Page 141 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6
P. 141
alternative viewpoints. Mass Trance comes to a climax when actively suppressing dissenting
viewpoints, and by isolating MORB-ID states protecting it from outside influences. MORB exists
in the Mass Trance due to the non-recognition that its identity lives within internal dialogue (ID).
In the social sciences, a social group has been defined as two or more people who interact
with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Other
theorists disagree however and are wary of definitions which stress the importance of
interdependence or objective similarity. (Turner, 1982; Platow, Grace, & Smithson, 2011) Instead,
researchers within the social identity tradition generally define it as "a group is defined in terms of
those who identify themselves as members of the group". (Reicher, 1982) Regardless, social
groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties. For example, a society can be viewed as a large
social group and within it a plethora of others by various definitions so why not MORBs?
The societal context of residing comfortably or numbly within the Mass Trance requires
individuals to avoid ‘rocking the boat’ by raising controversial issues or alternative solutions, and
therefore this tapestry of social fabric results in a loss of individual creativity, distinguishing facts
and independent thinking. When MORB is worn out from the daily stresses of life and overworked
and unable to ‘win the rat race’ impoverished media distractions may further indulge conformist
safe-wishful thinking furthering the Mass Trance ideology by ‘alluding’ blame to outer fallacies.
It isn’t a populace living in ‘illusion’ but ‘Allusion’ to what is perceived out there beyond grasp.
The dysfunctional aspect of Mass Trance dynamics reveals that the "ingroup" produces an
"allusion of invulnerability" (an inflated certainty that the right decision has been made) which
perhaps forms the complacent crux of perpetual Mass Trance. MORB thinks through its perceived
association that the "ingroup" has their best interest significantly overrates its own abilities in
knowing what is considered ‘right’ and underrates the abilities of its opponents (the "outgroup").
122