Every country consists of placid kind people, thinkers, non-thinkers and aggressive egotists. Tyrannical leaders are opportunists who usually endeavour to fill a political vacuum. Their audacious behaviour and skilful manipulation of the media enables them to trigger the "pack"
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mentality. It is all too easy to over simplify the many reasons why and how dictators come to power, but the horrific reality is that they all require people to implement their reign of terror. Within an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, once amicable neighbours suddenly become informers, anyone not towing the party line is viewed as a threat. Genocide is carried out by sections of the population, who in a different environment, would never contemplate such savagery and would probably be decent law abiding citizens. The main unanswered question is how ordinary individuals can allow themselves to become brainwashed and suddenly devoid of personal conscience and responsibility, I call this "Lemmings Culture." Advertisers extensively tap into this. We often see slogans such as "Everyone is going to the sale". If everyone is going to the sale, why do they bother wasting money advertising it? Youth culture and fashion are further examples; a famous teenage idol rips their trousers and thousands of teenagers decide to rip theirs as well. Designer clothes, no doubt, make a handsome profit for the people who dreamt up the idea, they are probably laughing all the way to the bank, but what does it tell us about the people prepared to adhere to such uniformity?
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In a positive sense "joining the crowd" can be beneficial to humanity; where would we be without organised groups of kind thinking people rescuing fellow humans at the scene of a disaster or teams of highly trained individuals who risk their lives to aid others. Humans have created great things with team effort, but on the dark negative side the destructive power of mindless "pack behaviour" has led to death and destruction on an horrific scale.
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From an early age, at school, I began to realise that all bullies have similar characteristics and appear to suffer from a form of social inadequacy. As the old saying goes, "Those who can, do, those who can't, bully". Those who domineer usually pick on a person or minority group whom they perceive as being weak or subhuman and endeavour to gain a form of strength by being as audacious as possible. It is as if the bully is a perfect example of humanity and the person or group they are being offensive to is not fit to be human. In a short while other people, who would normally be amicable, begin to patronise the bully. It's almost as if they are trying to gain a form of strength or status. Perhaps they are afraid of being victimised so endeavour to gain favour from the dictator by trying to please him or her. A downward spiral begins, people don’t want to be outsiders so, perhaps without realising it, alter their behavioural pattern in order to be part of the crowd. CONTINUED
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