“Whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit.”
— Charles Mackay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841)
This quote—shared in Gary Marcus’s critique of today’s AI frenzy—makes me want to read Mackay’s 1841 study of mass hysteria. Though I haven’t yet explored his analysis of tulip mania or witch trials, its relevance to our AI moment is unmistakable:
Three Echoes Across Centuries
- Gold Rushes: From Dutch tulip bulbs to AI startups, speculative fever repeats.
- Herd Dynamics: Social media amplifies today’s AI debates, mirroring Mackay’s “madness in herds.”
- Ethical Alchemy: Visionaries promise transformation; critics warn of unintended consequences.
Mackay’s work whispers: Question hype, seek nuance, and remember—we’ve danced this dance before.
#AIHype #CollectiveMadness #HistoryRepeats
A nudge from Gary Marcus’s writing to revisit old wisdom. Explore more at Humanovate.com.
