Freudian Mass Psychology

George Alvarez 21-10-2023
George Alvarez

At Work Psychology of the masses Although it was built during the period of the wars, it is possible to notice that it also reflects the times in which we live. Let's understand a little more of the message conveyed in this group analysis.

On the group constitution of society

In a Psychology of the masses it is clear that Freud had a very salient critique of the collective way of thinking According to him, we are very reactive creatures to a generalized judgment about a given situation. Even though we have our individuality, this does not mean plurality in images.

As a result, we present the patent of beings with no independently defined will. We are intertwined with another person or persons in order to be able to construct a judgment about something. Consequently, this leads to degrading and thoughtless situations that harm most of these people.

In a way, it is possible to point out a certain hypocrisy coming from the masses. This is because, while it repudiates strength, kindness as weakness and violence, it resorts to them in order to justify itself. Innovation is usually the enemy, so it clings a lot to tradition and conservatism.

"The king sent word..."

Psychology of the masses It deals with the identification of a group with a single person. According to the resolutions of the work, the masses need an authoritarian leader to lead them. Through it, rules are established that if not complied with end up generating retaliations to the offenders .

For example, we can refer to the Nazi movement that resulted in the deaths of millions of people. The Nazis worshiped Hitler's supremacist ideology toward Jews or anyone who did not fit into ethnic "purity." Those who did not fit in here or were targeted, death was the punishment for simply being what they were.

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Note that authority has a completely corrupted meaning, becoming authoritarianism. While in the former we have someone who helps you achieve your best, the latter indicates someone in control of your actions.

Fake News

At work in Psychology of the masses It is possible to evaluate the effect of Fake News in the modern world. The masses elaborate images in a very simple way without at least gathering cohesive information. With this, to those concerned, Fake News becomes a resource to control the will of the masses and gain power .

Returning to the work, the masses are described as unwilling and vulnerable to a greater power. In the political world, politicians freely disseminate fallacious arguments to gain advantages or even a specific gain. This is possible because the implanted stories end up by making people sick.

The Brazilian political scene, for example, has many references of people who did public manipulation. A general example is the exposure of rival parties in the last presidential election held in 2018. Although the goal was to weaken the public image of the opponent, this ended up reflecting and negatively influencing the lives of voters.

Features

The work built in Psychology of the masses reveals indisputable points about human posture. In general, it is as if the new generations end up merging with the old ones, perpetuating the inevitable characteristics of society This can be seen in:

Intolerance

Violence has always shown itself to be an immediate response to what was contrary to the majority. For example, think of the attacks suffered by Umbanda and Candomblé groups by Christian extremists. Since the former did not obey the larger group, they were and continue to be attacked in the most varied ways.

Extremism

It is difficult to achieve the idea of middle ground when you have a very behaviorally exalted group. The feelings of these masses are simple, linear, but also manipulable. Depending on their environment, this results in a specific kind of suffering, particularly generated by such oppositions.

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Exaggeration is functional

For a leader to be seen and obeyed in the group, he doesn't need to logically construct his arguments. Most of the time, creating strong and shocking images is enough for that. The repetition of the lines, as well as the well used exaggeration, usually convinces and converts millions of people .

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The uniqueness coming from models

Throughout the reading of Psychology of the masses It is evident that we are all fruits of a creation. The human being does not develop as a blank page without any draft. He is molded, so that other already existing elements impacted on his life's construction.

We are unique creatures, yes, but this uniqueness was made through other social beings. Our parents, friends, schools, church, companies and even address contribute to the formation of who we are and will become. Through all this, the human being formulated his perspective on himself in society.

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With this, we end up with a repetition of a dominant pattern picked up from an external force. Here is an example: children who live more with their grandparents tend to pull more aspects from their grandparents than their own parents do The famous "raised by Grandma" reflects in his actions the life of a person who grew up in a soft home, something belonging to the figure of the elderly.

Individual being X social being

Another aspect widely addressed in Psychology of the masses Freud pointed out that we should be seen in a less linear and more open way, not only being part of ourselves alone, but also being seen within a group.

In this, individual psychology and social psychology did not make sense if understood separately. At the same time that we have particularities, we need to be seen as creatures belonging to a group.

Consequences of Influence on the Masses

The apparatus worked out in Psychology of the masses explores a very reactive aspect of groups when it comes to influence. Going back to Le Bon in his introductions, it is clear that this influence is a very negative object to groups. There would be human social regression, giving light to the:

Stupidity

Reasoning becomes a difficult item to achieve, especially in more delicate situations. Because of this, an aura is created in which people seem not to think hard enough. In part, this explains why we describe such shocking actions of other people as impermissible stupidity.

Irrational impulses

Man regresses to a point where he gives himself almost completely over to his impulses. On this path, he becomes more aggressive, impulsive, and irrationally violent towards everything that goes against him.

Ego Cancellation

The person will lose his own will and let himself be influenced by others In this process, it is as if it loses the center of its own identity. Think, for example, of the organized fans that assault their fellow human beings in the streets and are unable to give a rational answer about their actions.

Final Thoughts on Mass Psychology

Mass psychology was a necessary and important study to understand the movement of groups around a standard Thanks to it, we can better understand what collectively drives human social patterns.

It should be clear that in his quotations, Freud brings to light the negativity of the individual in the masses. This is because the circles help him to regress to the primitive state of his personal relationships. All in all, it shows a profound assessment of when we are alone and what happens when we are manipulated by a higher power.

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George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.