The Sentiments and Morality of Crowds explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Psychology of Crowds

  Core theme; the chapter details the impulsive, mobile, and suggestible nature of crowds, their intolerance, and their dual morality.

• Morality of Crowds

  Explored in depth; crowds are shown to be capable of both ferocious crimes and lofty acts of devotion, sacrifice, and disinterestedness.

• Irrationality and Credulity

  Crowds are described as incapable of reasoning, guided by unconscious motives, and easily swayed by exaggerated sentiments and suggestions.

Characters to notice

• Crowds

  Central subject of the chapter; analyzed for their impulsiveness, mobility, irritability, intolerance, and dual morality.

• Taine

  Cited for observing that perpetrators of the September massacres deposited pocketbooks and jewels on committee tables, illustrating crowd morality.

• The Hero

  Mentioned as a figure whose qualities and virtues are exaggerated by crowds, especially in theatrical contexts.

• Unknown Narrator

  The narrator who presents the analysis and observations on crowd psychology throughout the chapter.

Key passages

• “Given to exaggeration in its feelings, a crowd is only impressed by excessive sentiments.”

  Crowds are only moved by extreme emotions and are not influenced by moderate feelings.

  Highlights the crowd's need for exaggerated sentiments to be affected.

• “An orator wishing to move a crowd must make an abusive use of violent affirmations. To exaggerate, to affirm, to resort to repetitions, and never to attempt to prove anything by reasoning are methods of argument well known to speakers at public meetings.”

  To sway a crowd, a speaker must use forceful statements, repetition, and exaggeration, avoiding logical proof.

  Describes the rhetorical techniques effective on crowds.

• “Crowds are only cognisant of simple and extreme sentiments; the opinions, ideas, and beliefs suggested to them are accepted or rejected as a whole, and considered as absolute truths or as not less absolute errors.”

  Crowds perceive only simple and extreme feelings; they accept or reject suggested ideas entirely, treating them as absolute truths or errors.

  Explains the binary, uncritical thinking of crowds.

• “An individual may accept contradiction and discussion; a crowd will never do so.”

  While an individual can tolerate disagreement, a crowd cannot and reacts with hostility to any opposition.

  Emphasizes the intolerance of crowds to dissent.

• “A crowd may be guilty of murder, incendiarism, and every kind of crime, but it is also capable of very lofty acts of devotion, sacrifice, and disinterestedness, of acts much loftier indeed than those of which the isolated individual is capable.”

  Crowds can commit terrible crimes, but they are also capable of greater selflessness and heroism than individuals.

  Illustrates the dual morality of crowds.

• “Personal interest is very rarely a powerful motive force with crowds, while it is almost the exclusive motive of the conduct of the isolated individual.”

  Crowds are rarely driven by self-interest, unlike individuals who are primarily motivated by personal gain.

  Contrasts crowd and individual motivations.