The hazards of local popularism (made up word I think). I am popular, so only my opinion counts = he is popular so only his opinion counts, so we must vote for him/her/it. What do you know I didn't make up the word.
The definition I found for popularism is: any political doctrine chosen to appeal to a majority of the electorate.
A simple google search.
But yeah, when we as a group get to big, then things tend to fall apart to the vocal, (very vocal in some cases), popularism think.
Society seems to be collapsing in on itself, while trying to be everything to everyone. I don't think it is the people that are lost, but the idea of society that has been lost.