"Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule." - Friedrich Nietzsche
The hivemind mentality is already in effect here in the UK and many other parts of the world. Collectivism is sweeping across the globe faster than the spread of coronavirus, and that is a major cause for concern. This mind virus has already infected millions of otherwise sane, decent people who, just in the space of two weeks, have become willing tools of the state, reporting their neighbours to the authorities for peaceful acts of non-compliance and civil disobedience.
If you're wondering how it was possible for so many Germans to get swept up in a stampede of patriotic fervour during the Third Reich, now you have your answer. This is how easy it is for the hivemind to assume control and for the slumbering masses to willingly surrender their freedoms in the name of national security.
“Our government has kept us in a perpetual state of fear -- kept us in a continuous stampede of patriotic fervor -- with the cry of grave national emergency... Always there has been some terrible evil to gobble us up if we did not blindly rally behind it by furnishing the exorbitant sums demanded. Yet, in retrospect, these disasters seem never to have happened, seem never to have been quite real.” - General Douglas MacArthur
Don't get swept up in the collective insanity, don't lose yourself in the crowd. Be this guy.
The UK is certainly becoming a collective shit show. I see people supporting memes that promote violence against anyone not conforming to the social distancing rule(even though the meme had got the rule wrong, but why should they let detail get in the way of a bit of "moron bashing", as they called it). And the same frothing crowd seem to rally around Boris Johnson, like he's some kind of messiah who'll lead us to salvation... Never thought the masses where this far gone.
Neither did I, but I've revised my assumptions! - Nevermind, I think a good sized backlash is coming.
Yea man, their heads have gone.
Truly an awesome post. But it is never more than a few who are That Guy, and that is why that guy was probably tortured and killed. The only chance was for the majority of the crowd to rush that stage. And they never do it, they cheer for the hanging of that brave soul instead. Only after their gone, usually long gone does anyone applaud them, and the cycle repeats and repeats.
It's a strange thing to be an optimist and a glass half full individual who is also completely jaded.
Finding others who are also "that guy" is encouraging at this point!