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Chapter 4263 Collective and Individual
Chapter 4263 Collective and Individual
Angel's answer stunned the Mind Flayer examiner for a second.
Judging from its reaction, it seems that it did not expect that Angell would firmly stand on the position of "collective consciousness" and not even leave itself any room for ambiguity.
The Mind Flayer looked at the imposing Angel with a probing gaze: "What's the reason?"
Without any hesitation, Ingres stated bluntly: "Because in my view, a collective consciousness composed of pure, harmonious, and ruthless logic can eliminate the greatest internal friction of civilization—"
After a pause, Angell slowly gave his answer: "For example, the infighting between individuals, and the confusion and indecisiveness in decision-making."
The Mind Flayer didn't speak, but simply stared at Angor.
"Imagine a kingdom that should be striving for progress, but if every person with a little power in each region has their own ideas and believes that they are the one who can reach the top, then the kingdom will be divided into warlords and fall into endless infighting. Even if the ruler can use the balance of interests and the power of force to suppress the various regions, this can only be a temporary measure, not a permanent one."
"Once a spark is ignited in the wasteland, it is hard to extinguish. Even if a torrential rain falls, after the rain stops, there will always be sparks that rise again and reignite the raging flames."
"The tragedy of individual consciousness lies here: inflated ambition is like an inextinguishable spark, always feeling that it can take over, always feeling that it should have a place in the heavens."
"One after another, they completely ignored the fact that the wasteland was becoming more and more desolate under the flames, until it became a dead wasteland."
As Angell finished speaking, he couldn't help but reveal a sorrowful and compassionate sigh.
It was as if I were one of those countless beings being burned by flames.
After a sigh, Angell changed the subject: "But if there were a pure, harmonious, and even seemingly ruthless collective consciousness to manage this wasteland, it would never have been so wasteful, nor would it have set off such a raging fire. An absolutely wise king would have led the entire tribe to ascension, rather than destroying its own civilization in internal strife."
Ingres's viewpoint is not new.
However, his focus was on the fact that the "King" would lead the entire clan to develop, which was precisely the foundation of the Mind Flayer clan.
It could be said that his words resonated perfectly with the Mind Devil examiner.
However, this single point of agreement is not enough to make it fully accept.
The Mind Flayer examiner's countless eyes were focused on Ingres. It did not offer any evaluation or rebuttal to Ingres's account, but simply said, "Art."
“Individual consciousness in civilization will always generate amazing ideas and create great art and superhuman skills, which are the treasures of civilization.”
"How can these things exist in your 'kingdom of efficiency'?"
Its implication is that a civilization based on collective consciousness may stifle cultural treasures.
If it were other test-takers, they might feel that the Mind Flayer was standing on the side of "individual consciousness civilization," and begin to waver in their own stance.
But Angell was different. Knowing the answer, he knew exactly how to respond in a way that would appeal to the examiner.
“Art?” Ingres sighed softly. “Do you mean those irreplaceable sparks that ignite in individual solitude or ecstasy?”
"I admit, art is beautiful."
"As I said at the beginning, there are indeed interesting things in the civilization of individual consciousness. And art is one of these interesting things, worthy of my praise."
"However, their beauty is like a shooting star in the night sky, brilliant but fleeting; or like a flower that blooms by chance in the desert, fragrant but easily broken."
Angell's voice was tinged with sorrow: "Have you ever considered how much disorder and chaos civilization has paid in the long night for this fleeting shooting star, for this lonely flower?"
"I once heard a saying that chaos can give birth to exquisite art, and war can produce fearless heroes. Just like my former civilization, which shone brightly during times of war."
"But for these fleeting sparks, the entire civilization paid a heavy and unacceptable price."
"Living beings are devastated, compatriots kill each other, the earth is destroyed, and all things return to silence..."
With each word Angell uttered, his eyes dimmed a little more, as if he were a witness to the apocalyptic twilight filled with sin and chaos.
During his narration, Angel even used the power of Nightmare Illusion.
Make emotions more infectious.
The Mind Flayer examiner, whose stance was not aligned with the individual consciousness of civilization, felt even more deeply moved by Angel's compelling narration.
Not to mention the Mind Flayer examiner, even the Imp presiding officer jumped onto a nearby block, straining his ears to listen to Angor's heart-wrenching words.
"On the other hand, collective consciousness does not chase after fleeting shooting stars, but it can build towering lighthouses!"
"It uses the perception and wisdom of all individuals as its foundation to illuminate a constant, warm, and eternal light that guides the course of the entire civilization."
"Isn't this more beautiful than that 'fleeting brilliance'?"
Angel subtly touched upon the essence of the Mind Flayers' wisdom once again: accumulating small things to build a great structure.
This caused the examiner's gaze to soften for a moment, but it quickly returned to its coldness, as if it had just been an illusion.
After a pause, Angell continued, "Moreover, civilizations with collective consciousness also have their own art!"
"It integrates the aesthetics and perceptions of all individuals within the community, creating a grander, more harmonious, and more service-oriented beauty of order that serves the entire civilization!"
Angell's eyes gleamed with longing: "For example, individual civilizations could never do it; only collective civilizations could—it requires the coordinated efforts of millions, or even hundreds of millions, to create a grand cosmic symphony!"
Angell spoke with a high-spirited tone, filled with immense envy.
Only at the very end did he begin to speak gently and tactfully.
"Therefore, collective civilization is not lacking in art at all; it is a more magnificent and grand art."
"Collective civilization does not pursue that moment of brilliance, because collective civilization itself has already become a dazzling source of light!"
After Angell finished speaking, he seemed to linger on for a long time before looking back at the Mind Flayer examiner.
Meanwhile, the Mind Flayer examiner and the little devil host were still immersed in the cosmic symphony that Angor had just performed and constructed.
It was as if they too could hear the magnificent and eternal music of civilization.
This atmosphere lasted for quite a while before the Mind Flayer examiner finally spoke with difficulty, conveying his thoughts: "...Innovation."
It still did not comment on Ingres's previous impassioned speech, but instead continued to open a new chapter of questions.
“Before I came to the Chapter of the Heart, in the place where I lived, I saw many amazing innovative projects.” The Mind Flayer examiner calmly recounted: “And the disruptive ideas behind these innovative projects often came from unconventional individuals.”
This time, it didn't ask any questions; it simply stated a fact.
But its meaning is actually very clear: it attacks the rigidity of group consciousness, which may prevent groundbreaking innovations from taking root.
Moreover, the Mind Devil examiner hinted that "the place where I once lived" was an "individual consciousness civilization," which was clearly an attempt to induce Angell to believe that it originated from an individual consciousness civilization and that his stance should perhaps be changed.
But Angell knew very well that it was telling the truth; it had indeed lived in the realm of individual consciousness civilization, and it was even possible that it itself was born within individual consciousness civilization.
But it lives there as a "parasite".
Every word was true, but every word contained a hidden agenda.
Angell, unwavering and completely ignoring its implications, remained steadfast in his stance of collective consciousness: "No, I think you're wrong."
"This is a very classic misunderstanding."
Angel solemnly corrected the Mind Flayer examiner's words: "Collective consciousness is not just a single brain thinking."
"In my view, collective consciousness is the aggregation of individual wisdom, with these countless wisdoms linked together to form a super brain!"
"In this super brain, every 'unorthodox' idea you mention will be immediately examined and verified by all the thinking."
"If it is indeed beneficial, I believe that super brains will quickly adopt and promote it."
"If it is harmful, it should be discarded in time."
"Therefore, how could a civilization with a collective consciousness lack innovation? In my view, such innovation is even more outstanding!"
"Looking back at civilization based on individual consciousness..."
Angell spoke passionately when discussing collective civilization, but his mood sombered when he returned to individual civilization: "Aren't there brilliant ideas in individual civilizations? Of course there are."
"But as you said, many brilliant ideas are 'unorthodox'. They are not accepted by mainstream thought and may even be suppressed due to factionalism."
“I once met a reformist alchemist who told me a story. The reformist ideas originated from a poor alchemy apprentice, and as soon as they were born, they sparked a wave of criticism from the Academy of Ashley, who thought they were too absurd.”
"And those who led the criticism were the mainstream traditionalists and alchemists of the Van der Waals school of mechanics at the time."
"In the end, the impoverished alchemy apprentice was not only expelled from the academy, but was also murdered in a dark alley on a rainy night."
At this point, Angell's eyes glazed over, a hint of sorrow flashing across them.
"...It wasn't until a century later, when the dominant alchemists stepped down from their high positions, that later generations unearthed the reformist papers from obscure corners, reigniting the reformist movement."
Angell sighed softly: "Although the ideas of the reformers were eventually accepted by all alchemists, a hundred years was completely wasted."
"Moreover, this impoverished alchemy apprentice was fortunate enough to leave behind a paper. If he hadn't, wouldn't this line of thought have been permanently buried?"
"If even successful examples are so difficult to come by, then the examples that did not succeed are as numerous as carp crossing a river."
Because the mainstream doesn't like deviating from the norm.
Because the leaders of a particular school of thought do not want to shake the stable foundation.
Even ordinary people don't want to change their lives.
"Therefore, it is considered lucky if a genius's idea is buried for only a few decades; more often, it is completely buried and never has the chance to see the light of day again."
"But these things won't happen in a civilization of collective consciousness. Because a superbrain won't miss any possibility!"
"Innovation through collective civilization is faster, safer, and less likely to go astray."
As Angell concluded, he stretched out his hands as if embracing the air: "I believe that this super brain, a culmination of countless wisdoms, will absolutely not disappoint!"
Angell's carefree imagination even stirred a sense of longing in the Mind Flayer examiner.
Perhaps their "king" can do the same?
After all, many grains of sand make a tower, and the king is that one tower, the "super brain" formed from countless wisdom!
Even the Mind Flayer examiner felt a pang of regret; if he had remained in his clan, he might have witnessed the magnificent scene Angel had described.
Unfortunately, it was far from its homeland...
The Mind-Stealing Examiner secretly shook his head. These were all tests, and it would eventually return to the "King's" embrace.
Returning to the present moment, the Mind Flayer examiner actually wanted to pass Angel.
But it found Angell's narration so compelling and rich in content that it was really looking forward to it.
So, it wanted to hear if Ingres had any new perspectives on "its civilization"?
Thinking of this, it spoke again.
"sacrifice."
Why should individuals sacrifice themselves for the sake of the collective?
The question it raised this time made Angell fall silent for a moment.
This is the ultimate question that cannot be avoided in any theory related to collective consciousness.
"sacrifice……"
Angell's tone was somewhat solemn, and his expression was also solemn as he uttered the word in an almost whispered manner.
“Any civilization with individual consciousness will feel sorrow whenever this word is mentioned.” Ingres: “Because in their narrative, sacrifice represents a tragic farewell, a self-fulfillment that needs to be celebrated.”
"but……"
Angell's tone changed, "What if we look at it from a different perspective?"
"In order to fight off pathogens, countless cells in the body rush headlong into the flame like moths to a flame, silently sacrificing themselves. Is this a sacrifice?"
"In order for the seedlings to be carried by the wind to distant places and grow on new land, the mother plant of the Magic Dandelion will actively face the storm and then perish. Is this a sacrifice?"
"In order to ensure that the meteorites falling from the sky would never die out and to generate more sources of fire, generation after generation of evil fire beings would cut themselves apart at the most intense moments and leap into the meteorites, exchanging their own deaths for the survival of civilization. Is this a sacrifice?"
"In theory, these are all sacrifices, but they are not all sacrifices."
"In these great life systems, the passing of an individual is not the end, but rather becomes the cornerstone of the continuation of the group, merging into the ceaseless flow of civilization."
“They are not sacrifices, but rather a magnificent return to the origin.”
As Angell finished speaking, he looked at the Mind Flayer examiner.
"And a purely logical collective consciousness is precisely such a supreme life system!"
"The individual is to the whole as a cell is to the body, a drop of water is to the ocean, a dandelion is to the field, and a spark is to an eternal torch."
"Is a drop of water afraid of merging into the ocean?" Angell's voice carried a guiding gentleness. "No. Because it knows that it is not annihilation, but returning home."
"It lost its fragile form as a 'drop' but gained the eternity and power of the 'entire ocean'."
Angell spoke softly, yet with an undeniable conviction: "Therefore, in collective consciousness, there is no such thing as sacrifice, only return."
"Because the will and wisdom of all individuals are stored in a super brain, and as long as it exists, everything will remain constant."
"And sacrifice never existed."