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==== Collectives ‘see’ through ideas ====

Individuals see individuals.

We can each can witness the events that make up another individual’s life and come to ‘know’ them to a degree, through direct experience.

Collectives see archetypes.

The number of people for whom we can store and process direct experience is limited. To understand the collective we tell stories. To create meaning we position ourselves and others in relationship to those stories.

These could be ancient stories like those in religious texts, prompting us to maintain some crucial but fleeting knowledge.

These could be modern anecdotes that redefine our relationship with change. For example, the founding of scientific laws are always paired with stories. “We thought X but we couldn't explain Y, then we tried Z and discovered…”

These stories and associated values are given names and become leverage points for our collective discussions.