Feb 17 2026

How Crowds Work

53 min 2 movies discussed
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If you’ve ever been out of your house you’ve probably been in a crowd before. They can be as mundane as an elevator full of people or as consequential as a mass of protesters. But did you know there’s psychology to crowds? And they follow fluid dynamics?

AI Summary

This episode explores the fascinating science behind how crowds behave, discovering that humans are actually way better at navigating them than you might think. Josh and Chuck dig into crowd physics, psychology, and the surprising truth that people in groups tend to be orderly and cooperative rather than mindless mobs—even when things go wrong. They break down tragic examples like the Astroworld Festival and the Hajj stampede to understand what actually causes crowd disasters, and they reveal how modern crowd management techniques like dialogue teams are way more effective than old-school riot gear at keeping situations peaceful.


Movies Discussed

American Beauty
American Beauty
1999 2h 2m
★ 8.0
"I used to think that was the best movie ever. I don't think it's aged well. — Chuck references the famous plastic bag scene while discussing a mosh pit experience where trash formed a whirlpool." — Chuck
Seinfeld
Seinfeld
1989
★ 8.3
"I couldn't help but think of Elaine Venice the second you mentioned a subway stopping. — Josh references the famous Seinfeld episode where Elaine gets stuck on a malfunctioning subway when discussing emergency group behavior." — Josh

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