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January 16, 2006
Mob deep
I happened upon an article about group sex and how to organize a modern day sex orgy. (Notice how I specified the type of orgy. This here is a CHEESEorgy, quite different. Or maybe not THAT different.) I read the very beginning of the article. Here, I'll reproduce it for you.
Certain conditions that are sometimes present in groups can lead individuals to experience a psychological state of deindividuation, a feeling that they have lost their personal identities and merged anonymously into the group. This may lead to impulsive, uncivilized behavior.The following factors lead to reduced self-awareness.
- Anonymity
- high level of emotional arousal
- focus on external events
- close group unityReduced self-awareness often also means reduced self-control. This gives the individual:
- weakened restraints against impulsive behavior,
- increased sensitivity to external cues and current emotional states,
- inability to monitor or regulate own behavior,
- lessened concern about evaluation from others
- lessened ability to plan rationally.
This of course can lead to horrible mob activity. I wonder a few things.
- Has anyone here been part of a violent mob? Do you know anyone that ever has? How does it feel to be part of such a mob? What really happens to you? Does it happen the way they say it does? Is being part of a violent mob a more secret version of littering, something that many more people do than admit to doing (exceptions noted)?
- Is consumerism a non-violent mob mentality (exceptions noted)?
- If you can get people to shed their individuality, their consciences and their brains, can you get large numbers of people to frantically go out and do good things? Isn't this the basis for so many goodwill organizations? Why doesn't it ever happen? I guess it has to do with order. Mobs are the antithesis of order, and good works seem to require it. You can't randomly have good things happen on any meaningful scale. I guess I answered my own question.
I'm pretty sure that the article is very interesting, but I won't comment on the group sex part until later.
Posted by JonasParker at January 16, 2006 1:32 PM
Comments
Howdy!
Once again, I guess I'm the exception...
In answer to you first series of questions, yes I have. It doesn't feel all that much different than going to MacDonald's. You basically go along for the ride. And no a violent mob is not a secret version of littering, I'm upfront and in people's face about all my deviant behavior.
Posted by: Zeke at January 16, 2006 8:03 PM
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