Europe's Mass-Psychosis Getting WORSE | Prof. Mattias Desmet

The most fragile moment in 500 years of Western imperial dominance is also its most dangerous. As power slips away, the masses are forming into a new and frightening way. And it all has to do with psychology. Kyoto University Symposium 2026: "Geopolitics in the Time of Monsters"Presentation 3: Prof. Mattias DesmetWhy do even intelligent people fall for the most ridiculous narratives? At the Kyoto Symposium, Mattias Desmet presents his theory of mass formation, linking loneliness, anxiety and collective identification to propaganda and intolerance. He argues that sincere speech can rebuild human connections and resist destructive conformity. The discussion tests his account against history, modernity, class, racism and contemporary geopolitical conflict. Audience members challenge his assumptions and explore whether psychological explanations can complement structural analysis when diagnosing the dangers facing societies today.Mattias's Links:Official website: https://mattiasdesmet....Substack: https://words.mattiasd...Neutrality Studies Links:Neutrality Studies Substack: https://pascallottaz.s...Support Neutrality Studies: https://neutralitystud...Neutrality Studies shop: https://neutralitystud...Time Stamps00:00 Introduction: diagnosing the patient04:56 Intelligence, conformity and mass formation08:31 Loneliness and the appeal of collective narratives15:56 Intolerance, propaganda and conflict19:39 Sincere speech and rebuilding human connections24:10 Q&A: anxiety and propaganda38:17 History, class and the limits of mass psychology56:40 Belief, experience and the final audience questions