One of the most pathbreaking studies about classical conditioning was done by Ivan Pavlov.  In Pavlov’s experiment—the one he’s known for—he used a combination of food (the stimulus) and a bell (neutral).  Pavlov’s dogs would only salivate at the sight or smell of food.  The dogs would not salivate at the sound of the bell.  However, when the bell was rung when food was served, the dogs began to salivate at the sound of the bell.  Originally, the bell was neutral, but became a stimulus.  The dogs were conditioned.

I understand this is not a full description of Pavlov’s famous experiment, but I believe it explains an enormous amount about the herd.  I’ll use bathrooms as an example.  Bathrooms were originally neutral.  If anyone discussed bathrooms at a much earlier date, nobody’s emotions were aroused.  If a herdsmen discussed the federal budget, emotions were aroused.  Now, when bathrooms are discussed, emotions are aroused.  It was made into a political issue.  Bathrooms became a stimulus.  The herd was conditioned to arouse emotions at the sound of the word.  To simplify, the decision has been removed from the property owner and conflict has been institutionalized.

It should be clear to the reader, that herdsmen create a stimulus for a particular issue just as Pavlov had done with the dogs.  This raises many concerns.  Why does the herd allow politicians to arouse envy and other emotions and not brain activity?  They are essentially allowing the herdsmen to lead them to the slaughterhouse, and they go in voluntarily.  The herdsmen had to discover this just like Pavlov.  Politicians would make their speech, and they found champions of the sick were the ones elected.  Why are people voting with their emotions and not their brain?

I believe it is a few reasons.  The herd is not equipped mentally.  They rely on their wicked herd instincts.  Herd instinct is a regression of mental faculties and leads to de-civilization, a reverse natural selection.  Failure to be mentally equipped boils down to poor education.   Education should teach you judgment, not how to swallow ideas whole.  A proper education would diminish the herd.  The masses have not been prepared to weigh ideas, only repeat readymade ones.  Envy has been institutionalized along with conflict.

 Envy is being angry at another because they have more than you.  It is not about you having more or a better life, but them having less.  Helmut Schoeck said, “The envious man thinks that if his neighbor breaks a leg, he will be able to walk better himself.”  Now, I’m not referring to undeserved good, that’s indignation.  Envy is negative feelings towards someone’s deserved good fortune.   Envy and indignation are vastly different. 

This raises even more concerns.  Why is schooling so inefficient?  Sure, it has a noble purpose, but it isn’t about education.  Why do people accept this?  Why can the envious man vote away another’s property? The herdsmen campaign on protecting the herd against those who are industrious and others.  This creates a lower standard of living.  Why do the masses want what is bad for them?  

This raises far too many concerns to be addressed here.  The point of this article was to demonstrate the masses have been conditioned just as the dogs were in Pavlov’s famous experiment.  All the politician has to do is make the issue a political one.  Meanwhile, nearly every issue has been made into a political one.   The masses have become Pavlov’s sheep.