3 chapters across the catalog
The hosts apply Professor Mattias Desmet's theory of "Mass Formation" to the public's reaction to the Rittenhouse trial. They discuss how the 30% of people who are "hypnotized" by the narrative cannot be reached, but the 40% who simply go along with it can be influenced by factual information.
Professor Mattias Desmet of Ghent University identifies a psychological state called "mass formation," a form of collective hypnosis driven by free-floating anxiety. This phenomenon occurs when a population connects its internal distress to a specific object provided by the media, such as a virus or a racial theory. Once this connection is made, individuals participate in a "heroic battle" against the object, leading to a loss of individual cognitive function and intelligence.
The Economist Polling, Statistical Manipulation and Mass Psychology
A recent poll from The Economist regarding public awareness of Critical Race Theory is analyzed for potential statistical obfuscation. The data shows that while a majority of those who have heard of CRT view it unfavorably, the presentation of the numbers is designed to confuse the audience. Professor Desmet notes that even highly intelligent people will believe absurd narratives and "blatantly wrong" statistics when they are in a state of mass formation.
