《乌合之众·第三编·不同群体的分类与描述·选举群体》第6节
"The committee is at length installed as best it may be in the midst of the tumult, and the right to speak devolves upon `Comrade' X. "The orator starts a vigorous attack on the socialists, who interrupt him with shouts of `Idiot, scoundrel, blackguard!' &c., epithets to which Comrade X. replies by setting forth a theory according to which the socialists are `idiots' or `jokers.'" "The Allemanist party had organised yesterday evening, in the Hall of Commerce, in the Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple, a great meeting, preliminary to the workers' fete of the 1st of May. The watchword of the meeting was `Calm and Tranquillity!' "Comrade G---- alludes to the socialists as `idiots' and `humbugs.' "At these words there is an exchange of invectives and orators and audience come to blows. Chairs, tables, and benches are converted into weapons," &c., &c. It is not to be imagined for a moment that this description of discussion is peculiar to a determined class of electors and dependent on their social position. In every anonymous assembly whatever, though it be composed exclusively of highly educated persons, discussion always assumes the same shape. I have shown that when men are collected in a crowd there is a tendency towards their mental levelling at work, and proof of this is to be found at every turn. Take, for example, the following extract from a report of a meeting composed exclusively of students, which I borrow from the Temps of 13th of February, 1895:--
注释摘要
这段文字是勒庞论证选举群体特征时引用的新闻简报式记述，其功能在于提供他所谓“选举集会从不进行理性讨论”的经验证据。勒庞要证明的核心主张是：选举群体虽然属于异质性群体，但同样表现出推理能力薄弱、批判精神缺失、易怒、轻信与头脑简单的特征，而这些特征在集会现场的行为中表露无遗。他摘录的这一幕——委员会在喧嚷中勉强组建，演讲者与听众互相以“白痴”“恶棍”“无赖”等…