The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind

By: Gustave Le Bon

Narrated by: Joseph Gomez

The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind is a seminal work on crowd psychology by Gustave Le Bon (1841-1931), a French social psychologist. He observes that a crowd forms when an influential idea unites a number of individuals and prompts them to act towards a common goal. In a crowd, the conscious personality of the individual is submerged and dominated by the collective mind. Furthermore, every sentiment becomes contagious to a degree that individuals readily sacrifice their personal interest to the collective. Le Bon discusses the general characteristics, ideas, reasoning power, imagination, morality and mental unity of the crowd, including the behavior of criminal juries and parliamentary assemblies. Crowds often act in an immoral manner because mankind’s primitive instincts that lie dormant in the isolated individual, are unleashed by the dynamics of the crowd. Le Bon’s fascinating work also examines the ways in which a nation’s generally accepted beliefs influence the processes of history.

Public Domain (P)2019 Museum Audiobooks

Oftentimes feels like a mouthful

The content of this book is the first thing that stands out, but deciphering that content might take a little rereading. Solid messages, references, descriptions, all to say it could stand to be a bit clearer. Reader did a great job, I think I may have just had trouble with his specific voice.

startlingly prophetic and accurate

If I'd read this book back in 2015, I probably would've dismissed parts of it as outdated Victorian thinking—overly cynical about crowds, emotion-driven masses, and the fragility of reason in groups. But having just finished it in 2025, I'm floored by how accurate Gustave Le Bon was over 130 years ago.

Crowds never change

Very interesting book, especially for being over 125 years old. While the political musings of Le Bon are up for debate, the inherent psychology of the crowd is not, for it has never changed, and likely never will.

Now one of the most quotable books in my collection. Highly recommended, but be aware of the nuances of the time and place this was originally written. The fundamentals are all there, however, for the defense of crowd manipulation at the individual level as well as for the manipulation of the crowd from the perspective of power.

4.5 / 5

A must read in terms of group psychology....

At our current moment in history, this book speaks volumes. I'd say that we are at a huge turning point and this book showcases things that at this moment, ring alarm bells. Worth listening to thrice....

Written over 100 years ago - parts could have been written yesterday

Mob mentality could have been to subtitle and not much was new - but this is an old book.

There were some outdated beliefs expressed by the author, but it was interesting when you remembered the era in which this book was written.

You’ll be hard pressed not the think of the January 6 events when reading much of this book.