Crowds and Power Summary

Why do we, as proud individuals, so often yearn to dissolve ourselves into the anonymity of a group?

1. Crowds Form Through Shared Emotion and Identity

Crowds are not just about numbers; they are about the emotional and identity-based connections between individuals. When people come together and identify with one another, they transcend their individuality and become part of a single entity. This collective identity fosters a sense of equality among members, temporarily erasing disparities like status, wealth, or background.

Crowds vary based on their emotional purpose. For instance, a baiting crowd is unified in its desire to harm or destroy a target (e.g., the crowd that demanded the crucifixion of Jesus). Meanwhile, flight crowds form when people flee a shared danger, dissolving once the danger has passed. In contrast, prohibition crowds unite in refusal, such as striking workers. Reversal crowds aim to overturn power structures, like revolting slaves. Finally, feast crowds gather in mutual celebration and indulgence, often around festivals.

Despite these differences, all crowds share four characteristics: they grow as more people join, foster equality among their members, thrive on physical closeness, and dissolve without a shared purpose.

Examples

• The crowd's anger at a halted commuter train.
• Striking workers forming prohibition crowds to refuse work.
• Stadium gatherings for festivals, fostering a feast crowd atmosphere.

2. Packs Are the Blueprint for Crowds

Before human history saw vast urban crowds, smaller packs existed. These were defined by equality and direction but lacked the density and ability for growth that define crowds. Packs existed in isolated settings, with the wilderness enclosing their small groups.

There are four types of packs, starting with the hunting pack, which relied on its collective strength to take down large or dangerous animals. The war pack extended this logic to attacks on rival human groups. Meanwhile, lamenting packs formed to grieve the death of a member, ensuring unity and performing death rites. Lastly, the increase pack exhibited a desire for growth and expansion, thus resembling the origins of modern crowds.

Though formed under different conditions, the idea of groups working toward a shared goal unites both packs and crowds. Over time, as populations grew, their functions shifted from survival-based to more complex social roles.

Examples

• Hunter-gatherer societies forming hunting packs for survival.
• War packs during inter-tribal conflicts in ancient societies.
• Lamenting packs surrounding the deceased during traditional death rituals.

3. Religion Deeply Roots Itself in Pack Dynamics

The rituals of major religions often replicate the structure of lamenting packs, emphasizing collective mourning and solidarity. For example, Christianity and Shia Islam both center their traditions around the act of lamentation and sacrifice.

In Shia Islam, the grief of Hussein's death in 680 CE plays a central role in community identity. Shiites continue to mourn this historic loss, uniting their faith around it. Similarly, Christianity’s emphasis on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus ties back to grieving the death of a savior and drawing strength from shared lamentation.

Religious practices also use smaller "packs" to build communities before merging them into larger crowds. This pattern is visible in Muslim prayers performed in small groups or "prayer packs," which then scale up during major pilgrimages.

Examples

• Shiite mourning rituals for Imam Hussein.
• Christian rites such as the Eucharist, echoing Jesus' last supper.
• The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca uniting smaller prayer groups into vast crowds.

4. Nations Are Formed Through Shared Crowd Symbols

Nations operate as imagined communities, often functioning like crowds that members connect to through their symbols. These symbols reinforce collective identity and shared purpose, much like how physical crowds rely on closeness and common goals.

For instance, the English associate their nation with the sea, reflecting their maritime heritage and individuality, akin to captains steering ships. Germans, by contrast, link their national identity to forests, reflecting timeless and rigid strength. Symbols like these connect disparate individuals to their nations on an emotional and cultural level.

Even abstract ideas like the Jewish Exodus story serve as symbols of nationhood. In this case, the shared experience of wandering and longing for the promised land binds members of the Jewish nation, even across distances and generations.

Examples

• English pride in their maritime imagery.
• The German "marching forest" as a symbol of disciplined unity.
• The Jewish Exodus defining unity through shared exile.

5. Power Is Rooted in Seizing, Killing, and Eating

At its core, power is about control and consumption. Power extends the immediate act of force into a broader, long-term influence, symbolized by gestures such as gripping, stabbing, or consuming.

The hand, with its ability to seize, represents domination. The fingers, especially with their pointed tips, evoke stabbing or killing motions. Finally, the act of eating embodies the ultimate control—breaking down and absorbing life to maintain one’s own.

Cultures often use these symbols to reflect power. Lions’ claws, eagles’ talons, and sharp teeth signify mastery over prey. Even celebrations involving feasting stem from the idea of the powerful consuming vast amounts, marking their dominance over resources.

Examples

• The symbolic use of sharp claws and teeth in royal crests.
• Traditional warrior status tied to harvesting more food.
• Feasts marking leaders as champions of consumption and strength.

6. Survival Serves as a Powerful Marker

Survivors often gain status because survival itself is seen as a triumph of power. This idea can be traced back to battlefields, where the living emerged superior over the dead, both in their own eyes and those of others.

This concept manifests in myths where survival imbues individuals with divine qualities. For instance, Polynesian mana belief holds that a warrior absorbs the power of killed opponents. Australian Murngin tribes also link the spirits of slain foes to the killer, doubling their personal strength.

Societies often trace their origin to survivors of great disasters. Myths such as Noah’s Ark or the surviving trio in Kutenai legend emphasize the power of continuity through catastrophe.

Examples

• The Biblical story of Noah and the Flood.
• Polynesian mana belief of absorbing a slain foe’s power.
• Kutenai legends focusing on ancestral survivors.

7. Symbols and Hidden Agendas Amplify Power

The imagery of animals—lions, eagles, and leopards—has been used to evoke swift, commanding control. But power isn't just about outward symbols—it's also about concealing intentions, creating mystery, and staying a step ahead.

The tradition of questioning and maintaining silence reflects a deeper strategy. For example, Socrates’ sharp questioning subdued his opponents, forcing them to reveal vulnerabilities. Silence, in turn, acts as a protective wall against intrusive demands.

The ability to control or mask true motives remains a central part of holding power, as demonstrated by leaders who present themselves as benevolent while hiding their authoritarian designs.

Examples

• Ancient rulers like Egyptian pharaohs using falcons as power symbols.
• Socratic questioning as a verbal domination tactic.
• The strategic silence of monarchs to maintain mystique.

8. Commands Begin as Death Threats

Commands trace their origin to primal instincts of survival. They began as external threats—like a lion’s roar—that force the recipient into compliance. Over time, commands evolved but still retained their essence of control.

In human society, commands shifted from threats of death to systems of reward, such as offering sustenance for obedience. This is evident in parental commands or training pets, where non-compliance rarely involves serious consequences but instead revolves around bargaining.

However, modern institutions like armies maintain the original unambiguous and higher-stakes nature of commands, ensuring strict hierarchies of control remain.

Examples

• A lion roaring to scatter prey.
• Commands from parents to children with food as reinforcement.
• Military orders allowing no room for negotiation.

9. Transformation and Postures Reflect Power

Transformation, either through disguises or adaptability, helps one gain the upper hand. Nature provides examples, such as animals playing dead to avoid predators. Human societies mimic this with roles and guises.

Posture also conveys authority. Standing reflects independence and strength. Sitting signals authority in the right context, while lying down conveys vulnerability. Emperors like Caesar used the regulation of time to further solidify their longevity, linking their legacy with eternal systems.

Transformations allow flexibility in asserting power, while symbolism in posture and time regulation ensures that power is seen as enduring and inevitable.

Examples

• A predator detecting prey’s transformation tactic of "playing dead."
• A ruler sitting on a high throne versus a petitioner kneeling.
• The calendar reforms of Julius Caesar and Augustus.

Takeaways

1. Observe the groups you belong to and their shared purposes. Reflect on how they influence your individuality.
2. Study how symbols and rituals about power operate in both historical and modern contexts, like national flags or corporate logos.
3. Use body language and posture to recognize power dynamics in your surroundings, and adjust your own to convey confidence.