The Northern Review

Over the past three months I have been reading the main blogs which address the Scruggs Matter. Every one of the them is against Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs and Sidney Backstrom. Also, those who comment at these blogs predominently share in the theme of the blog.

One would have thought there would be more balance and would have thought more balance in the comments generated by the entries in the blogs.

Every now and then a comment will be entered which is balanced or is clearly “on the side of the defendants.” Such a comment will be rejected at one of the main blogs. On another, such a comment may generate further comment and that is good. Folo, though pretty one-sided, allows for such comments. The commentator has to have a thick skin though from time to time because true-believer Scruggs detractors will add their comments in opposition. Sometimes the counter - comments can get a bit dicey.

There is some human nature at work here. I think our aggression instinct comes into play in such matters. I also think our desire to be a part of a group enhances these instincts of aggression. See, Gustav le Bon, The Crowd (1895); See also, S. Freud, Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego (1821).

So what have we? Yet another example of the “True Beiever” phenomenon. See Eric Hoffer, The True Believer (1951) ; Wikipedia, The True Believer; see also, S. Freud, Civilization and its Discontents (1930).