The Mob

Mob mentality is when a group of people (typically a large group) all follow the same beliefs because it would be easier to go with "the mob" then against it. In The Crucible, Abigail is able to convince almost everyone that the women of Salem are practicing witchcraft. The citizens of Salem believe her because they are scared of what will happen to them if they don't believe her. No one wants to be on the other side of Abigail's wrath so they all choose to believe her even though she is not right. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953 which is around the time people were being accused for being Communists. Republican, Joseph McCarthy, accused many people for being linked to communism during his years as a Wisconsin Senator. If anyone went against McCarthy, he said that he/she was communist. With this, Joseph McCarthy won his role as Senator because he accused his haters of being communists. Many people, in fear of being black listed, supported him and his campaign. This type of thinking is exactly what mob mentality is. People find it hard to go against what is believed or forced upon them by the masses. This situation is very similar to today's world. Bullying is almost everywhere in modern society. Victims are preyed upon by bullies with barely anyone to stick up for them. Why is that? People are scared that they too will be bullied if they stick up for a victim. So my question to you is, How can we stop this mob mentality and learn how to have our own thoughts?