Intentionly resisting crowd mentality

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I came to an interesting realization this Saturday. I went to a sporting event with my husband and if you've ever been, you know how they do silly things and play exciting music to try to generate 'hype' and excitement in the crowd. I suppose it was subconscious because I didn't realize it at first, but I figured out after a while that I was intentionally opposing this because I did not want to get carried away with the crowd. It feels like I am giving up myself if I let myself feel the emotions that they are specifically trying to inspire in me.

Another example is the national anthem. They specifically try to make you feel pride and nationalism. I resist these as well.

I found it interesting because it seems like most people are very happy to give themselves away and get carried along with the mood of the crowd. It actually does mean that I probably enjoy the event less than the others who are letting themselves experience the 'hype' but I just can't let myself go like that. I think that the best way for me to enjoy an event like that would be if I was the only person there. If no one was with me I could let myself go and get excited without worrying about losing myself in the crowd. Interesting huh?

I just wanted to share my revelation

Last edited by mitharatowen on 12 Jan 2009, 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

yes, interesting

I completely relate to what you're saying. I've found throughout my life that when the crowd goes one way, I go another. It's not so much that I make a considered decision. It's just where I always end up.

Like you, I don't like the feeling of being subsumed by a crowd's mentality. I feel like I'm losing my integrity. What if the crowd starts doing or saying things I don't agree with? Or, G-d forbid, starts doing something harmful? I'd rather stand apart and be the person on the other side who can observe and judge what's going on and make rational decisions. I'm very comfortable being that person. Even if I'm the only one protesting what the crowd is doing, I have my integrity and that's essential to my sense of myself.

So many terrible things have happened in the world because people got caught up in a crowd mentality. Perhaps a lot of Aspies are very sensitive to that because we have been the "outsiders" all our lives and understand the kind of hell that "the crowd" can make the life of an "outsider." Even if we've not had terrible experiences ourselves, we can look at other scenarios and understand that crowds can be very dangerous.

Perhaps that is the gift we bring.

P.S Mitharatowen, do you think that we look alike? Ever since I've seen your photo, you've reminded me of myself. I'm not sure what it is. Just wondering if you see anything in my photo that strikes a chord.

I remember in basic training (and at special events throughout my military career) that they played a lot of patriotic music and waved the flag quite a bit. It's all part of the "patriotic" indoctrination.

During these events, my reaction was more of a "What are these people getting so worked up about?" reaction, than any resistance to the effect. It's as if everyone was getting sprayed with a hose, but the water never touched me.

I'm a lemming. I'll do, feel or say whatever I'm told. It's about the only way I can keep a job.

I went to a couple of large scale sports events in my twenties (cricket) and I enjoyed being subsumed into the entity of the crowd, the mexican waves, the mind meld of the crowd was a fun and unique thing. They don't go overboard with nationalism here so it wasn't all flags and anthems, it's just team colours.

But more generally I am completely outside of the group mind. The notions and behaviours of the 'hive' mentality are important for aspies to grasp, however.

Throughout my life, I have oscillated between being completely unaffected by crowd mentality and aggressively rejecting it. I agree with Neshamaruach, that our ability to see through idiocies of rhetoric and herd mentality (or rather, our inability to do otherwise) are one of the important gifts that we bring to the fabric of humanity.

Whatever.
I rather like my "idiocies" and my "herd mentality". I dare say, if a few more participants on this board invested a little more time in understanding group or mass mentalities (and a little less time bitching about them) the world would be a little frustrating.

I too cannot catch the mass emotional contagion that others get so caught up in. If anything, I sometimes root for the other team (I guess I've got a bit of a contrarian streak in me).

I can relate to what you are saying but mostly because if I do let myself get carried away I stick out among everyone else. I won't go into detail...

I have resistance to such things. At a concert when they try to the crowd to scream I don't usually do it, and when I do I don't feel quite right.
It was really funny when the singer of The Used noticed that the crowd will repeat whatever he said. He then said something about worshiping Satan, and then when the crowd repeated it he said 'no, don't do that'.
I've been at a concert where the singer called everyone sheep and baaed at them, lol.
When someone from a band says make some noise I say 'nah, don't feel like it.' There's no need to apart from psyching the band up.

Neshamaruach, I am not sure if we look alike physically. It is hard to tell from the photo you have. (Actually I think you look like a Native American in that photo! ) But your words often do strike a chord with me. I enjoy reading your posts.

Whenever I go to my daughter's soccer games, I root for a tie.

I can feel the emotional effect that they are stimulating. I am not completely immune to it as you seem to indicate here. I can see how people get swept away in it. I just do not. Like I said, it might actually take away some of my enjoyment of the event. But I just can't join the crowd. Like pensieve says, it just doesn't feel right.

Second thought - I am not sure if I see myself. But there is something that stands out in your photo. Not sure but it catches my eye.

Wow, two great compliments in one post. Thanks!

I always enjoy your posts as well. Perhaps in the pictures I am seeing a similar kind of approach or attitude. Not sure.

Anyway, this is a great topic, as I'm very interested in the ways that people approach groups. I tend to watch process and stay away from content (unless it's a work or family situation, in which case I focus on the content like a laser beam).