Mass hysteria

Description:

All forms of this shared consciousness seem to be manifestations of the prevailing sociopsychosis. There may be a great upsurge of enthusiasm, fear, panic or other emotion which, rather than affecting everyone at once, seems to start on a small scale and spread rapidly to all in the vicinity, engulfing large numbers of people in highly charged emotion. Individuals seem deprived of their senses, behave and speak irrationally and manifest symptoms resembling those of possession; even those simply intending to watch what is happening may be caught up. Mass hysteria has manifested itself in religious wars, witch hunting and flagellation. In more secular terms, it is demonstrated at "pop" festivals, and football matches.

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The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential is a unique, experimental research work of the Union of International Associations. It is currently published as a searchable online platform with profiles of world problems, action strategies, and human values that are interlinked in novel and innovative ways. These connections are based on a range of relationships such as broader and narrower scope, aggravation, relatedness and more. By concentrating on these links and relationships, the Encyclopedia is uniquely positioned to bring focus to the complex and expansive sphere of global issues and their interconnected nature.

The initial content for the Encyclopedia was seeded from UIA’s Yearbook of International Organizations. UIA’s decades of collected data on the enormous variety of association life provided a broad initial perspective on the myriad problems of humanity. Recognizing that international associations are generally confronting world problems and developing action strategies based on particular values, the initial content was based on the descriptions, aims, titles and profiles of international associations.

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Mass hysteria

About the Encyclopedia

About UIA