Good long read: The power of crowds

Excellent piece on the history of crowds and why we miss them during the pandemic by Dan Hancox in The Guardian:

If we now have a better grasp of the complexity of crowd dynamics, the core truth about them is relatively simple: they have the potential to magnify both the good and bad in us. The loss of self in a crowd can lead to unthinkable violence, just as it can ecstatic transcendence.

Not enough focus on digital crowds for my taste—we can’t ignore how crowd psychology through social media still works on us even in our individualized digital experiences—but love the exploration of how those in power have both used and vilified crowds throughout history.