In 1852, James Mackay wrote in "Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" -

"Reading the history of nations, we find that, like individuals, they have their whims and their peculiarities; their seasons of excitement and recklessness, when they care not what they do. We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first".

Ring any bells 170 years later?

Ring any bells 170 years later?
ttbn,
It's right-out deafening !

It’s called herd panic..

Exit crushes at football matches are an example of its extremes.

The horror of nonconformity is another. And the straight forward nature of gutless conformity.

Dan

Three of us can hear the bells; perhaps they have to get louder yet. Perhaps people have their hands over their ears. Perhaps the real horror of what is happening is too painful to contemplate. Perhaps it's too scary to leave the herd.

Perhaps people have their hands over their ears.
ttbn,
I think it's more a case of people playing with themselves in front of their Superannuation statements !

The wonder here on presenting this subject of herd instinct, is the lack of discussion on the subject.
I think the point you make on the various parts or aspects of the herd panic that we witness, attests to the lack of confidence in leadership.

Israel is a classic litmus test to the ability to conclude on a herd direction without a unifying concept of religion as the guide.

I put it down as the evidence of the total failure of secularism to show powerful leadership when overlayed with democracy.
It is astounding to witness Israelis falling in a heap and pretending to themselves that individualism/democracy will suffice as a unifying force against a foe whose traditions have been maintained as a prerequisite for leadership.

Communism likewise is a formidable enemy of individualism/democracy, since like it or not it has a creed. .’ a set of beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions*.

Democracy is rule by vacume!

Dan.

There will be no discussion while people are too frightened to leave the herd.

I'm not frightened by anything; Herd or otherwise DIVER DAN. Nor am I delusional. But hopefully I possess the wherewithal to act in concert with the accepted precepts, directions and laws of any society to which I belong. A society where we all try to render help to one another instead of merely subsisting in an existence where the strongest has his way, and the weak are trampled asunder. I've witnessed the latter and it's horrifying.

During residing in remote & not so remote communities I have witnessed trampling by social engineers & other safely-employed Peter Principle entrenched !

Delutions = Trumpty Dumpty

Days after the Midterms:

There Trump was at Palace Mar-a-Lago trotting out the familiar lines.

"We call it the China virus, some people call it other things, but it was devastating and we built it back and did an incredible job." More than one million deaths, many on Trump's watch. Incredible.

"We're going to bring people together." Like you did on January 6, 2021?

"Our southern border was tighter than ever before." Ah, yes, the wall.

Of Trumpty Dumpty:

Donald couldn't finish the Wall
Had a great fall
All GOP Men and their "Grabee" Women
Can't pull the Party together again

The poor Americans. They have two more years of the world's biggest ego telling them how great he is.

Meanwhile, we Aussies can be grateful he's there and not here.