People in a Crowd

When I read writings on Socrates I was surprised when he talked about how the many are dim witted. This seems rather conceited and arrogant to assume you are smarter than most people. I mean, even if you are, I wouldn't suggest dwelling on that fact. It would be a better use of that smart brain to do smart things instead of marvel at how smart you are.

I realize now that I was foolish. The term is not used to say that only a few people are smart and most others are dumb. It is used to describe how people act when they are in a mob. People in a crowd start thinking less and worry more about how they appear to the crowd.

I came to this realization suddenly a day after I went to a soccer match. I did not stand up during the national anthem. I did not stand to protest of anything. I did not stand because the act of standing means nothing to me. If the national anthem came on the television I would not get off the couch and stand. I would wager that this is true for many of the people at this sporting event. So why do they stand? The answer is so that other people see their standing. Once in a crowd, one must convert a lot of thinking and actions to acting like the crowd. It is very possible to be saying things you are not actually saying if you are not aware of how you are acting in a crowd and lost in yourself.

The day after the match my parents confronted me as they were upset. They conjured many reasons that I stayed seated. Of course all of this was in their head. People normally do not fantasize about why people are sitting down, but they do if everyone else is standing up. In a crowd you must do and say things that you do not mean just to keep other people from assuming you are saying something you don't mean. It seems like a silly situation and I can see why many philosophers look down at people acting in a crowd. When you behave in a crowd you are thinking about what other people are thinking about you and not about other things. It is like having a conversation with people but a conversation where you are saying something with hopes to say nothing.