Mass formation totalitarianism, a concept popularised by Professor Mattias Desmet, describes a form of collective hypnosis where a population, feeling isolated and anxious, fanatically embraces a shared ideology or narrative, leading to a willing,, often radical, self-sacrifice of freedom and critical thought.   Key aspects of this theory include: - **Psychological Foundation:** Unlike traditional dictatorship based on fear, this phenomenon builds from within society—when 20% to 30% of people adopt a fanatic belief, the rest often conform. - **The Four Conditions:** It arises when a society suffers from widespread loneliness, a lack of meaning, free-floating anxiety, and generalized frustration. - **The Narrative:** When a media-driven narrative identifies a target for this anxiety and provides a, often draconian, solution, people "connect" to this new ideal, creating a form of group hypnosis that limits critical thinking. - **Technocratic Control:** Today's version is often led not by a single charismatic dictator, but by an alliance of technocrats, media, and experts, making it a "technocratic totalitarianism".  Desmet highlights that this leads to radical intolerance of dissent and a willingness to destroy traditional societal structures to follow the new ideology.