Herd mentality dominates the holiday season

Gene Mage

In 1841, Charles MacKay wrote the book, “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.” Within its pages, MacKay chronicled the long list of fads, schemes, and manias that had swept through societies prior to his day.

In the preface to the 1852 edition of that famous book, MacKay observed the following:

“We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first.”

These popular delusions include not only the well-documented monetary speculations, which we now call “stock market bubbles,” but other more odd manias such as slow poisoning, alchemy, fortune-telling, and haunted houses. While his book was written more than 150 years ago, our contemporary world still ebbs and flows according to the madness of crowds, only more so.

Exhibit A – the holiday season. This year the “madness of crowds” has been elevated to a whole new level. Giddy big-box retailers, apparently unbound by State Attorneys General, are using “loss leader advertising” to incite mob hysteria in unsuspecting populations.

High-minded social commentary aside, I must confess that even one as erudite as yours truly fell victim to the mob-scene on Friday, November 26^th, AKA “Black Friday.” The place was Ithaca, New York, one of the last bastions of eco-socialism on the east coast, described by one observer as, “Ten square miles surrounded by reality.” Even in that great haven of anti-consumerism, it only took one well-crafted Best Buy flyer to send hundreds of normally conservation minded Ithacans into mad spasms of crass materialism.

As my son and I pulled into the parking lot at 5:55 am we knew that our quest for the elusive $499 laptop computer advertised on page one was falling upon the winds of ill fortune. Not only was the parking lot full of cars, but rows of cars were punctuated by campers, recreational vehicles, and full-fledged custom motor-coaches, generators running, hand-painted graphics spot-lit. I fully expected the Oak Ridge Boys to step off the bus. We were dead meat. The green citizens of Ithaca had morphed into a greedy snaking line of eager buyers anticipating the “opening of the doors.” My son and I just stood and watched, and made sheep noises, as the herd made its way into that colossal blue and yellow cathedral of the materialistic religion.

Stepping through the double doors, well-worn flyer in hand, we asked a golf-shirted youth where the line for the laptops formed. He replied, with no small level of disdain for the likes of people like me, “Do you have a laptop ticket? We gave those out at 4:00 am to the first five people in line. If you want to get in the laptop line you have to have a laptop ticket.” Alas, at 4:00 am I was sleeping, and in following those soporific pursuits, forewent the opportunity for the sought-after $499 laptop computer. We were now only two more nameless faces jostling cheek to jowl with eight hundred greedy graduate students pushing carts overflowing with $17.00 DVD players destined for eBay.

I looked at my son and said, “While we may not have been the first in line, we can definitely be the first to leave.” Heads held high, shopping cart empty, and wallet intact, we strolled manfully through the exit doors. We went back to Grandma’s house and, over steaming cups of dark chocolate mocha, waited patiently for the others to wake up. And as I reflected on the morning’s activities, I felt a little twinge of shame at having fallen victim to such an ancient and obvious social manipulation.

Are you feeling pressured by the herd mentality this week? I guess we all get swept along by the currents sometimes. However, in those times when doing the right thing means going against the herd, may you have the courage to do so this holiday season.

Gene C. Mage is a leadership Author, Speaker, and Syndicated Business Columnist. For free ideas for improving your leadership, visit www.makingitwork.com.