Triggered

I have seen the malevolence in the eyes of humans when my house was attacked by a mob in 2013. The increase in the number of mob violence cases In India has triggered me to write this.

I've come up with a few possible explanations to describe the types of people in a mob.

The ignorant: These are people who will believe every fake news and rumor. Imagine someone forwards your picture with a label 'child trafficker /terrorist /beef smuggler /etc'. There will be thousands of people who will believe the forwarded message rather than question its authenticity. Within a few minutes, your picture would go viral, thanks to the astounding number of stupid people.

The spineless: Mobs comprise of people who are gullible and cannot think for themselves. They cannot debate intellectually nor have the courage to fight it out legally. They would rather flex their muscles to live with the lie than accept the truth.

The fools: Mobs also consists of people who operate through emotions rather than reason. In other words, they lack the capacity to think rationally. Hence they are easily provoked by rumors and false news.

The bloodthirsty: These include people who lack conscience and are driven by their violent impulses. Mobs give them a channel to vent these impulses. These psychopaths are also skilled at instigating others to become part of the crime.

The hidden: Mobs allow a certain amount of anonymity to the people involved. You can't catch everyone who is part of a mob especially if it involves hundreds of people. These are those who love the thrill of committing a crime and still go scot-free.

The bootlickers: People who want to display their loyalty will also join the perpetrators to show their support even if they have the slightest realization that the victim is innocent. These include blind worshippers of corrupt people especially corrupt politicians. Like the spineless, the bootlickers will nod their heads in affirmation to the crime they have been asked to commit.

The anti-social: People who refuse to obey laws would choose violence as an intimidation tactic. My house was pelted with stones on the 26th of May, 2013 by a mob of around 150 people. And this happened in the presence of the Goa police. Why? As a retaliation to the court battle which my dad is fighting single-handedly against the illegalities and misuse of the open spaces that are in front of my house.

God forbid any of these people came knocking at your door. Reading about mob violence in the newspapers or watching it on television is exceedingly disturbing but experiencing it, is very traumatic.

What's the solution?

Education and awareness - I cannot stop emphasizing how important it is to educate yourself and those around you. Just because you find some news on the internet doesn't mean it's true. Verify the facts and research.

Develop critical thinking skills - Question the intention of the news you hear or read. Question the intention of the person/s spreading the rumor. Teach your children and students to think critically rather than follow others blindly or believe everything that they hear.

Choose your company carefully - Keep distance from the types of people, I've mentioned above. You don't want to be influenced by their pattern of thinking or behaving even more so if you're a highly suggestible person.

Don't take the law into your hands - According to the Supreme Court of India, "mob violence is a crime irrespective of the motive". Nobody has the right to harm another human being or damage their property. Period.