Mob mentality — sometimes also called herd or hive mentality — is the inclination that humans have to be part of a large group, neglecting their individual feelings in the process, and adopting the behaviors and actions of the collective.
Interested in how this concept manifests in everyday life, Reddit user AdmirableFlow made a post on the platform, asking everyone: "What's the most severe case of mass stupidity you've ever witnessed?"
As of now, the question has received over 4.1K comments, so compiled those that stood out and invite you to learn more about the challenges of maintaining critical thinking.
#1
The January 6th Assault on the Capitol was probably the most severe case of mass stupidity I've seen in my lifetime.
Not even talking politically.
There were idiots climbing walls when there were accessible stairs nearby. Most of these idiots thought they wouldn't meet any police resistance.
They acted as if their attempted coup would be met with smiling cops and clapping congresspeople, thanking them for their service or something.
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412points
#2
People that keep insisting Elon Musk is a genius.
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396points
#3
Probably get downvoted to hell for it, but widespread continued use of single-use plastics. It's insane. We know these things end up in the oceans and in the food chain (and therefore inside us) but we keep using them all the same. Future generations are going to hate us for this.
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392points
#4
Taking private jets to a conference about climate change.
374points
#5
Any of the hundreds of megachurches across the world.
362points
#6
The rise of Qanon and the Flat Earth Society.
350points
#7
70 million people in the US voted for a completely unqualified person for President - TWICE.
339points
#8
Anti-vaxers dying in hospitals screaming, “Tell me what I’ve got!! Covid doesn’t exist!!”
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331points
#9
Anti-vaxxers by far. I find it rather ironic that people can discount things like vaccines because vaccines have created a world where kids aren't dying left and right from childhood illnesses. I am not aware of any antivaxxers existing when the Polio vaccine came out because Polio was a horror show.
289points
#10
People wearing a mask, but UNDER the nose. How dumb is that?
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278points
#11
During the Canadian trucker freedom rally, watching the mass of people protest and getting mad about their “2nd Amendment rights”. I’m like 90% sure that the Canadian 2nd Amendment is recognizing Manitoba as a province….. not the right to bear arms like our southerly neighbours.
246points
#13
Scientology.
Doright36:
The rich ones at the top are just in for the tax dodge. A lot of the ones below them are in it thinking they can shmooze with the rich ones at the top and become one of them some days. So yea dumb but with a layer of greed involved.
223points
#14
My generation, raised knowing how absolutely awful smoking is, excessively vaping.
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217points
#15
Those public challenges that CLEARLY risk health, i.e., "the tide pod challenge." Next time, just let things sort themselves out of their own. We can use less idiots in the world.
The ice bucket challenge was at least kind of cute and DID give ALS a lot of media attention/awareness and raised a lot of money.
213points
#17
The rise of the anti-vaccine crowd. Or generally the growing anti-science mindset in our culture.
So many people dead...
199points
#18
Every time I see a video of someone being beat up, or in some sort of bad/dangerous situation and everyone is just standing around recording instead of helping.
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183points
#19
Half the GOP thinking Joe Biden somehow stole an election. And they're still at it!
181points
#20
My local parks playground has a push gate. EVERYDAY I watch grown adults stare at it for like 20 seconds then go "I think it's locked is there another one?" To which I walk up and...... Push the gate open. What annoys me about this is they want to catch an attitude like I'm an ahole for it.
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174points