《乌合之众·第二编·群体的意见与信念·群体的领袖及其说服手段》第2节
The leaders we speak of are more frequently men of action than thinkers. They are not gifted with keen foresight, nor could they be, as this quality generally conduces to doubt and inactivity. They are especially recruited from the ranks of those morbidly nervous, excitable, half-deranged persons who are bordering on madness. However absurd may be the idea they uphold or the goal they pursue, their convictions are so strong that all reasoning is lost upon them. Contempt and persecution do not affect them, or only serve to excite them the more. They sacrifice their personal interest, their family--everything. The very instinct of self-preservation is entirely obliterated in them, and so much so that often the only recompense they solicit is that of martyrdom. The intensity of their faith gives great power of suggestion to their words. The multitude is always ready to listen to the strong-willed man, who knows how to impose himself upon it. Men gathered in a crowd lose all force of will, and turn instinctively to the person who possesses the quality they lack. Nations have never lacked leaders, but all of the latter have by no means been animated by those strong convictions proper to apostles. These leaders are often subtle rhetoricians, seeking only their own personal interest, and endeavouring to persuade by flattering base instincts. The influence they can assert in this manner may be very great, but it is always ephemeral. The men of ardent convictions who have stirred the soul of crowds, the Peter the Hermits, the Luthers, the Savonarolas, the men of the French Revolution, have only exercised their fascination after having been themselves fascinated first of all by a creed. They are then able to call up in the souls of their fellows that formidable force known as faith, which renders a man the absolute slave of his dream.
注释摘要
在这一段里，勒庞试图描绘出能够主导群众的那种领袖所具备的内在特质。他要论证的核心是：真正能搅动人群灵魂的领袖，与其说是深思熟虑的思想家，不如说是一群被某种理念彻底催眠的行动者。勒庞用了一个相当引人注目的描述，说这类人往往是从那些神经质、容易激动、心智濒临错乱的群体中招募的。他举的例子指向了历史上那些狂热的信念传播者：彼得隐修士、路德、萨伏那罗拉，以及法国大…