Mob Mentality

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mob-mentality.htm

The term “mob mentality” is used to refer to unique behavioral characteristics which emerge when people are in large groups. It is sometimes used disparagingly, as the term “mob” typically conjures up an image of a disorganized, aggressive, panicked group of people. Social psychologists who study group behavior tend to prefer terms like “herd behavior” or “crowd hysteria.” The study of mob mentality is quite fascinating, and it is used to analyze situations which range from evacuations gone awry to the moment when demonstrations turn violent.

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When used in a pejorative sense, the term implies a group of people which has gotten out of control. For example, in a news story about a store sale at which people were trampled, the journalist might use “mob mentality” to describe the selfish behavior of the people who attended the sale. Such stories illustrate the desperate actions which people will involve themselves in during a period of resource competition; people may mob trucks with relief supplies, trample each other at big box stores, or riot in the streets in response to resource scarcity or a perceived scarcity.

Nietzsche :D

it is impossible to know who is here. For instance, I know that I am not a paid political operative, but it is possible that every other single person or committee writing on this forum right now is, including the person who started this thread (yes, I can conceive of situations in which a thread like this might be of use). Indeed, the 3 posts per person rule would have had the effect of increasing the number of computer accounts and users that oppo groups would assign to a political site like this one at a key time like this one. I figure that all the news media outlets have their own moles. Hell, there may be more people spinning than there are people reading, in which case we are all crafting propaganda for the propagandists, which makes this a busman's holiday rather than mob mentality, and that is why all seems to be chaotic and nothing seems to get accomplished. There are just too damn many different forces working in opposition to each other, and no one will get moved in a direction that they do not intend to be moved in.