Medical science and the madness of crowds;context for our COVID pandemic years

Abstract

Individual autonomy is fragile.

We must ask whether we have been swept up with ‘ a crowd ‘; perhaps trapped within a ' thought window ', carried by mass narrative, or entranced by the certainty of the totalitarised mind.

Loss of the individual to the group can occur on any scale, from ' group-think ' cognitive bias, through the eager madness of a literal crowd, to the modern global reach of propaganda and technocratic totalitarianism.

Milgram electrocution experiments show potential for the mind to be rapidly totalitarised – the hypnotic, focal enthusiasm of ' engaged followers '.

This work was performed at the time Hannah Arendt coined the term ' banality of evil ' and described a new form of criminal, the bureaucrat.

Totalitarianism is an ever present under current in society and the scientific community is not exempt from the dangers. Strictly enforced bed rest for patients is one of the best known medical mass narratives, responsible for the loss of many lives.

Responses to the COVID pandemic years echo the ideologies of history.

Healthy curiosity, dissent from the main stream and open debate are essential to progress in science and must be welcome at all times.