Comments | artricia: On mobs

artricia

On mobs

Jan 21, 2009 22:01

So I've been hearing an odd stirring largely in LJ-land of people who are hesitant about the inaugural hoopla, or even flat-out scared by it. It strikes me that partly, we are frightened by mobs. We are frightened, and with good reason, of crowds that participate enthusiastically in patriotic celebration, afraid that they will be carried away by ( Read more... )

Comments 17

inhumandecency January 22 2009, 04:05:18 UTC

I get nervous because I know it's easy for a crowd to flip out thanks to just a small number of instigators -- and that in some cases the instigators, or the mob itself, are the police. Even if I was 100% confident that a demonstration was going to be peaceful, I'd still worry about people getting tear gassed or dragged off.

Indoor crowds also have the danger of trampling death, in which most participants may literally have no idea that they're pushing a series of people-dominoes onto someone on the other end of the room. Those are pretty rare and can probably be solved by architectural changes, though. I just included them as an extreme example of no one intending for anything to happen.

I'm not taking a stand against crowds or demonstrations here, I'm just saying there's a little something to be nervous about.

artricia January 22 2009, 16:50:21 UTC

Oh, I think there's a lot to be cautious about with crowds. Groupthink *is* real. I just think we shouldn't let that keep us from congregating in celebration.

I'm not too keen on actually being in huge crowds, personally. They make me cranky.

(The comment has been removed)

Re: Newport Folk Festival artricia January 23 2009, 01:29:09 UTC

Yes!

sub_musashi January 22 2009, 23:30:30 UTC

( ... )

artricia January 23 2009, 01:30:01 UTC

Is this the sermon on the mount?

sub_musashi January 23 2009, 01:49:59 UTC

Yep. The Romans knew that nothing good comes from crowds!

artricia January 23 2009, 02:09:58 UTC

I love the bottom row of that painting.