Mob Mentality in the Modern Age
President Abraham Lincoln is an unparalleled orator in America’s history. In his resounding speeches, he broadcasted messages about the existential trajectory of a nascent nation grappling with inner turmoil. Lincoln’s oratory prowess delivered potent, powerful messages while exuding an air of humility — making his pleas all the more persuasive.
Today, Lincoln’s legacy perseveres. His speeches have become subjects of meticulous study and, in certain instances, even committed to memory by school children. Amongst the corpus of his revered addresses, notable exemplars include the hallowed Gettysburg Address (1863), the resolute Second Inaugural Address (1865), the transformative Emancipation Proclamation (1863), and the thought-provoking Cooper Union Speech (1860).
These celebrated examples only scratch the surface of his repertoire.
In 1838, President Lincoln graced an assembly of The Young Men’s Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois. His speech that day, titled “The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions,” evinced Lincoln’s concerns. In the preceding years, distressing events had unfolded that reverberated within Lincoln’s consciousness. In 1835 a mob razed the Ursuline Convent in Charlestown, Massachusetts. And in 1837, an unruly mob killed a group of abolitionists. These and other developments contributed to Lincoln’s disquietude, fostering an unease regarding the fragility of social order.
Lincoln issued an admonition in this talk, cautioning against the ramifications of the mobocratic spirit. With zeal, his words resounded an urgent alarm— “The mob spirit is the most dangerous enemy to liberty.” Furthermore, he lamented the replacement of rational thought and order with unbridled emotion — “Mobs are actuated by wild and furious passions, in lieu of the sober judgment of courts.”
In America, a recurring tendency manifests itself whereby emphasis is placed on external antagonists — adversarial nations, menacing terrorist groups, or perilous biological hazards. However, the astute observer, like Lincoln, understands that the true menace has always and will always come from within the nation itself.
The founders, too, harbored an apprehension regarding the proneness of democracy to self-destruction. This concern was penned in a letter by John Adams to John Taylor in December 1814. Adams wrote, “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
The roots of the term “mob” trace back to the Latin phrase “mobile vulgus,” which means “fickle common people.” The word emerged within the English language during the 16th century to encapsulate the impulsive tendencies within the collective body of ordinary citizens. In light of contemporary societal developments, it becomes apparent that the concept of the “mob” remains pertinent to the trajectory of the technocratic society we find ourselves forging.
What would Lincoln say of the tribalism (bordering mobocratic spirit) forged in online communities and the prominent meme culture of our time? Although certainty eludes us, we can find clues in his thoughts on unity, division, and the dangers of factionalism.
Lincoln understood the power of public sentiment. In an 1856 speech, he said, “In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions.”
These words unveil Lincoln’s recognition of the force inherent within the collective. Here, he intimates that the architects of public opinion exert more profound influence than those involved in government, thereby highlighting the centrality of public sentiment to the broader dynamics of peace and harmony.
Through this lens, it is conceivable that Lincoln would cast a discerning gaze upon the contemporary media landscape. Within this scrutiny, he would likely take exception to the oversimplification of complex issues to mere brevity - one-liners meant not to inform but to grip. Additionally, Lincoln would raise an eyebrow at the coordination between bureaucratic entities and journalists and its impact on the impartiality of information. The absence of (and sometimes quieting of) nuanced perspectives would undoubtedly concern Lincoln, for the pursuit of truth and enlightenment is fortified through the cultivation and appreciation of differing viewpoints.
Lincoln, despite the division of the time, exemplified a steadfast trust in the collective wisdom of the American populace. In a letter to Col. William F. Elkins in 1864, he wrote, “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.”
This quote illuminates Lincoln’s belief that disseminating accurate information, undistorted by biases or manipulated narratives, forms the linchpin of participatory democracy. Lincoln emphasized the importance of conveying the complexities underlying national challenges and fostering an environment wherein the citizenry could engage in deliberative discourses.
Once again, it’s reasonable to think Lincoln would be dissatisfied today. Media conglomerates, in their pursuit of a wide audience and economic viability, cater to our primal inclinations and the stimulation of our basest impulses. Their concerted efforts cater to the mutable nature ascribed to collectives, promoting tribalism and mob-like behavior. As such, the exchange of ideas, an essential pillar of growth and progress, is stifled.
Perhaps discouraged, Lincoln would never give up on America or abandon his faith in the capacity for American excellence. He was a relentless combatant in the arena of ideas and a reluctant one on the battlefield. He would undoubtedly employ his eloquence to summon forth the collective will of America, urging us towards self-improvement and the path of reconciliation.
Indeed, Lincoln would invoke the foundational elements of the American spirit, reminding us of the inexhaustible reserves of resilience that have propelled us this far. Lincoln’s rhetorical prowess would weave a narrative that, while acknowledging challenges and divisions, simultaneously kindles a flame of hope. His words would illuminate a path toward a more harmonious and enlightened society.
Alas, President Lincoln is not here.
But his enduring spirit is. In harnessing it and the collective wisdom of the luminaries who preceded us, we can find guidance in our pursuit to avoid American suicide and emerge ready to tackle the challenges of today and those that will emerge tomorrow.
I end with a call from Lincoln’s address in Baltimore, Maryland (1864):
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
