube as this most offensive thing for it's portrayal of suicide. I was aware of how this wasn't the sort of subject to take lightly lest I be eating my foot for a full course meal. As such, I took the outrage's word for it and steered clear.

I did start to get curious with a lot of specific scenes from Season 1 being passed around for the afformentioned dunking. Such as Hannah calling Clay a nerd for referencing Star Wars only for said post to show how much The Force Awakens grossed.

Said curiosity grew when I saw many video essays tackling 13 Reasons Why. Most were negative but what I footage saw didn't seem bad. Some of it was pretty... nice actually. But still, this was the show that gave suicide and poor mental health a bad name with how the female lead took her own life seemingly out of revenge.

So... I stayed away. That is, until I saw a billboard for Season 2 in NYC. Now this got me seeing that this show had a legit audience. Not just hatewatchers but those invested in the story of Hannah Baker and Clay Jensen. That's when I decided to add it to my watch list.

At best, it would be bad but maybe a fascinating kind of bad. The kind that RiffTrax would sink their teeth into. At worst, it would be a bore and I'd turn the other way. Then I started to watch it.

Twenty Six episodes later... I loved it. I felt that it... spoke to me emotionally on how life can be so messed up. I loved how no character was totally good or bad. How even Number 12 on the tapes had his depths despite being, well, the worst really.

When Hannah reached the end of her rope, I found myself begging her to not do what I knew she'd do. When Tyler Down tried to take matters into his own hands, I wished I could be there to talk him down. It takes a very special kind of story to invoke that kind of visceral dread.

Now if you've heard me out, how it relates to RWBY is that a lot of the dismissal and derision relies on a specific kind of media illiteracy: the active lack of curiosity.

Rather than be curious about people pitching a fit about "X show" and seeing for themselves what all the hubbub is about, they just stay away. They go with the crowd essentially.

And why wouldn't they? It's like how school bullies get away with picking on their victims even in front of others. Anyone else who doesn't want to play hero would keep their head down and not even be associated with the targeted kid.

I mean, we've got clickbait titles called "We Watch 'X' So You Don't Have To." That is literally ripping off the Nostalgia Critic AKA baby's first Angry Geek. It's not that looking into a show so you'd know if it's worth your time or not is bad. It's when it's from second hand sources like very leading Video Essays.

So many act autoritative and present themselves with the kind of confidence we so wish we had in ourselves. We trust that they're editing isn't being coy and that their assessment is legitimate or, if more emotionally, honest at the very least.

But what about the show itself? Why not find any clips online that highlight certain moments? Why not at least view some of the trailers? Why not go onto subreddits or Socials to ask, "Hey, why do some many seem to like this show?"

Because between James Somerton and Lily Orchard, it's become abundantly clear that there are many who are willing to abuse this this trust. And they are not isolated incidents. Even those who maybe are just giving their opinion may be twisting facts to suit their narrative. They also may be not.

But you won't know unless we let ourselves be curious. Is the show trash? Or is it just another punching bag for YouTubers to hit so money will fall out if they make a hard enough blow?

Is the show truly offensive? Or did it mishandled pre-warning those of its subject content?

Is the show bad... or just not for you?

Be curious. Find the answers for yourself. Nobody is ever immune from mob mentality.

Obviously I am not trying to demonize those who take umbrage with 13 Reasons Why. I’ve seen the scenes and know why they aren’t very beloved. This is about how not everything is just “show bad” or that you must like only “good media.”

[negativeoffice]

Fear, Loathing, and Comics, at the Basement Sale (2012)

Dir. Julie Sokolow

Watching Ed, Jim, and Tom together here, diving in the dollar bins and talking comics, is so bittersweet.

Ed's impact on me will last through my days. What he and Jim built created a community of kind, like-minded people where, whatever our differences, our love of comics was shared.

Cartoonist Kayfabe had a culture of creation.

The mob/activists/cancel culture, whatever you want to call it, this sickness in our society. It is a culture of destruction.

They snuff out the bright lights.

They diminish all of us.

Ed, you have left a huge positive impression on so many people, and that is something that will live on in those of us you inspired forever.

[tmarshconnors]

The Modern-Day Witch Hunt

The label "far-right" today carries as much weight and destruction as the cry of "witch!" did in the Middle Ages. 

No evidence needed, no investigation necessary just one accusation, and suddenly you're cast out, demonised, and ostracised. The term has become a catch-all, a convenient way to smear anyone who dares challenge the mainstream narrative. And I'm angry. I'm angry because this label isn't about protecting society from extremists it's about shutting people up, getting rid of the ones the powers that be don't like.

In the Middle Ages, women (and occasionally men) were labeled witches for everything from being a bit too independent to knowing how to use herbs. The accusations came without evidence, often based on hearsay, jealousy, or fear. The mob didn't care about facts. They cared about punishment. It was a tool for control, a way to silence the different, the non-conforming, the inconvenient.

Sound familiar?

Today, the new word hurled around with reckless abandon is "far-right." Disagree with the government? Far-right. Question mainstream media? Far-right. Express a thought that isn't perfectly in line with the social justice warrior handbook? Well, congratulations—you’re a Nazi now. There's no debate, no dialogue, no effort to understand why someone might hold a different view. Just an accusation. And just like the Middle Ages, it sticks. It sticks hard. The label isn't just a political designation anymore; it's a moral condemnation. The implication is that if you're "far-right," you’re evil. 

You must be silenced.

And here’s the kicker—there’s no real definition of what "far-right" even means anymore. It’s nebulous, vague, and deliberately broad. They’ve weaponised the term so that it applies to anyone they want to get rid of. You can be fiscally conservative and socially moderate, but God forbid you utter the wrong opinion on immigration, gender, or healthcare. The second you step out of line, there it is you're branded. Once you're marked, you're banished from polite society, canceled, and pushed into the margins.

Just like a witch.

The hypocrisy of it all is staggering. The same people who claim to be champions of tolerance and free speech are the ones waving the torches, lighting the pyres, and throwing around the accusations. They preach about "inclusion," but only if you subscribe to their ideology. If not, you’re not just excluded you’re demonised. They don’t want discourse; they want conformity. They don't want dialogue; they want obedience.

The modern witch hunts are real, and they are vicious. It’s not enough to disagree with someone’s politics anymore—you have to destroy them, strip them of their humanity, and reduce them to a two-dimensional villain. It’s lazy, it’s cowardly, and it’s dangerous.

In the Middle Ages, they drowned, hanged, or burned the ones they called witches. Today, they do it differently, but the outcome is the same. They ruin careers, smear reputations, and incite mobs to tear down anyone who dares dissent. The tools may have changed, but the intent hasn’t: silence the inconvenient, punish the different, and maintain control.

I refuse to stand by and watch as this modern witch hunt tears our society apart. The next time someone throws around the label "far-right," ask them what they mean. Demand evidence. Don’t let them get away with vague, slanderous accusations. Because today, it's someone else being labeled. Tomorrow, it could be you.

And I’ll be damned if I stand in silence, watching another pyre being lit.

[watdraws]

Patreon 899

Gwen delighted to read the latest chapter of Mob Mentality! :B You can read it here too! https://sharkrags.itch.io/mob-mentality http://www.patreon.com/watsup/

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