The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-08-26

Crowd; A Study OF the Popular Mind,
which was published in French. but is
now republished in several languages:
"When certain number OF individ-
uals are gathered together in a crowd
for purposes of action, observation
proves that, from the mere fact Of their
being assembled there result new ply
siolOgical characteristics, which are
added to the racial characteritics and
differ from them at times to very con-
siderable degree"
"The substitution of the unconscious
action Of crowds for the conscious ac-
ton of individuals is one Of the prin-
cipal characteristics of the present
age"
"The teachings of pure reason are
very often contrary to those OF prac-
tical reason"
Crowds display a singular inferior
mortality yet they seem at other
times to be guided by mysterious forces
Of great strength.
scious but this very unconsciousness is
perhaps one of the secrets of their
strength"
"There is nothing so stable in race
as the inherited ground work Of its
thoughts"
Popular classes are entering into
political life. They are becoming the
governing classes. They send to Leg
islatures representatives lacking in
initiative and independence, and who
are only spokesmen.
We must submit to the crowd. Want
Of foresight has permitted the over
throw Of all barriers that might have
kept the crowd back"
Some men have an instructive knowl-
edge of the character of crowds, and
have been able to master them. Napo-
leon was one Of them. He understood
Frenchmen, but did not understand
other races.
A knowledge of the psychology of a
crowd Is today the most important
knowledge needed by a statesman. He
must know what produces an impress
sion, and what seduces them. An eX-
hOrbitant indirect tax will be accepted
by the crowd, because they are in the
habit of paying taxes In fractional
sums on different articles. But lump
sum, as an income tax, strikes the
Imagination as burdensome, and intol-
cradle.
"Men never shape their conduct upon
the teachings of pure reason"
Taine and nearly all of the writers
on the French revolution, failed to un-
derstand its movements. because they
did not perceive or comprehend the
genius Of crowds.
"Whoever the individuals are that
compose a crowd. however like or un-
like be their mode of life. their occu-
pations, their character or their intelli-
gence the fact that they have been
transformed into crowd, puts them in
possession of a sort of collective mind
which makes them feel, think and act
in a manner quite different from that
in which each individual Of them would
feel, think and act, were he in state
Of isolation
'From the moment they form part
Of a crowd, the learned man and the
ignoramus are equally incapable of
observation"
'Mr Davey, an ingenious psychologist
gathered number of distinguished OBJ
servers, among them the scientist Wal
lace, and produced spiritualistic phe-
nomena. Each OF the observers made
written report stating that only sup
ernatural forces could produce the phe-
nomena. Then Mr.. Davey showed that
he had only done a trick. 1t shows
that the testimony of crowd even of
Intelligent men Is unreliable"
Illusions are created in the minds of
the crowd, and then the crowd sees, not
the object itself, but the image evoked
in their minds.
General Wolseley has lately proved
that up to now the gravest errors of
fact have been committed with regard
to the most important incidents Of the
battle of Waterloo-facts that hun
dreds of witnesses had nevertheless at
tested"
'It clearly results from what pre-
cedes that works of history must be
considered as works of pure imagina-
tion. They are fanciful accounts OF its
observed facts. accompanied by explain
ations the result of reflection. Are we
in possession of single word Of truth
concerning the lives Of great men who
have played preponderating parts In
the history Of humanity-men such as
Hercules, Buddha or Mahomet?"
And yet perhaps, their real lives are
OF no consequence to us.
1T Is legendary heroes, and not for
a moment. real heroes. who have i'm
pressed their minds on the crowd"
Napoleon was at first considered a
sort Of idyllic and liberal philanthro-
pist. Thirty years afterwards he was
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