The beaten carcass of an innocent person is gently swaying in the wind. Trampled grass surrounds the tree where the body is hanging. The night before, a frenzied mob came to this spot to take the life of an outsider. The outsider, the one who didn't belong, the one who refused to be just like the rest of them, the one who stood up for what he believed in. The people in the mob built up a level of hatred for the outsider beyond what they ever could have felt on their own. Afterwards, many of the people probably even regretted that they acted in such an outrageous way.

This scene has been repeated countless times in history. It could have been the KKK, the Salem Witch Trials, or even the recent incident in Fallujah, Iraq. This kind of extremist action can only come from a body of people who have briefly lost their individuality and become a herd of unintelligent sheep. With this loss of individuality, they actually gain power. The strength of a mob is one of the hardest things to control. Whether it be a physical, torch-bearing gang of hooligans or a less visible segment of society that feels a need for change (for example, the civil rights movement). In this report, I will explore many of the various aspects of a mob and the mentality that consumes it.