Many have lamented the prevalent herd mentality among Americans that became evident over the past three (at the very least) years. The fear-mongering from the government and media over COVID-19 and ineffective interventions revealed just how manipulable is the general population. While it is true, the majority act like sheep (this analogy goes back to biblical times), no analogy is perfect, and multiple analogies are often applied to people or situations in order to make particular points.
Having had to break up a rather vicious dog fight the morning after Thanksgiving brought to mind another appropriate analogy for much of the behavior we have seen over the past few years.
First, the background. The dog fight was among my own dogs, German Shepherd Dogs. It was 5am. I was letting dogs out to, well, do what dogs do when they go outside. Two had come back in, and I was getting ready to let the other two out. Let one out of his kennel, no issue. Let the other out, and the larger of the first two attacked the smaller (“smaller” being about 52 pounds as opposed to 85-95 pounds). As if on cue, the other two jumped into action also attacking the smaller dog. So, I snapped out of my half-sleeping stupor and went to work trying to pry the three off the poor little girl. Each time I’d get one off and start trying to get the next, the one I just pried loose went back in. It was a horrific scene, but with my wife’s help, we were able finally to get all three off. To ease your minds, though she suffered some serious punctures, the little one is fine and healing well, and I (miraculously) came away only with a few minor cuts and scrapes mainly on my fingers (pro tip: don’t, especially not repeatedly, put your hands in a dogs mouth to pry it open when trying to break up a dog fight).
Back to the analogy. While people were being maliciously herded into group think, there was another problem brewing under the surface - pack mentality similar to what happened with my dog fight. When dog fights like the one I experienced occur, it often starts with a single aggressor, but others instinctually join in the attack and the victim often finds him or herself quickly overwhelmed. While the aggressor may (or may not) have had a legitimate reason to initiate the attack, the others often blindly follow along, and no amount of reason can shake them out of it.
This explains a lot of the vitriol seen on social media since Donald Trump became president, in the wakes of the Michael Brown shooting and George Floyd’s death, and with all the fear-mongering about Covid. People have had concepts drilled into their heads (Donald Trump is a wannabe dictator, “Hands up, don’t shoot”, George Floyd was killed because racism, if you won’t wear a mask during a viral outbreak you’re a grandma-killer, the 2020 election was the most secure in history), right or wrong, and rather than thinking through concepts logically, they respond to situations based on emotion related to these inculcated ideas. It doesn’t matter on which side of the issue a person resides; someone of either position, pro or con, is capable of this compulsion.
So if, for instance, someone is found to support Donald Trump, one person may verbally (or physically) attack the Trump supporter, and others who might not on their own launch such an assault will pile on unthinkingly, simply following the one who began the barrage. Then, like pack animals, it becomes difficult to terminate the tirade. Reason will not resolve the conflict. Logic will not lull the assailants. Sometimes even retreat cannot rescue the prey. This is how so many were canceled, had careers destroyed for opposing the Covid narrative, had lives destroyed for believing other than the herd, and even ended up injured or dead in mass onslaught.
Once pack mentality kicks in, blind, unreasoning rage is all that exists. It is purely emotional and, as stated earlier, instinctual. This is how dogs, wolves, and other predators behave in situations akin to the dog fight I described, and this is how many of our fellow citizens now behave when confronted with notions that contradict that which they know in their hearts to be true.
There are many who, on their own, would never perpetrate such paroxysm. They only behave so brutally in response to another’s strike against the target. Whether the object of wrath is larger, or even one of their own, is irrelevant in such situations. This is what makes the phenomenon such a travesty. This isn’t an issue unique to left or right - this is common to all. Families and friendships on both sides have been devastated by this diabolic deportment.
This kind of destructive decorum is unavoidable with wild animals. With domesticated dogs, deterring this behavior comes in the form of training. For humans, proper parenting and cultivation of cognitive skills are key. Learning to think critically, and not simply act (or react) on sentiment can help avoid this carnage. Unfortunately, in this age of snowflakes and safe spaces, participation trophies and political correctness, critical thought is all but extinct. If we are to save ourselves from ourselves, we must all grow thicker skins and learn once more to think and discuss rather than feel and attack.
Excellent commentary. To me, it seems the best response to a "pack attack" / mob mentality is to become a statue. State your viewpoint and then basically don't respond to the rabid attacks of vacant thinking.
I do fear for our society though in that such a huge portion of the population has become soft. Soft in both the lack of critical thinking and also soft in being unable to accept a different viewpoint. The world must conform to their narrative and viewpoint or they are very offended.
It goes back to the HORRIBLE outcome of the government sticking it's nose in the education realm. Students are no longer taught HOW to think, only WHAT to think is drilled into their young minds.