What happens when we come together with strangers? And why are those in power so desperate to keep us apart? In this Ethical Matters talk, Dan Hancox asks if it is time to rethink our long-held assumptions about crowd behaviour and psychology, and the part crowds play in our lives. What if “mob mentality” was just a myth invented to serve those at the top?
Throughout the modern era, politicians, philosophers and the media have told us that every peaceful crowd is a violent mob in waiting, and must be dispersed with force. From years covering raucous football matches, hedonistic raves and the world’s best carnivals, to dodging rubber bullets and reporting from the midst of riots, Dan argues that crowds are the ultimate force for change: the bringer of conviviality and euphoria, mass culture and democracy – and a place where we find not just joy and solidarity, but something fundamental about what it is to be human.
Dan Hancox is a freelance writer, focusing on music, politics, cities and culture. He writes for the Guardian and Observer, London Review of Books, NY Times, New Statesman, Newsweek and others.
This event was part of Bloomsbury Festival 2024.
