The Masses, The Individual, and the Present

Reflections on Consciousness, Conformity and Individuality

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The past is an incomplete recollection, the present is opaque, and the future is obscure. This observation, noted by Karl Jaspers in his book On the Original and Goal of History, highlights how history changes by interpretation over time. Our interpretation is influenced by the present social situation, which, now more than ever before, is influenced by the Mass of people. The future then becomes obscure because it is not simply a result of cause-and-effect policies–it is determined in part by the mass of people that inhabit society. As Jaspers succinctly notes: “The masses have become a decisive factor in the historical process.”

It is also correctly alluded to that a society is not solely composed of the masses, for the masses only represent a portion of any given population. This is not a set percentage, but is rather determined by the level of education and the abilities to read, write, think and express opinions that the general population of a society has. As a general rule, it seems that the more educated a population is, the more socially and morally conscious this population is. When a member becomes more aware of their social condition, and the condition of others within society, they cease to be a part of the Masses. They have now become…