Memories
of farm life are many; some are intensely pleasurable and others are simply
unpleasant. Making applebutter in a caldron
outside on a brisk fall day: that qualifies as pleasurable. Anything to do with hog management qualifies
as unpleasant.
One
such unpleasant event was “driving hogs”, or herding the hogs into a confined
area where they would be sorted by weight.
The hogs weighing 200+ lbs. were sent to market; the others were
reprieved for a while.
To
herd the hogs meant that all seven of our family would start at the far end of
the feed lot where the hogs grazed. We
were spaced evenly across in a line and waved our arms (usually holding long
sticks) while calling “sooooooWEEE”.**
Hogs
were fairly docile at the beginning, but as they reached the other end of the feed
lot where they had to move to the only opening left to them, some of the hogs
got suspicious.
It was
usually a big burly hog with a nasty disposition. He was the leader, and the other hogs
followed him. Blindly so.
This
was the dicey part of herding. Push too
much, and the hogs bolt. Stand back too
far, and they bolt. But, regardless,
whatever that lead hog did, the others did as well.**
Please forgive the way my brain works, but this
segues into my thoughts for this Monday:
The Herd Mentality.
In the
February 2012 Smithsonian magazine, writer Ron Rosenbaum penned a thought-provoking article adapted from his
introduction for the new edition of The
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer. Published initially in 1960, Shirer’s book “…recalls
an important point in historical consciousness…”
Shirer
examined how Hitler and the ‘perfect storm’ of many factors managed to seduce
an intelligent nation of Germans and lead them to do and behave in abhorrent crimes.
There
is no way to summarize Rosenbaum’s article. Here is a closing quote from his article:
“…There is danger in giving up our
sense of self-hood for the illusory unity of a frenzied mass movement, of
devolving from human to herd for some homicidal abstraction. It is a problem we can never be reminded of
enough, and this this we will always owe William Shirer a debt of gratitude…”
Have you ever sensed being part
of a herd? Do we retain our “self-hood”
in this age of digital awareness? With the bombardment of advertisements, do
you find yourself being prepped to purchase something, or behave a certain
way? Man. These are really profound thoughts for a
Monday.
Note: This post in no way advertises this book or advocates these writers. The impressions and conclusions gained from reading this Smithsonian article struck me as timely and important.
**There will be a future post or two about the herding hogs experiences, as some of them were traumatizing and others amusing. SooooWeee is a recognized hog call in the Midwest.
If the connections seem insensitive or rude, please forgive me. Sometimes, especially when standing in a long long line that winds across and back with posts and black straps, I feel that I am being "herded". This perspective comes from farm life and going to DisneyLand.
**There will be a future post or two about the herding hogs experiences, as some of them were traumatizing and others amusing. SooooWeee is a recognized hog call in the Midwest.
If the connections seem insensitive or rude, please forgive me. Sometimes, especially when standing in a long long line that winds across and back with posts and black straps, I feel that I am being "herded". This perspective comes from farm life and going to DisneyLand.
As I read your description of the hogs being herded into the pens to be chosen to live or die, I did relate it to the horrors of The Third Reich. The could be though that I have a program on PBS about that very same subject.
ReplyDeleteRight now, I feel that this necessary, but horrible, election process we are now enduring in the US is about the powers that be behind these two men leading us down a path that best suits them. Not to say we are all hogs, but maybe that is how they all think of us. sooooooooWEEE
You hit the nail precisely. In all elections, we the people are reduced to numbers, a mass of numbers.
DeleteSoooooWEEE, indeed!
Being Jewish by heritage (Christian by upbringing) I made the easy connection from your hog herding illustration to that of what Hitlers did to the Jews. I have a niggling feeling all the time these days that we are being lulled into numbness and dumbness by living in this narcissistic, entertainment-driven, debt-laden, and anti-American propoganda coming from within American schools and government! We only THINK we are an informed nation; if you look at our young people, i am not so sure they know how to think, let alone WHAT to think.
ReplyDeleteThe young are too trusting. They cannot believe the news channels would LIE to them. They cannot believe that thinking and researching about politics is necessary. After all, aren't these politicians looking out for the people?
DeleteThanks for such an incisive comment!
Herd mentality...I've 'herd' of that!! Seriously.....I think I have always been aware of a certain direction everyone else was heading while I was doggedly beating my way against the wave. It's an uneasy but rewarding way to go.
ReplyDeleteAfter spending time in the capital of Switzerland, I discovered how difficult it is to turn around and head the opposite direction in a crowd heading another direction. Fight your way through, Delores!
DeleteMy father was a German Jew, I was interested but certainly not offended by the links you showed between herding (pigs and pork is anathema to the Jews) and the Third Reich. And yes, I do often feel herded. My (possibly contrary) instinct is to behave like the hog with the nasty disposition and to dig in my toes and refuse to go in the direction the rest of the herd seems to be following. Which can be a lonely move.
ReplyDeleteHaving only hogs and three cows on the farm, my experiences were limited. Dad hated sheep (something to do with WW2)so we had hogs. I realized that the hog-reference might offend Jewish people, so I tried to make amends at the end.
DeleteI hope I am like the alpha hog with a nasty disposition. It is a lonely spot.
Those hogs do not sound like fun. Helped out with cows once, that was not fun either haha But yeah heard of the herd thing, people are so much like sheep it isn't funny. They need a cause or something to follow no matter how stupid. Me, pfft it can all take a hike.
ReplyDeleteThe easiest path to take is often the most traveled.
DeleteIn the Smithsonian article, Rosenbaum and Shirer both proposed that Hitler transformed the German people from intelligent people into mindless herds who were easily led. Hitler's endless rhetoric and relentless propaganda stripped the citizens of their unique self-will, molding them into a herd that could be manipulated.
ReplyDeleteI realize that the herd reference could also apply to how the Jewish people were rounded up and murdered.
Whatever interpretation is drawn, becoming part of the herd mentality results in being controlled. I refuse to be part of that herd.
Dear Susan, I found this posting provocative and I'm sitting here now thinking back over my past life. Often I marched to the tune of a different drummer. But sometimes, I just wanted to fit in and so I let myself be herded.
ReplyDeleteToday's election also comes to mind. I so wish we had a third, viable, party. Peace.
In the digital age, I feel I'm less part of a herd due to the freedom of anonymity. That said, I'm also probably put less thought into my words because they're not to anyone's face.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your thought-provoking post, this popped into my mind: You can't soar with eagles if you are content to walk with chickens!
ReplyDeleteHow can I possibly follow what Michelle said?! Sadly, the herd mentality is still prevalent today. There is still so much to be learned from the Holocaust, and new stories from people who were too devasted to talk about it are still coming out. This makes it even more frightening that similar situations are still going on all over the world. This was a very well-written and timely post Susan. On a lighter note, the lines in Disneyland are like herding hogs! Julie
ReplyDelete