Mob mentality

The word mob has been derived from Latin root, mobile vulgus, ‘excitable crowd’. In modern times this word has come to be associated with "a disorderly or riotous crowd of people ... bent on or engaged in lawless violence." (Random House) In recent times there have been increasing incidences of mob-violence around the globe--- be it the student agitation in France or the Muslim around the globe protesting against the publishing of derogatory cartoons hurting their religious belief or the Nepalese demanding restoration of democracy or the anti-WTO protests in HK last year or the rampage caused by Late Raj Kumar’s fans in Bangalore after his demise. All these and many more similar incidents are indicative of a deep-rooted malaise afflicting human mind which finds a vent in such senseless mob-frenzy. Psychologists and sociologists may try to ‘deconstruct’ mob-mentality, and bring forth fancy theories explaining it, but the fact is that so far no one has been able to find a solution to it. The rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the religious and the heretics have been seen to exhibit wanton and reckless behavior when part of a mob.

But Random House offers a secondary definition of mob as "the common people; the masses; populace or multitude”. And it is not as if we do not have examples to support this definition of mob. Gandhiji’s Satyagrahas involved thousands of volunteers but none resorted to violent means despite provocations by the British; Narmada Bachao Andolan activists have been holding peaceful agitation for a fairly long period; many a large religious procession across the world are carried out peacefully.

So, it is not as if mob is always a negative force in a society. It is only when a mob is rudderless in the absence of an effective leadership, or when a small group within a mob plays miscreant, that the herd mentality replaces individual rationality. How to isolate this group within a mob, and tackle it lawfully is a challenge before all of us. We cannot absolve ourselves of the responsibility by saying "I don't care", "It doesn't matter to me". Who knows tomorrow we or a loved one may be the victim of a rampaging mob? And nothing could be worse if the state decides to take away our right to assemble in the name of curbing mob frenzy. Just imagine how scary such a situation would be? Better we ask ourselves these questions and not derive vicarious pleasure when a city/a nation & its denizens or a particular group are branded as mob crazy.