Joe Rogan has explained why he avoids protests, arguing that the collective energy of a crowd can trigger the same instincts humans once relied on to survive tribal warfare. During a conversation with Bill Thompson on The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan compared the excitement of fishing with the emotions stirred by large groups marching and chanting. He also suggested that one taps into the instinct to provide for your family while the other can encourage mob mentality.
“Well, I have these comparisons that I do. It’s one of the reasons why I say I never go to protests, because protests are like fishing. This is why. Fishing is a part of your DNA.”
Rogan recalled taking his five-year-old daughter fishing and watching her excitement when she caught a fish. He argued that the thrill comes from an instinctive understanding that catching food means being able to feed your family and survive.
“When my daughter was five was like the first time I took her fishing. When she caught a fish, she was like so excited. It’s in you. You know that catching this thing means your body’s rewarding you with all these good feelings and good endorphins because now you’re going to eat. You’re going to be able to feed your family. You’re going to be able to survive.”
However, Rogan believes the atmosphere at a protest can tap into a very different set of instincts. He compared crowds marching together, chanting slogans, and feeding off each other’s excitement to the mentality of people preparing for conflict.
“When you’re protesting and everyone’s walking down the street chanting and cheering, that’s too much like war.”
Rogan went on to explain how he believes group dynamics can push people toward actions they might never consider on their own. In his view, the sense of belonging to a larger group, particularly one that sees itself as being in opposition to another, can create an atmosphere where emotions escalate and violence becomes more likely.
“When you see people behaving with, you know ‘mob mentality,’ what is that? I’ll tell you what that is. That’s war. That’s your body’s ability to recognize that it’s you with a bunch of other people that are supposedly on your side.”
He continued, “You’re against another team and you’re marching and chanting and screaming and everybody’s hyped up and next thing you know, violence breaks off and everybody gives into that feeling.”
To illustrate his argument, Rogan pointed to people damaging property during demonstrations, questioning why someone would participate in such behavior as part of a crowd when they might not do the same thing alone.
“Why are you doing it with this giant group of people? Yeah. It’s the war thing. It’s just like the fishing thing.”
He added that his concerns apply regardless of the political cause behind a demonstration, mentioning slogans such as “No Kings” and “Free Palestine” as examples of movements that can bring people together in large crowds.
“Whatever it is, whatever it is, you know, no kings, whatever it is, you start marching down the street, free Palestine.”
For Rogan, the underlying mechanism is rooted in humanity’s evolutionary history. He suggested that the same instincts that once helped people survive by rallying together against rival groups can still influence how crowds behave today.
“It’s a normal part of us that allowed us to survive to 2026 with tribal warfare.”
