When summer transitions into fall, so do the beings with whom I have daily engagement. Personal time is replaced by teaching and my dependable muses of the invertebrate congregation are replaced by secondary school students.
These counterparts differ in almost every sense, each representing a portion of my identity that contrasts with the other. Though incomparable, these entities and their unique behaviors bring to mind ideas of collectivity and social consciousness.
Even with the biological pull of phototaxis, a moth can decide for itself whether to fly toward the dangerous light, yet swarms of them fly into the light, following one another toward harm. They are not hard-wired to work together, but their experiences and reactions bind them.
Humans, loosely categorized as eusocial, tend to think and act in groups, synchronizing opinions with a chosen tribe without being consciously aware of doing so. This behavior is easily observed in a high school.
Mass Fiction, in conjunction with False Moons aims to create a body of work commenting on social tribalism and the hive mentality in social beings. This behavior has had a dichotomous effect on humanity throughout modern civilization. It has led to the darkest periods of history, yet is the catalyst of hope in the brightest.
The imagery that follows represents an exploration of individuality, pooled collective identity, and how one’s sense of reality is shaped by instinct, experience, and collective consciousness.
