Mass movement
Consider the following quote and place your thoughts:
"There is no telling to what extremes of cruelty and ruthlessness a man will go when he is freed from the fears, hesitations, doubts and the vague stirrings of decency that go with individual judgement. When we lose our individual independence in the corporateness of a mass movement, we find a new freedom- freedom to hate, bully, lie, torture, murder and betray without shame and remorse. Herein undoubtedly lies part of the attractiveness of a mass movement"
-- Eric Hoffer
The ugliest forms of Mass Mobilization that we commonly see are on the evening news when they play videos of mobs celebrating a team victory with displays of vandalism and violence. It is a frightening primal display that I feel reveals the social unrest in our society that we all turn a blind eye to.
It is sad to think that on average the morality of our society cannot remain decent when chaos becomes prevalent. I have been witness to such events, and it is the young men that are the majority when it comes to this behaviour. All inhibitions are removed and anyone who is not like them becomes a target. At times one can hardly tell if you are watching men or enraged apes as all rationality is gone.
Knowing that this violent nature lurks in our society, especially in males, why do we not attempt to stamp this behaviour out during childhood? Violence is becoming more and more tolerated in our school systems, both in Canada and the States, and more than often the problem is the parents. Strong morals and empathy are the key to lessening or even preventing the effects of Mass Mobilization. It seems that the upcoming generations are lacking in both.
I think the statement is very true and Hitler comes to my mind when I read it. I always have felt that to make a society desirable it take strong individuals ready to stand up and fight the mass movement to inspire questionably of the motive of the governing powers. It is the check and balance that is required let either one break and we have a herd running blind with no reasoning and no care about what is destroyed or left unscathed.