The tulip speculation refers to a period during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century when the prices for tulip bulbs reached fantastically high levels, followed by a sudden collapse. People from all walks of life, including nobles, merchants, and even common folk began trading tulip bulbs as prices skyrocketed. The market for tulip bulbs became highly speculative, and eventually collapsed in 1637, leading to a sudden and dramatic drop in tulip bulb prices. Many investors and speculators lost considerable wealth in the crash, leading to severe economic repercussions in the Dutch economy.
At the Iroquois Theater in Chicago Illinois on December 30, 1903, a fire broke out during a matinee performance of the musical comedy Mr. Bluebeard when an arc light ignited a curtain on the stage. The fire claimed the lives of at least 602 people in 15 minutes, though the exact death toll may have been higher due to the large number of unidentified victims and the incomplete record-keeping practices of the time.
Patrons rushed to escape the spreading flames and dense smoke. Many of the victims were children and their mothers attending the matinee performance. According to the National Fire Protection Association, it was the deadliest single building fire on record until the tragedy of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
These two seemingly disparate events are connected by the behavior of the crowd. Whether it is tulip exuberance or the panic of fire, crowd behavior is a sociological phenomenon separate and apart from "normal" human behavior. Scottish author and journalist Charles McKay was one of the first to observe and comment on the nature of crowd psychology in his 1841 book Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. Mackay explored a wide range of historical examples of mass hysteria and irrational behavior. He also discusses religious fanaticism, alchemy, and other forms of superstition that have captured the imagination of crowds throughout history.
Gustave Le Bon was a French social psychologist, sociologist, and anthropologist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of crowd psychology and his influential book The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind, originally published in French in 1895. Le Bon believed that people in a crowd exhibit different characteristics and behaviors than they would as individuals, often becoming more suggestible, emotional, and irrational. Le Bon's theories laid the groundwork for the study of social psychology and had a significant impact on our understanding of group dynamics, mass movements, and collective behavior.
Key concepts in Le Bon's theory include:
Anonymity and Contagion: Le Bon believed that individuals in a crowd experienced a loss of individuality and a sense of anonymity. This anonymity, coupled with the close proximity of others, led to a diffusion of responsibility and a weakening of self-control. As a result, individuals became more susceptible to the influence of the crowd, adopting behaviors and emotions that they might not exhibit as individuals.
Suggestibility: According to Le Bon, individuals in a crowd were highly suggestible and prone to adopting the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of others in the group. As a result, individuals were more likely to accept the opinions and actions of leaders or influential members of the crowd, even if those opinions or actions contradicted their own beliefs or values.
Emotional Contagion: Le Bon argued that emotions spread rapidly within a crowd through processes of imitation and reinforcement. Strong emotions, such as excitement, fear, or anger, could sweep through a crowd like a wave, amplifying and intensifying individual emotions. This emotional contagion could lead to collective behavior that was more extreme and irrational than the behavior of individuals acting alone.
Loss of Rationality: In Le Bon's view, the collective mind of a crowd was characterized by a diminished capacity for rational thought and critical judgment. Instead, individuals in a crowd were driven by instinctual impulses, primitive emotions, and the influence of social norms.
When we think about public safety and security in our venues, we have to be reminded that while individuals may be sensible and rational, such rationality is cast aside in the event of an emergency. This is why processes, procedures, and training based on how crowds will react in an emergency is essential. Put simply by Agent K from Men in Black:
Agent J: But why the big secret? People are smart...they can handle it.
Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.
My heart goes out to the victims of the March 22nd shooting at the Crocus City Hall Music Venue in Moscow where 139 people were killed. I am also reminded of a similar event in October of 2002 where 912 hostages were taken at the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow. When it was over, 132 innocent people were killed. Regardless of how much preparation we may strive for, some tragedies are difficult to anticipate, much less prevent.