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Animosity
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Animosity by James Newman
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Scot wrote: "Nikki wrote: "Finished and really irritated by this read. Not in the unsettling way, but in the "for real?!?! way. So many unbelievable moments. One situation that did it for me was when Karen came..."It's all good, Scot. On to the next! ;)
Eat.Sleep.Lift.Read. wrote: "The Ending?!Actually the whole story...
I totally agree~
Mod
It happens every day.
Same dynamic as a riot.
Sorry you all didn't enjoy it.
Jon Recluse wrote: "It's possible.It happens every day.
Same dynamic as a riot.
Sorry you all didn't enjoy it."
Not to this extreme. If it was, it was stretched to the thinnest believability point in existence. Rioter's go home, get tired, are real people with real reactions. Some of these characters did not react in a human way. These folks were possessed. It would have been more realistic if there was a (view spoiler) driving them past rationality.
I'm not sorry I read it, it just had a lot of flaws.
To each his own and whatnot ;)
Mod
We have to board up businesses for "peaceful" parades.
And, since you are on Facebook, you know mindless hate doesn't sleep. It spreads like a plague.
:)
Mod
We have to board up businesses for "peaceful" parades.
And, since you are on Facebook, you know mindless hate doesn't sleep. It spreads like a plague.
:)"
Mob mentality.
Mod
People who don't know each other or their victims have banded together and killed.
Flash mobs, wildings....pick a label. It starts, it spreads like wildfire.
Mod
People who don't know each other or their victims have banded together and killed.
Flash mobs, wildings....pick a label. It starts, it spreads like wildfire."
I guess that's why I could see this happening....the individual's "lose" themselves in the bonding of the mob, and just....act--
I just finished this and I have to say I found the last 1/3 to be a bit over the top but it was compulsive reading and I couldn't stop until the end. (view spoiler)The only time I got annoyed with Andrew was when I thought he overreacted more at the beginning of when things turned sour.
I agree with Jon and Kimberly about the mob mentality, people have banded together and hurt or killed innocent people because they believed an individual had committed a crime. There have been cases in Oz of mobs setting fire to houses of suspected paedos but got the wrong house or the fire blazed out of control destroying other peoples property.
Kate.As a dog owner I find it hard to believe that anybody who called their dog their 'best friend' would keep it outside in the first place.
As far as 'mob mentality', 'riots' and 'flash mobs' go - I get that, and I know it happens but Newman didn't do enough to make us believe that these people would subscribe to it let alone act on it.
A pregnant woman, am army 'vet', school teachers...and let's not forget they knew he didn't do it.
Mod
So do cat owners.
Who they are on the surface doesn't matter, and once they start, what they "know" goes out the window.
They become what they really are. Viscious lemmings.
The fact that mob mentality has to be explained here is a testament to the author's ineffectiveness to portray the scenario in a believable manner. For someone who knows not of mobs might find the unwarranted behavior of the neighbors unsubstantiated and far-fetched.Still, there were many other moments in this story that didn't come across as realistic (as I spoilered above). This was just a major one, in my opinion.
Mod
Personally, I thought it was a spot on mirror of society's irrationality.
Like Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Shouldn't be. Can't be.
But there it is.
Jon Recluse wrote: "Okay.Personally, I thought it was a spot on mirror of society's irrationality.
Like Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Shouldn't be. Can't be.
But there it is."
I've been around that type of stuff (not so far as murder)... beatings, rape and whatnot. For someone who doesn't live near/see/hear about that type of stuff, they would be astounded to know it happens around us all the time in the most unlikely of places.
Just knowing that one of the neighbors lost someone didn't justify it for me.
Always a pleasure to debate with you, my friend :)
Mod
Personally, I thought it was a spot on mirror of society's irrationality.
Like Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Shouldn't be. Can't be.
But there it is."
I've been aroun..."
Right back atcha, Nikki. :)
How about this,We all know anybody can get caught up (mob mentality) in a spare of the moment situation, a riot for example.
However, what happened to the writer dude was a sustained 'attack' over days. This, in my mind, rules out the whole 'mob mentality' factor.
Agreed. I said something similar above, ESLR.
Mod
The Satanic Cult molestation case fits the bill. California, 1983.
One lie destroyed countless lives and a whole community.
All the way to the court system.
Mass hysteria.
The effects linger to this day.
Jon Recluse wrote: "Sustained attack.....sure.The Satanic Cult molestation case fits the bill. California, 1983.
One lie destroyed countless lives and a whole community.
All the way to the court system.
Mass hyster..."
Agreed, mob mentality is not just a spur of the moment act. It can start with just one or two people who then spread misinformation and propaganda to get the desired effect.
Mod
Whispers behind hands, lies evolving into worse lies....becoming "facts".
Small town "secrets" reaching critical mass.
Mob mentality carried the Nazis into war and atrocities for a decade or so. I don't think spontaneity is a pre-condition for that kind of behavior. I also wouldn't expect vandals to murder my dog.
No one brought up the demonization of the horror community. Wasn't that a major theme here?
Mod
I believe it was. I liked how (view spoiler)
11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Mob mentality carried the Nazis into war and atrocities for a decade or so. I don't think spontaneity is a pre-condition for that kind of behavior. I also wouldn't expect vandals to murder my dog."I would. Break-in happen all the time and pets are hurt for getting in the way.
How is that hard to believe, but a mob of normally sound middle/upper class folks (view spoiler) be easily believable?
It was more like mass hysteria (mass hysteria n.
A socially contagious frenzy of irrational behavior in a group of people as a reaction to an event.) than mob mentality.
Nikki wrote: "11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Mob mentality carried the Nazis into war and atrocities for a decade or so. I don't think spontaneity is a pre-condition for that kind of behavior. I also wouldn't expect v..."Solid argument. Now I have to look up mob mentality and mass hysteria. I thought they were kinda the same thing :p
Mod
Group overreaction to a stimulus resulting in irrational or dangerous behavior.
11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Nikki wrote: "11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Mob mentality carried the Nazis into war and atrocities for a decade or so. I don't think spontaneity is a pre-condition for that kind of behavior. I also wou..."Thank you, kind sir :) They are close.
Some great discussion over the last few days even if we haven't always agreed with each others points. I'm very interested to hear what Tressa thinks about the book.
If anyone would like to do another buddy read I'm keen to hear some suggestions.
Indeed. Good discussion. We'd probably need to read up on, Herd behaviour, Herd mentality, Mob mentality and Mass hysteria.
I'm sure they all have their own wonderfully obtuse definitions but for me, once a person has had time to reflect on their actions they have only one person to blame.
Anyway, Newman is a good writer and I've read Ugly as Sin, which I loved, and I recommend it to all of you.
Animosity is $.99 today on Amazon, US at least[Lurking]
I'm sorry you didn't get the same enjoyment out of Animosity, Nikki. I can understand your dissatisfaction though.