The Thrill of The Hunt: One Man’s Search for Truth

            The power of group dynamics can quickly become a slippery slope. The Danish film, The Hunt shows the horrible extremes society takes when faced with troubling issues.

            The film starts with a picturesque scene centering around Lucas, a lonely yet good-hearted man working at a Kindergarten. Lucas’ life takes a turn when one of the Kindergartner’s, Klara, accuses Lucas of sexual abuse. All of a sudden, Lucas finds himself alone, betrayed and trapped.

            The remarkable yet frightening outcome of this is how quickly events unfold. One day, Lucas is drinking a beer with his best friend, the next, he’s being accused and exiled. How can someone you trust so quickly become your enemy?

            The answer is group polarization where a group of people’s beliefs will be strengthen if other confirm or agree upon these ideas. This is certainly the case for Lucas. Once Klara releases her lie, it spreads like an epidemic until the whole town knows and shuns Lucas because of it.

            There is also a further level to this, which involves people’s self-fulfilling prophecies. People are engraved with the stereotype that children are innocent and, therefore, don’t lie. And further, they want to protect that innocence. So when they hear such foul and direct words come from a child’s mouth, they automatically assume it to be true. Adult’s, on the other hand, are cunning and know the trick of the trade. Naturally, they will take Klara’s side over Lucas’ because it’s easier for them to believe a child is innocent than a ‘corrupt’ adult.            

            This is a terrifying idea. One’s whole life can be flipped just by one person’s lie. The power that gives people to manipulate and control society makes one squirm uncomfortably. We want so desperately to believe that all people are naturally honest and good, but, in actuality, that is false. And those that suffer most from these acts are often the innocent and good-hearted as seen by Lucas.

            This idea of isolation and exile can also be seen in Timon of Athens. Timon’s generous and kind attitude directly causes his downfall.  As he turns to his (faux) allies for help, they all turn away unwilling to listen to his pleas. They band together similarly as the society in The Hunt do. Clustering together and feeding off one another’s words.

            While these group dynamics seem extreme and unrealistic, they are an everyday occurrence in society. People constantly sway what others believe in order to benefit them as seen in politics, media and the workplace. The best way around these ploys to become better acquainted them to avoid succumbing to the fates of Timon and Lucas.