Elsewhere in Ecclesiastes we read, “Wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.” Good sense and sound judgment will always win out over foolish undertakings and stupid behaviors. But when you couple folly and a crowd, you get what they call Mob Mentality, or Herd, Pack, or Gang Mentality. It’s when otherwise responsible people are influenced by the crowd they’re part of…adopting behaviors on a largely emotional rather than rational basis…with increasing excitement, anger, or hostility, heightened by the group itself. Decisions are made by a few, while the rest just follow…which then has the propensity for the crowd to shed their inhibitions of societal and moral standards as they take less and less responsibility for their own actions. Soon everyone is caught up in the fray of unsafe, senseless behavior. Need an example? We only have to look at the trial of Jesus before Pilate. A few people – the chief priest and elders – persuaded the crowd – a crowd that had followed Jesus for three years and had witnessed miracles, healings, and heard Him teach – to condemn Him to death. It was out of that Mob Mentality and just a few evil men that the words, “Crucify Him!” grew louder and louder.
Safetypinlove 