The collective inability to critically interpret reality, combined with a gradual cultural impoverishment, can give rise to a social phenomenon akin to a mass pathology: humanity, stripped of the tools of complex thought, tends to seek out reassuring shortcuts—among them, the figure of the “strong leader.”
This article explores, from a psychosocial and anthropological perspective, the link between disinformation, cultural regression, and the rise of authoritarian dynamics in contexts of collective cognitive fragility.
When Thought Withdraws
Culture is not a luxury: it is a vital function of collective intelligence. When it is neglected, transmitted superficially, or systematically devalued, the social body becomes vulnerable to cognitive regression.
Like an organism that loses muscle tone through atrophy, a society that stops exercising critical thinking develops a structural weakness that manifests pathologically: the inability to navigate without a guide perceived as an authority.
The “Strong Leader” as a Symptom
The desire for a dominant and decisive figure is not, in itself, pathological; it becomes so when it arises from a cognitive and emotional void. In conditions of cultural deprivation, the average individual loses trust in complexity, in mediation, in the diversity of viewpoints.
This increases the need to delegate thought to another, idealized entity—someone who promises order, certainty, and immediate solutions.
This mechanism resembles a form of collective psychological regression, where anxiety and insecurity find relief not in understanding, but in the extreme simplification of reality. Culture is no longer seen as a tool of liberation, but as an obstacle—or worse, a threat.
Disinformation as a Systemic Virus
Disinformation functions like a systemic virus: it attacks discernment, replaces knowledge with opinion, and reality with distorted perception.
It is a slow but constant process, exploiting the fragility of the isolated individual and transforming them into part of the “herd,” unable to say “I think,” and instead repeating “they say.”
Numerous studies in neuroscience and sociology show that the repetition of simplified, emotionally charged, and polarizing content stimulates areas of the brain associated with instinctive reactions, while reducing activity in those responsible for analysis and critical judgment.
In this context, freedom itself becomes a burdensome concept—no longer desirable, but almost bothersome.
Culture as a Form of Prevention
Investing in culture does not simply mean promoting reading or the arts—it means providing antibodies against manipulation. Education in critical thinking, a habit of questioning, and the value of debate are tools of collective mental hygiene.
Accurate, verifiable, and accessible information is the nourishment of a healthy democracy, capable of withstanding crises without collapsing into a compulsive need for salvific simplifications.
Humanity as a Herd: A Drift, Not a Destiny
A society that turns into a herd is not fulfilling a destiny—it is following a dangerous drift. Like any pathological condition, it can be prevented, and in the most severe cases, treated.
But the cure is neither quick nor painless: it requires time, investment, and responsibility. We can no longer afford to view culture as an “accessory” of society. On the contrary, it is its invisible backbone.
Only a collective capable of independent thought can live in freedom. And only those who are truly free can recognize the danger of a freedom perceived as a threat to be avoided.