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The Psychology of the Crowd: From 1930s Europe to the Digital Age

There is a terrifying efficiency in the way a crowd thinks. When an individual merges into a collective, the boundaries of personal morality often dissolve, replaced by a singular, driving impulse. This phenomenon, which Catherine Breillat explores in her upcoming adaptation of Georges Simenon’s The Krull House, is not merely a relic of the 1930s—it is the blueprint for some of the most volatile trends in our modern social fabric.

Historically, “groupthink” occurred in town squares and village halls. Today, the town square has been digitized. The mechanism remains the same: the dissolution of the individual into a mass that seeks a common enemy to validate its own righteousness.

The Rise of ‘Digital Lynching’ and the Death of Nuance

Breillat speaks of the “lyncher” assuming the mask of the “vigilante”—a chillingly accurate description of modern “cancel culture” and social media dogpiling. When a perceived transgression occurs, the digital crowd often bypasses the stage of evidence and jumps straight to the verdict. This represents the modern equivalent of the “collective opinion” becoming an absolute truth.

The danger lies in the speed of transmission. In the 1930s, a rumor had to travel by word of mouth; today, a viral post can trigger a global “lynching” in minutes. This creates a climate where complexity and doubt—the incredibly things that protect the individual from the mob—are viewed as complicity or weakness.

According to research on social contagion, the tendency to mimic the emotions and behaviors of others is amplified in online environments, leading to “outrage spirals” that are nearly impossible to stop once they gain momentum.

The Algorithm as the New ‘Groupthink’

While the crowds of the past were driven by proximity, today’s crowds are driven by algorithms. We are no longer just influenced by our neighbors, but by an AI-curated echo chamber that feeds us information confirming our existing biases. This “algorithmic polarization” creates a synthetic form of mass hysteria.

When an algorithm identifies a target—whether a public figure or a private citizen—it pushes that target to thousands of people who are already primed to feel outrage. The result is a “manufactured consensus,” where the individual feels they are part of a vast, righteous majority, further justifying the abandonment of due process.

The Erosion of the ‘Individual’

The most alarming trend is the gradual erasure of the individual. In a society driven by a thirst for summary justice, the “nuance” of a person’s life—their history, their intentions, their contradictions—is stripped away. They become a symbol of a grievance rather than a human being.

Why Period Parables are the New Mirrors

There is a reason why creators like Breillat choose to set these stories in the past rather than transposing them crudely into the present. By using a historical setting—like the 1930s—the audience is stripped of their immediate political defenses. You can observe the mechanics of hate and hysteria from a distance, only to realize that the mirror is reflecting our own current behavior.

This “parable approach” allows for a clinical study of human nature. When we see the Krull family targeted by their neighbors, we aren’t thinking about today’s headlines; we are thinking about the universal human tendency to fear the “other.” This makes the eventual realization—that we are doing the same thing today—far more incisive.

For more insights on how cinema reflects societal shifts, explore our series on Cinema and Society or read about the Psychology of Film.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between collective justice and due process?
Collective justice is driven by emotion, social pressure, and the desire for immediate retribution. Due process is a systemic approach based on evidence, the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair defense.

Can groupthink happen in professional environments?
Yes. In corporate settings, groupthink often manifests as a lack of critical evaluation of a leader’s plan, leading to catastrophic business failures because no one felt safe enough to voice a dissenting opinion.

How can we combat the ‘lynching’ mentality in digital spaces?
By championing “slow thinking.” This involves resisting the urge to react instantly, questioning the source of the outrage, and intentionally seeking out perspectives that challenge the prevailing narrative.