The Power of the People

I recently read a story about "Occupy Gezi" protests, a movement by tens of thousands of Turkish citizens to save the last public green space in Istanbul. Not only are these protesters braving police violence and aggression and standing up for what they believe in, but they are also banding together as a group of people, as humanity, for a common cause, singing, dancing, camping, and facing their fears together.
The media is being controlled and the spread of the news of police aggression blocked, but the people are persisting in their cause, showing, once again, that the power of humanity is close to unstoppable.
This got me thinking about the well established concept of "mob mentality". We've all heard of it. An individual is civilized, calm, and well-mannered. But when many of these individuals get together, and are angry, then they become a ruthless band of crazed lunatics, doing despicable things that they would never even consider doing as individuals.
But I believe that mob mentality has a flip side. I believe that when people get together for something they believe in, they give each other strength, hope, and a level of courage that an individual would never be able to muster. Humans rely heavily on companionship and support, and our confidence and conviction is the foundation for any action. We give each other the strength to produce this action, and it's a positive feedback system: my hand helps you up and yours keeps me standing.
People as a unit can also, clearly, accomplish what a lone person cannot. This provides the stimulus for actual change, bringing me back to my original point: people, together, can accomplish anything.
A person can act. People can change.
I send my prayers to the protesters in Istanbul and hope that all of you reading this will spread the word about their cause.