I'm quoting here just 3 sentences which, of course, are far from summing up Gustave le Bon's work.
"In turbulent times, the great problems that arise every day have few simple, immediate solutions. Following the simplistic opinion of exalted crowds quickly leads to catastrophe."
"Crowds have never been thirsty for truths. When faced with evidence they don't like, they turn away, preferring to deify error, if error seduces them. He who knows how to delude them is easily their master; he who tries to disillusion them is always their victim."
"They (the crowds) immediately go to extremes. The stated suspicion is immediately transformed into indisputable evidence. A beginning of antipathy... immediately becomes a ferocious hatred. "
Do you agree with Gustave le Bon's statements about "the people" , "the crowd"?
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Anonymous
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I’ve read Le Bon’s work more than once. I agree with much of what he said, though he had a very... rudimentary understanding of crowd psychology, mass-manipulation, and propaganda. This does not mean he was wrong, only that his seminal work was a first step to understanding crowd formation, direction, and leadership.
If you’re interested in this area of research I suggest reading Eric Hoffer’s “The True Believer.” However Hoffer tends to focus more on the socio-political motivations behind mass-movements (be they religious, political, or nationalistic) whereas Le Anon spends more time on the actual physical crowd. The mob. What’s happening when a motley assembly of people suddenly come together. How can they be moved? What will they respond to. That’s Le Bon.
I’ve yet to read the work of Jacque Ellul but I find his ideas very, very interesting. His work on propaganda is on my reading list.
As Le Bon rightly points out, crowds respond to MORAL outrage. What they thrust for more than anything is righteous anger. To voice and vent themselves for whatever silly cause or crusade that they can attach themselves to—usually after carefully chose slogans are used and exaggerated images shown to them in a biased manner.
This is achieved through propaganda. Marketing. Advertising. Mass media.
So that in the end, those people chanting in the streets screaming red-faced at the tip of their lungs often don’t even know why the hell they are doing it and couldn’t even begin to explain to you the reasons for their passion.
But hey, go on screaming Black Lives Matter if it makes you idiots feel better. Someone is getting paid off it. 🙄
