Theory of the Mass Mind

Thinking about electrons and different kinds of special, and talking some nonsense along the way

Writing these really is a learning experience – just letting my mind loose onto the screen, forgive me

I usually try to write these posts with, at least in small part, the future in mind. The chances are, nobody except me will return to these in the future, which is all good and well. For me, these posts will serve as a reminder of what depraved state of mind I was in at the time, as is the case with the ever changing mind. This being said, I try to write them in a kind of generic style, not really dwelling on my current state of life. Well, that’s my own impression. Perhaps the reality of this is that I do indeed write these in a closed chronic context, limiting its meaning in the moderately distant future. Anyway, all tangents aside, the shelf life of this particular piece will probably only be as long as it takes for anybody reading this to finish studying and enter the actual world of work and self-support.

It begins on a cold February morning, in the rush to get to a ten ‘o’ clock lecture. It wouldn’t be so much of a rush, but arrhythmic sleeping habits often lead to late mornings (or early afternoons). Ordinarily, the situation would cause me to hop onto my bike and pedal manically to university, but since most of it got stolen (yes, most of it. Accept it without question, Prole), the bus has become my life-line for frenzied morning runs. That is not to say I am always like this, I can normally get up with time to spare, and spend the time leading up to the lecture leisurely drinking coffee whilst reading Charlie Brooker, or NewScientist magazine. On this particular morning, I got onto the bus just before it drove off, and I shuffled through the crowded aisle, up the stairs and found a seat somewhere near the back of the bus. It was at this moment, looking around me that a slightly unnerving thought struck me – I am now just a part of the daily commute, just another faceless what’s-his-name in the grey humdrum of modern life? This was a bit early. I am not even 19 yet! However, the thought was shaken off relatively easily, as I reminded myself that things aren’t usually like this.

This did have me thinking for the remainder of the journey about the grand ‘Social Organism’. This is probably reverting back to ‘The Ode’ slightly, but the thought seemed like one to explore. We always look around and see ‘the masses’ as one big mind. A mass of unwavering people all with the same view, drilled into them through whatever means, subtle or blasé. But each and every one of the mass seems to see themselves as an individual. Nobody admits to being one of ‘the masses’, or one of ‘general society’ - that is more or less likening them to a worker ant. An unidentifiable tool of the system. Nobody wants to be that. Even if it is for a greater good. I see myself as an individual, but I am not, of course, alone in this thinking. We all have our reasons for why we are ‘individual’ and they may all be valid. Then again, they may not. Who knows?

So what exactly is this idea of ‘the masses’? And does it exist? By my own reasoning and experience, perhaps it does exist and it doesn’t. My own twisted theory came from physical chemistry; the idea of Van der Waals forces. The conclusion of such odd thoughts wound up to say that we all, at some point, are a part of the faceless social organism. The way in which we end up as a part of this social organism is most likely by chance. I shall briefly explain Van der Waals forces. Without going into too much detail, they originate from the classic model of the atom with a nucleus and its many orbiting electrons. The electrons are all buzzing around at impossible speeds, in all directions around the nucleus. Then, by chance, the electrons all just happen to be in the same place at the same time. So what? I hear you say. Well, all of these electrons being in a particular place at a particular time cause that region of the atom (or molecule) to become negative, and all of the other parts to become relatively positive. This is called a dipole. This has a knock on effect on neighbouring molecules or atoms, as the negative region of the atom/molecule repels all of the electrons on the adjacent atom/molecule, causing them all to migrate to the side of the atom furthest from the original offending electron cloud. Electrons are negative; just like poles on a magnet they will repel other negative electrons. Now a dipole has been created in the adjacent molecule/atom. This can have a knock on effect on all of the surrounding atoms/molecules.

I think of minds to be somewhat like electrons. They’re all whirring on, thinking their own individual thoughts, but at some point all of the minds settle on a single idea though they all arrived at the idea perceivably individually. If enough people think the same idea, this will be noticed by oppositely thinking minds, who will all challenge the opposing idea. The opposing points of view will probably see the other as ‘the masses’ as there appear to be a lot of people thinking in the same way. This state is usually transient as peoples’ minds change or people just lose interest.

So, by this logic of ‘opposing masses’, we’ve all been part of a ‘mass’ at some point. Some masses are larger than others, so from here, ‘the masses’ are the ‘masses’ that outnumber the rest – or look as if they outnumber the rest. Or a few from a particular ‘mass’ stand out for whatever reason – perhaps out of feverent support for their system and this sticks out in peoples’ minds causing anybody who has slightly similar thoughts to be tarnished with the same brush. The people with similar thoughts may not be a part of the mass – in fact, the few sticking out are most likely a minority… or perhaps a large minority… a ‘mediority’. I invented a word for my own use. It’s fun. You should try it, seriously. It’ll make your day.

After this peculiar set of thoughts, I made my way to lectures, and learned all sorts of fascinating facts, but I became aware of my initial gloomy idea again as I sat in Human Physiology and Pharmacology 2. There must have been over 200 of us in that particular lecture, and we all had the lecture handbooks which were in essence reproductions of the PowerPoint slides being displayed. When a particular slide would change, everybody would turn their page in unison. Yes, this is trivial, when do I expect them to turn their page? The sound of 200 people turning their pages at the same time is fairly audible. And I noticed that I was turning my page at the same time as all the rest. This just wouldn’t do! I resorted to hurriedly turning over, slightly before the end of the slide or after everybody had already turned their page. That way I felt slightly out of sync with everyone. I feel better that way. We students see ourselves as a diverse bunch, and we probably are, we probably aren’t, I don’t know that isn’t the topic under discussion currently, but all this will end at some point when we decide to settle down and start our nine to five routine. Sucks. Bummer. Darn. And whatever else people say these days.

But this microscopic act of defiance gave me some hope, and helped me to realise that we are all a majority here. We’re all students. I am a student, just like the thousands of other students here in the university. We all chose this university because we all share some basic thought process, or we share a particular point of view about this university with many other students. The sheer variety of students shows the diversity of ‘masses’ and ‘majorities’ that are around. But these majorities are formed of individuals; individuals who seek to maintain their majority because it is what they believe in, despite their own individuality. The unity in a ‘mass’ can be seen as a good thing, as different individuals put their differences aside to support a common cause, and to even seek out friends. The majority exists as a result of ‘safety in numbers’ and to preserve a common sentiment or belief, not to quash the spirit of the person who feels like they are different. Every individual who may lead some kind of mundane life has their own story to tell. It may not seem spectacular to the great wide world, but their world- their friends, their community, their comrades know the story and its’ history. They share in the moments and they know that that particular story means something special. Not because it is special to the whole world, it probably isn’t special to the whole world. Your first kiss isn’t necessarily going to change THE world. But YOUR world, it will. And to the individual, it is their own personal little world which gives their life meaning, and makes them, at least in their own mind, stand out.