Mass Behavior Quotes

The primitive simplicity of their [the masses'] minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell big ones.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Masses are always breeding grounds of psychic epidemics.

Society is a republic. When an individual tries to lift themselves above others, they are dragged down by the mass, either by ridicule or slander.

If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it.

Mass democracy guarantees stupidity. Masses of people, even if they're individually intelligent, can only act stupidly.

The world is governed much more by opinion than by laws. It is not the judgment of courts, but the moral judgment of individuals and masses of men, which is the wall of defense around property and life.

You cannot make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position you can make a crowd of men.

A lot of people believe what other people say.

Perhaps a revolution can overthrow autocratic despotism and profiteering or power-grabbing oppression, but it can never truly reform a manner of thinking; instead, new prejudices, just like the old ones they replace, will serve as a leash for the great unthinking mass.

Since the mass of mankind are too ignorant or too indolent to think seriously, if majorities are right it is by accident.

There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.

Anyone who's had a casual conversation with his neighbors or is cognizant of reality TV should already be petrified of democracy.

The 'wisdom of the crowds' is the most ridiculous statement I've heard in my life. Crowds are dumb.

Though wisdom is common, yet the many live as if they had a wisdom of their own.

The mob does not deserve to be enlightened.

I'm fascinated by human agency - by the process of decision, both in the individual and the mass.

Wherever there is a crowd there is untruth.

Masses are rude, lame, unmade, pernicious in their demands and influence, and need not to be flattered but schooled.

Newspapers form public opinion, but public opinion also influences newspapers. The general masses are not like horses that can be tamed and trained to do their masters bidding.

Nothing is more disgusting than the majority: because it consists of a few powerful predecessors, of rogues who adapt themselves, of weak who assimilate themselves, and the masses who imitate without knowing at all what they want.

The herd of mankind can hardly be said to think; their notions are almost all adoptive; and, in general, I believe it is better that it should be so; as such common prejudices contribute more to order and quiet, than their own separate reasonings would do, uncultivated and unimproved as they are.

Disbelief is catching. It rubs off on people.

Emphasizing the crowd means de-emphasizing individual humans in the design of society, and when you ask people not to be people, they revert to bad, mob-like behaviors.

Nobody creates a fad. It just happens. People love going along with the idea of a beautiful pig. It’s like a conspiracy.