《乌合之众·第二编·群体的意见与信念·群体意见与信念的间接因素》第1节
Having studied the mental constitution of crowds and become acquainted with their modes of feeling, thinking, and reasoning, we shall now proceed to examine how their opinions and beliefs arise and become established. The factors which determine these opinions and beliefs are of two kinds: remote factors and immediate factors. The remote factors are those which render crowds capable of adopting certain convictions and absolutely refractory to the acceptance of others. These factors prepare the ground in which are suddenly seen to germinate certain new ideas whose force and consequences are a cause of astonishment, though they are only spontaneous in appearance. The outburst and putting in practice of certain ideas among crowds present at times a startling suddenness. This is only a superficial effect, behind which must be sought a preliminary and preparatory action of long duration. The immediate factors are those which, coming on the top of this long, preparatory working, in whose absence they would remain without effect, serve as the source of active persuasion on crowds; that is, they are the factors which cause the idea to take shape and set it loose with all its consequences. The resolutions by which collectivities are suddenly carried away arise out of these immediate factors; it is due to them that a riot breaks out or a strike is decided upon, and to them that enormous majorities invest one man with power to overthrow a government.
注释摘要
勒庞在这一段里提出了理解群体信念如何形成的核心框架，即远程因素与即时因素的二分法。他要证明的是，群氓看似突然爆发的行动——比如一场暴乱、一次罢工、或者千百万人投票拥戴一个独裁者推翻政府——其实都不能当真按表面上的那种突发性来理解。那种看似一夜之间席卷人群的狂热，底下必定有一个漫长得多的酝酿过程；远程因素的作用就是让土壤变得适合某种观念的种子生根发芽，而即时…