The faceless mob

[MINIme:)]

Anyone watching Derren Brown? It's going to be very interesting how the faceless crowd change their normal behaviour... :eek:

the faceless thing is a bit like being online in fact ... :eek::eek:

lucky you're all nice!! :bigwave:

[MINIme:)]

Just to quickly explain this comment that prob sounds a bit random and nonsensical... Just cos it's interesting really!

The show set out to demonstrate that when 'faceless' or anonymous, perfectly normal, pleasant individuals would begin to act in less nice ways, doing things that were potentially out of character and detrimental to others. It's called deindividuation and was a part of the psychology behind some of the rioting a few months ago as well as the way that people can end up bullying others online and such like.

The studio audience thought they were in a game show, remote controlling things happening to an unwitting guy. They were given masks to wear so that they felt anonymous. They chose what would happen to the guy next and there was always a nice and a not nice option to choose between. The majority of the studio audience invariably chose the not nice option. I could excuse some of it as the audience thinking that nothing bad would really happen as framing him for shoplifting etc could be a bit more candid camera than real what with this being on a game show - but for me it got a bit more alarming when they had someone in his flat bedroom and started shouting for his tv to be smashed up and to go through his drawers while they cheered and clapped. Lines of fun and decency crossed which was exactly what Derren was trying to demonstrate.

Eventually the producers had a stunt man pretend that the guy was knocked down by a car while running away from one of the audience's chosen misfortunes. The horror among the audience was stark as they were instantaneously snapped out of their anonymous fun. The realisation on their faces of what being swept along in an anonymous crowd had led to was striking.

Anyway, you may not find this interesting or thought provoking! I believe that I genuinely wouldn't act like that... but I am pretty sure that a lot of the audience would have thought the same and surprised themselves.

In summary - be nice and say/do nice stuff! :yes nod:

[Neil - TXJ]

It's similar that people do things in a car that they would never do walking down the street. Being in the car gives you a sense of security and detachment.

[MINIme:)]

very true Trigger... a false sense of security and detachment at that.


http://www.channel4.com/programmes/derren-brown/articles/derren-brown-on-channel-4

wee interview.

[Burple]

Excellent episode this week, love the way he just left them with it at the end. Hopefully some of that crowd will think twice now the next time they're faced with a similar situation..

:thumbs up::thumbs up:


Can't wait to go see Derren live again!