The Telescopic Mob-Mentality of the Non-Participant

I am usually loathe to comment on matters outside my personal experience, but as a person psychologically affected by the nonsensical ideas that permeate various corners of the globe, I feel I must comment.

I preface by quoting a line spoken by Kenneth Mars in the 1974 Mel Brooks spoof Young Frankenstein: "A riot is an ugly thing...and once you get one started,there is little chance of stopping it...short of bloodshed."

Obviously it is intended to be funny, (the line doesn't make much sense, even in American-English) but I think it makes perfect sense considering the subject...Mars' character is amidst a crowd of pitchfork- and torch-bearing Transylvanian villagers set to storm the castle of transplanted American surgeon Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) for crimes-unknown albeit -anticipated.

The humor is found in the ludicrousness of attempting to quell a mob in any sort of civilized fashion...despite any seemingly-rational authority projected.

Vis-a-vis the recent riots in the UK, I recommend intelligent analysis of this truth...in the UK, in Texas, in Tehran.

Once the mentality of a mob gets stirred, NO peaceful method of crowd-control will work.

A mob is an unreasoning animal...I think police-forces worldwide know (and fear) this deep-down... officers-of-the-law act as they are trained...so accusing these officers of anything is so lacking in intelligence it defies common sense.

--mattergy