You may be wondering, "What is collective consciousness?

I will explain it using the concept of micro = macro.

Let's take the smallest of the aggregates, the family, for example.

In the past, did you have thought that "certain things" were done in the family where you were born and raised, and you thought, "This is normal in every family."?

Then, over time, you learned about other families and found out that what was done in your family was not done in other families.

You then realized that that common practice in your family was not the common practice in other families as well.

And now let us go back in time a little and recall your state of mind.

You assumed that your family's common sense was the norm until you learned about the situation outside your own family.

And it may have been a situation where not only you, but your whole family thought so.

At this time, the psychological state of your family, including you, is the "collective consciousness of your family”.

This kind of psychological state shared by people belonging to a particular group exists everywhere.

In your family, in your school class, in your town, in your company, in your state, in your country, and on this planet earth that includes you.

For example, in your current or past school class, there was a person who was a good student and well-liked.

He or she was admired by almost everyone in your class.

Suppose most people in the class thought, without saying a word, "He or she is the leader of this class."

To briefly explain the above example, the collective consciousness of the school class is the manifest or unconscious consciousness that is shared by whole of the people in the school class to which we belong.

Another example, in your past company, you worked hard to get ahead.

Because at this time you agreed with the theories and policies set forth by the company.  

However, Is it possible that at this time you were unknowingly influenced by your superiors and colleagues in this company and unconsciously sympathized with this organization?

Or you may have simply been the result of your best judgment at the time, since you had little knowledge at the time.

Or you may chose to have that experience to help yourself and others in the future.

Then you left the company.

Some time later, you remember this time.

To you today, this past company job does not seem like a "good job".

Have you ever wondered, "Why was I working so hard at that job back then?"

It may be that, as mentioned above, you were influenced by the collective consciousness of that very company (organization) and you were unconsciously drawn into and attuned to it.

There are other things, for example, the uniform with the high and hard collar that some Japanese male students are forced to wear, as shown on this page, and most male students think that "this is the norm."

And surprisingly, not only the Japanese male students themselves who actually wear this uniform now, but also almost all Japanese men and women, young and old, think so.

So, this mentality of "It is natural for boys to wear this school uniform." 

This state of mind is one of the collective consciousness of the Japanese people.

Of course, it is not only the Japanese.

Almost every man and woman in the world believes that wearing a shirt with a collar and a necktie is "formal wear," and that it is the norm.

And surprisingly, not only the men and women of the world who wear this attire frequently today, but also most of the men and women, young and old, of the world, all think so.

So, this mentality of "It is natural for people to wear this attire." 

This state of mind is one of the collective consciousness of the Earthlings.

Thus, the greatest collective consciousness today may be said to be "the collective consciousness of us earthlings."

And one of the largest mentalities that occupies the collective consciousness of the Earthlings at the present time is

"I (We) need MONEY!"

Usually, without your knowledge of the collective consciousness, while you are engulfed in some collective consciousness, it is often difficult for you to recognize the situation for yourself.

So it is often only when you leave the organization and your connection to its collective consciousness disappears that you objectively recognize this collective consciousness of the organization.

Isao Sasaki