Mob Mentality and Vanderpump Rules

    In his Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen YouTube video, Andy Cohen asks, “Many of your castmates have had differing views on, kind of, the ‘mob mentality’ against Tom and Raquel. Some think they deserve it, some think they’ve gone too far. Where do you stand on the matter?” (2023) to Ariana Madix. Before getting to her answer and to the topic of this post, “mob mentality and social media”, let me provide some context. 

    Ariana Madix is a cast member of the Bravo show, Vanderpump Rules, where controversy has stricken not only the entire Vanderpump Rules world but the entire Bravoverse! While there are many layers to this story, the quickest summary is that Ariana Madix’s partner of 9 years cheated on her with her best friend, both of whom were on the show. This all leads up to a three-part reunion starting next week that has the Bravo fans on the edge of their seats. Bravo fans, similar to any fanbase, are not silent on the matter, though, as they have taken to several social media spaces to voice their discontent towards the ex-boyfriend and best friend. This discontent is what Andy alludes to as the “mob mentality”. Mob mentality in social media is not a new concept, though it may be a new term. 

    While this specific case sees it come to fruition with rampant hate towards these cast mates, people swarming the internet to express their feelings has always existed. Whether everyone is frustrated with elections, road closures, or menu changes, people have a space to express their discontent or content, based on their lived experiences and beliefs. This turns into a mob mentality not from the expression of similar beliefs, but from a conglomerated effort to disvalue another’s beliefs. It is a group effort and does not necessarily indicate a bad thing. Further, context determines the mob mentality’s connotation. While a mob mentality should not be the starting point of anyone’s beliefs on a matter, becoming part of a collective group think feels almost impossible. 

    #TeamAriana has flooded my TikTok and accordingly she responds, “...I just see people who are affected by something that and who have opinions and they have every right to voice those opinions” (Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, 2023). We know from the conversations block in the honeycomb of social media that people in the limelight and their followers are all going to contribute to the reputation, also in the honeycomb of the person the famous person is either supporting or against (Kietzmann et al., 2011). Everything is reflective of conversation and the conversation of the show only exacerbates negative feelings online. Authentic beliefs can lead to community, but building a community by building your beliefs around the communities is where the mob mentality can begin to become toxic. 

Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media Links to an external site. . Business Horizons, 54(3), 241-251. doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2011.01.005 

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. (2023, May 18). Ariana Madix on Tom Sandoval’s Lack of Emotion | WWHL [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfhITXAIko4