Darts and Letters

EP59: January 6th and the Myth of the Mob (ft. James Jasper and Joy Rohde)

Jun 19, 2022
This discussion features James Jasper, a social movement theorist, who critiques crowd theory by exploring the irrational portrayal of crowds throughout history. He challenges the double standards in academic discourse, questioning why leftist movements are often labeled as irrational. Joy Rohde, a historian of social sciences, reveals how military funding has guided social research, impacting public policy and counterinsurgency tactics. Together, they dissect the implications of pathologizing protests and the ongoing fear of mass movements.
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INSIGHT

Crowd Theory Oversimplifies January 6th

  • Academics often explained January 6th with crowd-psychology terms that pathologize participants.
  • James Jasper and Gordon argue this explanation is convenient but ultimately shallow and politicized.
INSIGHT

Scholars Flip Lenses Based On Politics

  • James Jasper says scholars often apply kinder theories to movements they like and harsher theories to movements they dislike.
  • He rejects a single 'group mind' explanation for complex protests like January 6th.
INSIGHT

Ancient Roots Of Crowd Distrust

  • The emotion-versus-reason divide traces back to Plato and shaped elite distrust of crowds.
  • This long intellectual history explains persistent assumptions that crowds are irrational.
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