Mob Mentallity

We are social beings now, but our interests changed our motives. Several thousands of years ago, when we lived more like our primate cousins, we were creatures that interacted socially for breeding and for protection. It made sense to function as groups that could have more eyes to see stalking predators, but also to form physiological bonds with one another in order to make procreation successful. We are a species that emulates our parents and elders in order to establish a pecking order so that we may fulfill our inherent roles in the group, but also so that we understand some common rules of conduct within our group. This form of group-loyalty kept us closely knit so that we were family oriented and fiercely protective, which meant that our actions for survival and protection of our young were self-serving to a degree of maintaining our bloodlines.
It made no sense to extend courtesies to other groups because their survival would potentially put them in direct conflict with our own group for space and food. Our concerns were made for our family. But even as such, we were a foraging species. There was nobody cooking meals for the rest of us; there was nobody collecting baskets of fruits for the rest of us. Each individual foraged for themselves when the entire group went to a feeding area. Our collective activity was not to provide food for one another, but to provide eyes for one another. A predator was a threat to any individual, so we all had a common interest in fighting-off predators as a unit. But an individual that could not fend for itself became a detriment to the group, thus, if one could not find adequate sustenance, then one would likely perish, which would ultimately keep the group stronger in two ways: the individual would not become a parasite on the group for food and care, but also that individual would become the slower, weaker, sicker meal for that predator, at least temporarily diverting its interest away from the rest of us so that we could continue to survive and procreate.

Over time, as we began to take advantage of the feeding patterns of large predators, who might feed at a kill, but then leave it for a rest only to return later for more, we learned that this carrion was a rather convenient form of nourishment that could be divided from a single source amongst everyone in the clan. Now, instead of feeding as an exposed group for long periods on seeds, nuts, berries, and insects, we could go out in a more surreptitious manner and bring back a meal source in one-fell swoop to supplement. This made life easier, especially because we are a cooperative species. When hunting meant living, it was a benefit for small groups of men to form hunting parties so that they had better odds at catching bigger game that they could carry back together in order to feed the clan. Our cooperative efforts were performed directly for our best interest of survival. Not only could we hunt more effectively, but we could stave off other predators and scavengers as we developed our cooperative logistic. Further, cooperation made agriculture more lucrative, thus we could move our berries, roots, and other veggies closer to home where we had more defenses against would-be predators or conflicting tribes.

But Nature always kept a balance. We did not fear death as we do now. No other creature actually fears death; only humans possess this unfortunate trait. All creatures fear attacks. All creatures fear the potential threat of the unfamiliar, which displays as a “fight” or “flight” response, but this is not to be confused or misconstrued as a fear of death itself, because it is neither productive nor realistic to fear death to the point of contradicting Natural Law.

So as we formed these cooperative units for living, we did this as a species that sought survival, not as a species that sought immortality. Our actions were self-serving only to the point of logical “survival of the fittest.” There was no ulterior motive, no deceit. Our actions for the cooperative were united by each of us having a personal interest in the actions and the results. If I did not hunt or forage, I would not survive. (Keep in mind, this is different from: “I do not want to die, so I must prevent my death by eating.”)

More recently, however, our cooperative nature has become exploitable, particularly as our minds have become less spiritually aware and more subjectively connected. This comes from a new evolution of fearing death, which means seeking a safer existence with technologies to stave off death, which means developing a more sedentary and comfortable lifestyle as we strive for the station of gods. We take from Earth without reverence, and we now live in spite of Nature. Our cooperation makes this possible. As our minds have evolved into the more abstract ideas of ethics, which have become wholly elastic as they are established by belief systems rather than truths—interpretations of truths that have become twisted to fit our desires and to absolve our otherwise less-than-virtuous consciences—we have figured out ways to influence others by giving them a sense of purpose and a sense of loyalty relative to modern ideals—corrupt or otherwise—as a new way to satiate the hunting party mentality that we have not yet lost in our de-evolution from Reality. Now, instead of hunting parties working toward a common, personal interest for a small, familial clan, we have become fraternal recruits into our new paradigm of patriotism by being convinced that we are honorable to stand up and fight for what’s “right” for “everyone.” When what’s “right” is subjective, when it works for the few but not for all, then it is not virtuous. That is the essence of corruption and terrorism. Our modern wars are fueled by economics, international dominance, and land-possession, if not for mere variations in belief systems. Our wars do not benefit us in any personal way, and, in fact, cause severe detriment to the many environments, which in turn affects all other species, as well as our own progeny. Our wars are counter-productive, made to serve the powerful, the wealthy, but our military is presented as a brotherhood of honorable patriots fighting for freedom that never existed. Our soldiers are now gang-members, recruited because they are the hunters who need the camaraderie of the hunting party. We see this also reflected in subcultures of police and firefighters, sports teams and the fans that live vicariously through the teams.

If we could eliminate all of the subjective ideas of what is valuable to society and start getting back to Reality, to true Spirit, so that we understand and embrace what is truly valuable to all beings—such as our basic needs, and the virtues of Bravery, Love, Friendship, and Wisdom—then we could cooperate to bring ourselves back into balance and disconnect from the fabricated world of corruption and false ideals. In order to “cooperate” ourselves out of the fantasy world of man, we have to understand that we were “cooperated” into it under false pretenses.