Lowest Common Denominator - Why?

[Pollux]

Why do groups of people seem to tend towards the lowest common denominator for behavioral standards?

Why does mob mentality always seem to favor cruelty, even when those who a cruel alone are a tiny minority of the whole group?

[Dooey Jo]

The first question you have to ask is if that's really true, that groups tend towards the (I assume) worst behaviour. "Mob mentality" seem to be defined by cruelty so there's no surprise to find that events credited to it are cruel. If a bunch of people got together and started acting as a unit, picking flowers to create a really nice bouquet, I don't think anyone would call it mob mentality (and you'd certainly not read about it in the news). And if we take violent anarchist demonstrations as an example, are the assholes really a minority, or is there actually a majority of bratty and bored youngsters who like to hide behind the relative safety of anonymity and large numbers to throw cobblestones and burn things (ie. are cowardly assholes)?

[metavac]

Why do groups of people seem to tend towards the lowest common denominator for behavioral standards?

Short answer, it's that way by definition.

[Stuart]

Why do groups of people seem to tend towards the lowest common denominator for behavioral standards? Why does mob mentality always seem to favor cruelty, even when those who a cruel alone are a tiny minority of the whole group?

I suggest you read This book by Gustav le Bon that goes into the whole issue of crowd and mob dynamics. in great detail. "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind" is virtually compulsory reading for anybody who wants to start a revolution.

Metavac's right though, a mob is defined as a group of people who have surrendered to their lowest instincts. If they haven't, its not a mob.