In a civilized society this is a problem. There’s a big problem now in the inner city where crime information is withheld simply because “no snitching” is the prevailing mode even as neighborhoods are destroyed by the very people who are effectively protected by the bystanders who won’t report on them, even anonymously.

“”"”Bandwagon effect — the tendency to do (or believe) things because many other people do (or believe) the same. Related to groupthink, herd behaviour, and manias.”"”"

Business often relies on that effect, I believe: advertisers depend on hype and a certain market-mania, regardless if they are pitching hewlett-packards drives or hula hoops. The entertainment business of course also very big on creating consumer crazes (it’s not just Revenge of the Jedi or Lord of the Rings movie-spectacle, but Revenge of the Jedi and/or Hobbit t-shirts, a travel cup at Burger Mart, action figure, screensaver, etc.).

The same sort of mania can be perceived on leftist sites, however. The infatuation with the demonic Cheney (and other conservatives) seems related to that Bandwagon effect. Let’s grant that Dick Cheney is not exactly an admirable person. Perhaps he and the Bush Admin. as a whole are guilty of misrepresenting the danger of the Baathists, or of lax security prior to 9-11, other lapses of political ethics. Nonetheless, the leftist blogs such as DailyKOS are not overly concerned with verifying any specific accusations of wrongdoing brought against Cheney and the Bush admin. (or for that matter, against the leading democrats who went along with the war effort (and still do)).

The Kossack sort of hysteria instead depends on creating this maniacal hatred of Cheney, via cartoonish images, endless insults, defamation, mockery. The factual issues are swept aside, and the cyber-vigilantes call for his hanging, 24/7. Even if one agrees that investigations are in order, the mania and hysterical hatred should be objected to. Some of the AGW people’s resistance to any skepticism towards Gore and IPCC demonstrates a similar sort of dogmatic group behavior; though of course one sees dogmatic group thinking among Xtian fundamentalists for that matter. The groups’ accepted dogma or ideology (whether the group leans left or right, secular or religious) often takes priority over mundane concerns with facts, evidence, data, etc.

Indeed, the “bandwagon effect”, at least in its more severe forms might be a precursor to mob behavior, or what Nietzsche termed “herd mind.” Nietzsche was aware of the sans-cullottes, who during riots during the French Revolution more or less broke into the mansions of the wealthy and and dragged the Marquis and his family to the guillotine. That herd mind might manifest itself at a political riot, or at sporting events, rock concerts, what have you. A similar sort of maniacal groupmind was to be noted during the LA riots of 92.