登陆注册
15421200000036

第36章

THE LEADERS OF CROWDS AND THEIR MEANS OF PERSUASION1.THE LEADERS OF CROWDS.The instinctive need of all beings forming a crowd to obey a leader--The psychology of the leaders of crowds--They alone can endow crowds with faith and organise them--The leaders forcibly despotic--Classification of the leaders--The part played by the will.2.THE MEANS OFACTION OF THE LEADERS.Affirmation, repetition, contagion--The respective part of these different factors--The way in which contagion may spread from the lower to the upper classes in a society--A popular opinion soon becomes a general opinion.

3.PRESTIGE.Definition of prestige and classification of its different kinds--Acquired prestige and personal prestige--Various examples--The way in which prestige is destroyed.

We are now acquainted with the mental constitution of crowds, and we also know what are the motives capable of making an impression on their mind.It remains to investigate how these motives may be set in action, and by whom they may usefully be turned to practical account.

1.THE LEADERS OF CROWDS.

As soon as a certain number of living beings are gathered together, whether they be animals or men, they place themselves instinctively under the authority of a chief.

In the case of human crowds the chief is often nothing more than a ringleader or agitator, but as such he plays a considerable part.His will is the nucleus around which the opinions of the crowd are grouped and attain to identity.He constitutes the first element towards the organisation of heterogeneous crowds, and paves the way for their organisation in sects; in the meantime he directs them.A crowd is a servile flock that is incapable of ever doing without a master.

The leader has most often started as one of the led.He has himself been hypnotised by the idea, whose apostle he has since become.It has taken possession of him to such a degree that everything outside it vanishes, and that every contrary opinion appears to him an error or a superstition.An example in point is Robespierre, hypnotised by the philosophical ideas of Rousseau, and employing the methods of the Inquisition to propagate them.

The leaders we speak of are more frequently men of action than thinkers.They are not gifted with keen foresight, nor could they be, as this quality generally conduces to doubt and inactivity.They are especially recruited from the ranks of those morbidly nervous, excitable, half-deranged persons who are bordering on madness.However absurd may be the idea they uphold or the goal they pursue, their convictions are so strong that all reasoning is lost upon them.Contempt and persecution do not affect them, or only serve to excite them the more.They sacrifice their personal interest, their family--everything.The very instinct of self-preservation is entirely obliterated in them, and so much so that often the only recompense they solicit is that of martyrdom.The intensity of their faith gives great power of suggestion to their words.The multitude is always ready to listen to the strong-willed man, who knows how to impose himself upon it.Men gathered in a crowd lose all force of will, and turn instinctively to the person who possesses the quality they lack.

Nations have never lacked leaders, but all of the latter have by no means been animated by those strong convictions proper to apostles.These leaders are often subtle rhetoricians, seeking only their own personal interest, and endeavouring to persuade by flattering base instincts.The influence they can assert in this manner may be very great, but it is always ephemeral.The men of ardent convictions who have stirred the soul of crowds, the Peter the Hermits, the Luthers, the Savonarolas, the men of the French Revolution, have only exercised their fascination after having been themselves fascinated first of all by a creed.They are then able to call up in the souls of their fellows that formidable force known as faith, which renders a man the absolute slave of his dream.

The arousing of faith--whether religious, political, or social, whether faith in a work, in a person, or an idea--has always been the function of the great leaders of crowds, and it is on this account that their influence is always very great.Of all the forces at the disposal of humanity, faith has always been one of the most tremendous, and the gospel rightly attributes to it the power of moving mountains.To endow a man with faith is to multiply his strength tenfold.The great events of history have been brought about by obscure believers, who have had little beyond their faith in their favour.It is not by the aid of the learned or of philosophers, and still less of sceptics, that have been built up the great religions which have swayed the world, or the vast empires which have spread from one hemisphere to the other.

In the cases just cited, however, we are dealing with great leaders, and they are so few in number that history can easily reckon them up.They form the summit of a continuous series, which extends from these powerful masters of men down to the workman who, in the smoky atmosphere of an inn, slowly fascinates his comrades by ceaselessly drumming into their ears a few set phrases, whose purport he scarcely comprehends, but the application of which, according to him, must surely bring about the realisation of all dreams and of every hope.

In every social sphere, from the highest to the lowest, as soon as a man ceases to be isolated he speedily falls under the influence of a leader.The majority of men, especially among the masses, do not possess clear and reasoned ideas on any subject whatever outside their own speciality.The leader serves them as guide.It is just possible that he may be replaced, though very inefficiently, by the periodical publications which manufacture opinions for their readers and supply them with ready- made phrases which dispense them of the trouble of reasoning.

同类推荐
  • The Greatness of Cities

    The Greatness of Cities

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 雪交亭正气录

    雪交亭正气录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • E021

    E021

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 裨海记游

    裨海记游

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • El Dorado

    El Dorado

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 陆小凤传奇系列(一)

    陆小凤传奇系列(一)

    陆小凤,一个有着四条眉毛(其实只是嘴上多了两撇胡须)的人。喜欢喝酒,欣赏美女。更重要的是他重情义,但风流成性,半生桃花不断。表面上对什么事都漫不经心。但却十分在意。他总能遇到十分稀奇的事,也总能逢凶化吉。
  • 师父别跑,徒弟来袭

    师父别跑,徒弟来袭

    他本魔君,为救被她封印的父亲化身为小小少年。做她徒弟,只为取她心脏救父,却不小心弄丢了自己的心。她初见他时,他是失忆的少年,收他为徒只为观察他是否有不轨之心。当全心全意相信他,爱上他时,才发现他不过是想取自己性命。往事历历在目,到底该何去何从………那日他问“你还爱我吗?”她笑只是笑着回问“心都没了,拿什么去爱?”
  • 宇阙

    宇阙

    摸着石头过河,终须把小心放在大胆里,不紧不慢而坚定不移地朝着前方迈出。这大抵是个走心的故事。
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 末世之地下城系统

    末世之地下城系统

    突如其来的末世让绝大部分的人类变成了丧尸,而宅男邓斌却在这场危机中得到了地下城系统,能学习各个职业的技能是他在这场危机中得以求生的保障
  • 涅槃传

    涅槃传

    无知少年,万千宠爱,一失足成千古恨;废物之名,玉中世界,柳暗花明又一村;玉府求仙,逆天改命,破人蛮荒,掌控一方大千世界;真武大陆传承万年,气运非凡,然而无数修仙者惨遭屠戮;仙魔之争,血流成河,谁能独当一面?剑指雪域,睥睨天下,踏入妖域,收服荒兽;不灭战域,惊现灭世之战;覆灭血魔,涅槃重生,返璞归真,谁与争锋。
  • 豪门囚爱:纨绔强少骁宠妻

    豪门囚爱:纨绔强少骁宠妻

    “张少,求你放过小女子吧!”乔薇欲哭无泪的望着背脊笔直如剑,穿着一身军装的男人,哀求道。“不放!”张强清淡的言语中带着一丝坚定。“张强,你当姑奶奶好欺负是不是,你别以为你是京城第一炮,我就怕你!”乔薇厉声道。“你说什么?”张强微微眯起眼睛,眸光一冷。“怎么?没脸了?谁不知道,你是京城生活最糜烂的男人?恐怕私生子都成群了吧?”乔薇鄙夷道,说完,转身就朝远去跑去。张强望着渐行渐远的倩影,嘴角微微翘起一抹笑容:“老子看上的女人,还能让你跑了?”
  • 我的野蛮女同事

    我的野蛮女同事

    当捡了个小丫头决定要给自己找个妈妈后,林石发现他的生活改变了。曾经对自己漠不关心的女上司开始频频找自己谈心;一向视自己为坏人的女警察,开始暗暗接触自己;就连好哥们的妹妹,也频频暗送秋波;世界变得好奇妙,一颗石子也能激起涟漪,一个少年,也能撼动地球,2012世界末日已经过去,2032世界末日将要来临,我该做些什么呢?林石心道。
  • 圣白之城

    圣白之城

    一入江湖深似海,当他经历了冰与火,血与歌,尘与泪,无数战火纷飞,硝烟弥漫的日子后想得到一份平凡的生活,却死在了自己最爱的女人手里。算计?阴谋?还是王者的蔑视?原本我已经不想去想那么多,假装忘却一切的我只想一份平静的生活,但,你们,能给吗?