MASS FORMATION PSYCHOSIS

 

Robert W Malone is the dissident virologist who was recently suspended by Twitter for "COVID disinformation". His interview with Joe Rogan has been de facto banned by YouTube. Somewhat ironically, Malone is one of the scientists who developed the technology behind the mRNA vaccines, which are currently used against COVID! 

In the article and video clip linked below, Malone discusses something he calls "mass formation psychosis". He believes that a substantial portion of the Western population is currently in the thrall of such, due to systematic fear-mongering about COVID from the authorities. The "mass formation psychosis" is fanatical and cultish. It can be compared to a state of hypnosis. While 30% can be brought under its direct control, an additional 40% of fence-sitters can be swayed. That leaves just 30% as an minority that will never be hypnotized. This minority is the main target of the people under the influence of the collective psychosis. It´s obvious that Malone is describing the media campaigns against the unvaccinated. The only way to break the spell of the psychosis is to give the hypnotized masses an even larger threat to worry about! Malone proposes fear of global totalitarianism and believes that vaccine mandates for children could trigger such fear, making the hypnotized to turn against the establishment.

While this is all interesting, Malone´s prime example of "mass formation psychosis" is absurd: Nazi Germany. "How could a liberal educated people turn Nazi and exterminate the Jews". Geezus, are there still people who believe in these cannards? Answer: no, the average German was neither particularly liberal or educated, and anti-Semitism had deep roots in Germany (as in many other European nations). The rise of Nazism had very definite *material* roots. Versailles treaty, Great Depression, that kind of things. It´s even less clear why Malone mentions Communism, since many Communist regimes probably had less than 30% support! And no, they ususally weren´t former liberal intelligentsia, either.

But what are the material roots of the COVID panic? Malone actually points out some factors, such as social isolation and fragmentation, often driven by the Internet. The lockdowns themselves are another example of social isolation. 

Note that "vaccine hesitancy" in Western nations seems most common in groups already marginalized by the system (certain immigrant groups, East Germans, right-wing populist voters, etc) and least strong among people who are middle class, privileged, well educated, and so on. Conversely, the *panic* around COVID and the demand for authoritarian measures seem to be stronger among the relatively privileged groups. To me, this suggests that the psychosis would have happened even if the middle class hadn´t been locked down and fragmented. The psychosis could be a gut reaction against a feared plebeian "psychosis" (multi-faceted rebellion)! But if so, it´s by no means clear whether Malone´s solutions will work. The "Professional Managerial Class" might find a kind of globo-liberal illiberalism very much to their liking, and many have volunteered to vaccinate their children. 

But yes, I suppose the 40% in the middle could still wake up...

I say all of the above with the reservation that I haven´t yet watched Rogan´s interview with Malone, so my remarks should be seen as preliminary. 

Mass Formation Psychosis