Individuality as a fundamental biological principle represents a mechanism for the preservation and development of life forms and reproduction, rooted in the most basic interactions of matter. In this work, we consider it not only as a psychological phenomenon but also as a continuation of quantum uncertainty at the level of elementary particles, manifesting in complex organisms through a hierarchy of "departments" (from subconscious ones, such as mirror neurons and empathetic systems, to cognitive ones, including conscious decisions). This hierarchy is regulated by the number of internal interactions and is relevant for any form of life, from the simplest organisms to humans. The psychological aspect here is secondary: vanity and the need for approval arise as emergent (altered) properties of "biological individuality" – the degree of response to the threat of destruction of the matter's form, motivated by the pain impulse and the search for solutions under conditions of quantum uncertainty. The pain impulse reflects a reaction to behavior leading to the destruction of the organism and the impossibility of sharing or changing the form of existence. The cognitive or psychological component of this process can be represented as a cycle: pain impulse → thanatophobia → search for a solution (individuality) → unconscious detachment → thanatophobia → death. For example, in the simplest organisms, the pain impulse manifests as a chemical reaction to a threat (avoidance of harmful substances), while in humans – as emotional stress leading to individual survival strategies.
In this work, the striving for individuality in many aspects closely resembles Ilya Prigogine's bifurcation point, as well as genes in Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene," but in Dawkins' case, it develops the deterministic world of DNA, gives meaning to choice, and describes its mechanics through quantum uncertainty. The striving for individuality is the primary tool for life's diversity, and the fear of death is the tool for preservation. In safe environments, insignificant differences in individuality lead to confrontation over formal characteristics that, at first glance, do not pose an existential threat to the organism, as we will see in examples of aggression.
Developing the current hypothesis of abiogenesis, we assume that matter "strives" for self-organization, as in Prigogine's dissipative structures, where non-equilibrium systems create complexity to dissipate energy. "Non-living" matter is a state of "anabiosis" of form, ready to restore connections. This makes the existing terminology incorrect, as it emphasizes the continuity of life.

Proceeding to the key terms of the work, it is worth noting that playing with terms leads to multiple interpretations, the goal of which is not to describe processes, but to prove one's own point of view. Within the framework of this work, these terms are aimed at a more precise understanding of the mechanisms of interaction of the described phenomena and do not aim to discredit or challenge their other variants.

• Size is not an absolute characteristic, but a comparative measure of forms of matter, defined through the ratio and interaction between objects. The work emphasizes that size matters only in the context of a specific interaction and level of matter's organization.
• Time is not a linear and universal quantity, but the number of cycles of change of matter or a measure of the intensity of interactions in a specific system. This makes time individual for each "form" depending on the speed of its internal processes and external interactions.
• Individuality – a fundamental property of a living system (from a molecule to an organism), characterizing its unique trajectory of preserving integrity ("form") and reproduction in a changing environment. It manifests as an emergent property arising from quantum uncertainty and the striving for thermodynamic equilibrium.
• Pain Impulse – a basic reaction of a living system to a threat to its integrity ("form") or possibility of reproduction. At the level of particles, it manifests as a striving to eliminate an energy imbalance; at the level of an organism – as physical or emotional pain, prompting a search for solutions.
• Thanatophobia – the fear of death, understood as the fear of the complete destruction of the "form" and the cessation of the unique life path of the individual. It is a key motivator, enhancing the "pain impulse" and directing the search for survival strategies.
• Form – the external expression and internal structure of an object, separating it from the environment and defining its properties.
• Basis (Basis of Perception) – an existentially significant belief, value, or principle forming the foundation of an organism's behavior. The hierarchy of bases (from the basic level of survival instincts to social superstructures) determines the system's response to external influences.
• Cognitive Dissonance (in the context of this work) – psychological tension arising from the clash of incompatible bases (one's own and others' or old and new). This tension enhances the "pain impulse" and motivates the organism to eliminate it by changing perception, aggression, or cooperation.
• Polarity of Bases – a situation where the bases of two or more individuals are perceived as mutually exclusive and incompatible. Polarity is a key factor in conflict, as it directly threatens the integrity of one's own belief system.
• Emergent Property – a new quality or function arising in a system and not inherent to its individual elements. Individuality is considered an emergent property arising at each new level of matter's organization (from quantum to molecular, cellular...).
• Humane Sublimation – the process of transforming the energy of destructive manifestations of individuality (vanity, fear, aggression) into constructive forms of cooperation, based on the core values of understanding the world and prolonging life.
• Quantum Uncertainty (in the context of this work) – a fundamental principle creating a "space of probabilities" for choosing a trajectory. It is considered the physical basis for the system's action at the bifurcation point, which is the cause of the emergence of individuality.
• Bifurcation Point – a critical moment in the development of a system when a small influence can determine its further trajectory. In the context of the work – this is the moment of the collapse of the wave function or the moment an organism makes a decision, when individuality determines the path choice.
• Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS) – a behavior model that, once adopted by the majority of a population, cannot be displaced by another strategy. The work emphasizes that ESS is a mathematical model describing the result of the interaction of individualities, not an acting force.

Infringement of individuality is not just a social injustice, but a systemic violation of a fundamental biological principle, leading to a whole range of destructive consequences at the level of the individual, group, and society as a whole. It is a violent limitation of the organism's "form," provoking a chronic "pain impulse" and triggering a cycle of compensatory behavior.
1. Individual Level: From Suppression to Degradation and Pathology

• Psychological Damage: constant suppression of the "bases" of individuality leads to chronic cognitive dissonance. The resolution of this dissonance often follows a destructive scenario: finding no outlet, the "pain impulse" turns inward, generating clinical depression, anxiety disorders, and learned helplessness. Motivation to search for solutions disappears, as any individual initiative is blocked. Systematically losing its own identity, the organism effectively loses its reason for existence, which in extreme cases, in the absence of alternatives, leads to attempts or successful suicide of the form.
• Example: "Imposter Syndrome" and Professional Burnout. An employee whose initiatives and unique working methods are systematically rejected eventually begins to doubt their competence. They mechanically perform their functions, experiencing constant stress and fatigue, which directly leads to the occurrence of emotional and professional "burnout," described by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974.
• Cognitive Stagnation: The infringed individual loses the ability for nonlinear thinking and generating innovations. Their cognitive processes focus not on searching for new "probabilistic cells," but on reproducing safe, approved patterns. This is equivalent to biological regression to the simplest and most energy-saving form of behavior under conditions of constant threat.

2. Group and Social Level: Systemic Inefficiency and Hidden Costs

• Reduction of Collective Intelligence: A group consisting of conformists loses its ability to adapt. It becomes vulnerable when critical remarks and alternative points of view are suppressed for the sake of illusory unity. Although such a state may be temporary, the systemic reproduction of this model leads to fatal consequences. In times of dynamic external changes, the group is unable to develop effective solutions, ultimately leading to its transformation, absorption, or disappearance. This is true for both formal organizations and informal associations.
• Economic Consequences: Suppressed individuality is suppressed creative and entrepreneurial potential. Corporations practicing strict regulation and suppression of initiative face the phenomenon of "quiet quitting," high staff turnover, and loss of innovative potential. On a global scale, this leads to a slowdown in technological progress and a decrease in overall labor productivity.

3. Mechanism of the Vicious Cycle and Its Institutionalization
The infringement of individuality creates a self-reproducing system. People who have gone through a system of suppression (e.g., authoritarian education) themselves become its agents, reproducing behavioral patterns in subsequent generations. This cycle becomes entrenched in institutions:

• The Penitentiary System, focused exclusively on suppression, not reintegration, ignores the "cycle of pain." Instead of correcting "bases" and teaching new interaction strategies, it only enhances aggression, leading to high recidivism rates.
• Dogmatic Ideologies and Religions, requiring unconditional acceptance of doctrine, marginalize any form of intellectual or creative dissent, declaring it heresy. This leads to cultural impoverishment and social stagnation, historically manifested in the Inquisition or ideological purges.

Conclusion of the Section: Infringement of individuality is a systemic defect. It blocks the natural process of diversification and adaptation for life, leading to stagnation, pathologies, and, ultimately, to an increase in the level of violence as the only available way to resolve accumulated dissonance. Thus, the fight against the infringement of individuality is not a matter of abstract humanistic ethics, but a practical necessity for the survival and development of complex social systems.

In this example, we will consider Grigory Perelman, the Russian mathematician who proved the Poincaré conjecture (one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems) in 2002-2003 using Ricci flow analysis. His work was recognized as a breakthrough, but Perelman refused the Fields Medal (2006) and the Millennium Prize ($1 million, 2010), separating himself from the mathematical community.

Perelman was born in 1966 in Leningrad, showed talent (gold at the IMO 1982), worked at the Steklov Institute, rejected offers from Princeton and Stanford. In 2005, he resigned, disillusioned with the community's ethics – "I'm not interested in money or fame; I don't want to be on display like an animal in a zoo". The main reason for the refusal was disagreement with the organized mathematical community. "I don't like their decisions, I consider them unfair". He believed the prize should have considered Richard Hamilton, and criticized conformism – "Almost all of them are conformists... It is people like me who are isolated". He lives as a recluse in St. Petersburg, avoids the media ("You are disturbing me. I am gathering mushrooms"), and cares for his mother.

This denial is a manifestation of individuality. Perelman preferred internal satisfaction to external approval, proving that effective results (solving a century-old problem) are possible without social recognition.

In contrast to the path of the rebellious loner, the strategy of conscious acceptance of dominant social norms and rules represents a no less, and often more, effective path for the realization of individuality. This behavior model, characteristic of careerists and conformists, is based not on the suppression of the "self," but on its strategic adaptation to achieve personal goals within the system. In this context, individuality manifests not in confrontation, but in the masterful use of social rules as a tool for one's own advancement and security.
1. Individual Effectiveness: Career and Social Status

• Strategic Conformism: An individual, accepting the "rules of the game" (corporate ethics, dress code, unwritten laws of the community), minimizes the "pain impulse" from confrontation and gains access to resources and social elevators. Their individuality shifts from the area of eccentric behavior to the area of competencies, efficiency, and reliability – qualities highly valued by the system.

Example: A successful corporate manager who has learned that for promotion, demonstrating loyalty and adherence to standards is more important than proposing radical ideas. Their individuality manifests not in rebellion, but in the art of management, building alliances, and demonstrating predictability, which ultimately leads them to a CEO position. This is not a rejection of self, but a complex strategy where "acceptance" is the price for power and influence.
2. Social Effectiveness: Stability and Predictability

• Acceptance of Basic Taboos as the Basis of Cooperation: The most striking example of the effectiveness of such a "contract" is the universal acceptance of the norm "thou shalt not kill." This imperative, enshrined in religious commandments, criminal codes, and social approval, is the cornerstone of society.
• Effect for the Individual: The existential fear of becoming a victim of violence decreases, the possibility to make long-term plans and trust other members of society appears.
• Effect for Society: Transactional costs for security are drastically reduced, complex division of labor, trade, development of sciences and arts becomes possible – all that is impossible under conditions of "war of all against all." Individuality, voluntarily limiting itself in the sphere of violence, receives incomparably greater benefits from cooperation.

3. Alignment of Bases
This strategy becomes possible when key social norms do not enter into irreconcilable conflict with the "basic level" of individuality (survival instinct), but on the contrary, align with it. The norm "thou shalt not kill" is effective because it protects the individual themselves. Acceptance of corporate rules is effective if it guarantees career growth and material well-being. In this case, deep cognitive dissonance does not arise; instead, integration of external rules into the internal hierarchy of bases occurs, where they begin to work for the goals of individuality.
Thus, the acceptance of social manifestations is not a rejection of individuality, but its specific, highly adaptive form. It is a "long game" strategy where agreement with the system is exchanged for resources, security, and status. This strategy is beneficial for society, as it ensures stability and predictability, allowing the energy of individualities to be directed not at mutual destruction, but at cooperation and creation within established rules.заимное уничтожение, а на кооперацию и созидание в рамках установленных правил.

This section explores the complex and often destructive forms of individuality manifestation that arise when standard paths for obtaining approval and improving status are blocked. These manifestations are not pathologies in the pure sense, but represent adaptive, albeit socially dangerous, strategies for resolving cognitive dissonance and enhancing the "pain impulse," directed outward or inward.

1. Approval Through Informational Empathy: Solidarity with the Deviant
When an individual is systematically rejected by society, their "pain impulse" from not meeting expectations seeks non-standard paths of resolution. One such path becomes approval through informational empathy – a psychological mechanism where an individual, consuming news about crimes or deviant acts, empathizes with and even solidarizes with the offender. The rejected individual, whose "bases" find no resonance, discovers in the criminal's actions a logic understandable to themselves. They see in the crime not an abstract "evil," but a specific reaction to social pressure, humiliation, or injustice – the same triggers that cause their own "pain impulse."
Example: A young man constantly subjected to mockery due to his social background or appearance, reading about an attack by a similar "outcast" on members of a hostile group, mentally justifies the aggressor: "I understand what drove him to it. I could do the same." This is not approval of violence as such, but approval of the cause and motive that resonate with his own experience of rejection. Thus, he receives indirect approval of his own "pain impulse" and finds an alternative social niche – a virtual community of "those who understand" and "justify."

2. Deviance as Communication: The Language of Wounds and Injuries
In cases where an individual's individuality does not enter into total confrontation with society but acutely experiences the gap between declared social values and the real attitude towards them, deviant behavior aimed at self-harm or demonstrative aggression may arise. This strategy is a desperate attempt to visualize the internal "pain impulse," to make it tangible for society. If words and pleas are ignored, then scars, injuries, or acts of demonstrative vandalism become the only available "language" to scream: "Your value system is hypocritical! You preach mercy and justice, but your actions towards me cause pain. Look at this pain!"
Example: A teenager making cuts on their arms often does so not because they seek death, but because they cannot otherwise convey to parents or peers the depth of their loneliness and misunderstanding. Their actions are an unspoken accusation against an environment that fails to perform its stated function of support and protection.

3. Masochism as an Identification Strategy and Its Neurophysiological Basis
The phenomenon of masochism, contrary to a superficial view, is often not associated with obtaining physiological pleasure from pain as such. It is a complex behavioral strategy aimed at elevating one's own "form" through the acceptance and transformation of suffering, which receives powerful reinforcement at the neurophysiological level.
Psychological Mechanism: In conditions where all conservative and socially approved methods of self-identification are exhausted or unavailable, the individual chooses the path of voluntary acceptance and control over pain. This allows them to:

• Transform Humiliation into Chosenness: Passive suffering from external circumstances turns into an active, controlled act. The individual not only endures pain but uses it as a resource to build a unique identity, elevating them above those incapable of such.
• Achieve Existential Certainty: In the act of self-infliction of pain, they experience an extremely clear and intense sensation of their own "I" – their "form," delineated from the surrounding world through suffering.

Neurophysiological Reinforcement: The key to understanding lies in the fact that the "pain impulse" at the psychological level is processed by the brain according to principles similar to physical pain. The voluntary acceptance of pain and the subsequent sensation of superiority and control are interpreted by the nervous system as a successful resolution of this "impulse," as a victory over the threat. At this moment, a powerful hormonal response is triggered. Endorphins are released to naturally suppress pain signals and create a state of euphoria. Dopamine is released as part of the reward system, reinforcing the action – not the act of pain itself, but the successful strategy of self-identification and overcoming. The brain "rewards" the individual for finding a unique, albeit destructive, way to assert their individuality and relieve psychological tension.
Example: A member of an extreme subculture undergoing a painful initiation rite experiences not just pain. Through its overcoming, they receive a double reward: social status as "chosen" within the group and a powerful neurochemical surge, subjectively experienced as triumph, purification, and deep self-realization. Their individuality is not just manifested, but virtuously asserted through suffering, receiving direct physiological reinforcement.

Thus, masochism represents a vicious but effective cycle for the individual: psychological need for identity → voluntary acceptance of pain as a strategy → sensation of control and superiority → powerful hormonal release, reinforcing this behavioral model as "successful."

4. Competition and Revanchism: The Biology of Gambling and Loss
The pleasure from competition is biologically determined and possible only under conditions of a statistically expected improvement in one's position. The brain interprets a potential win as a signal for action promising the enhancement of "form" (access to resources, status). However, the key factor is not the win itself, but the dynamics of the position change. Any deterioration of position from the starting point ("loss") provokes a powerful "pain impulse" and activates a strategy of revanchism – an irrational striving to return to the starting point at any cost. Evolutionarily, this is justified: loss of resources threatens survival.
Example – Gambling Addiction: A gambler who has incurred losses focuses not on the absolute size of the losses, but on the fact of deviation from the initial state. Their behavior is driven not by greed, but by a powerful "pain impulse" from the imbalance. "Winning back" means not just getting the money back, but eliminating the imbalance itself, restoring the integrity of their "form," violated by the loss. People capable of cold assessment and "negative fixation" – accepting losses as a fait accompli and switching to alternative survival strategies not related to self-destructive struggle for what is already lost – are not susceptible to gambling addiction.

Thus, destructive at first glance manifestations – from solidarity with criminals to self-harm and gambling addiction – are logical, albeit dead-end, attempts by individuality to resolve an unresolved "pain impulse" and cognitive dissonance arising from a clash with society. They demonstrate that the striving for approval and preservation of "form" can take extremely sophisticated and socially dangerous forms.

Humane sublimation represents the process of transforming the energy of basic human strivings – such as vanity, fear of death, and the need for approval – from a destructive channel into a constructive one, leading to cooperation. Historically, it was the core values aimed at understanding the world and prolonging life that served as the basis for the preservation and transmission of knowledge, but simultaneously were the main source of civilizational conflicts. Religions, ideologies, and international institutions acted as key regulators of these values, demonstrating both their destructive potential and their capacity for creative sublimation.
1. Destructive Manifestations: When Values Become a Weapon
Initially, basic strivings for knowledge and immortality were often clothed in dogmatic and exclusive forms, provoking centuries-old conflicts.

• Religious Wars and Suppression of Dissent: The striving to know the highest truth and eternal life, formulated in a specific religious doctrine, led to intolerance. The Crusades, the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, religious fundamentalism (e.g., the actions of the Taliban or Islamic State) – all are examples where the value of "saving the soul" and "true faith" was used to justify violence and suppression of others' individuality. Understanding the world here stopped at dogma, and prolonging life was understood as an afterlife, reducing the value of earthly life for the individual.
• Ideological Totalitarianism: Secular ideologies of the 20th century (Nazism, Stalinism), offering their "science" of societal structure and a path to a "bright future," also demonstrated destructive sublimation. The value of collective knowledge and progress was replaced by party dogma, and the prolongation of life extended only to "correct" members of society. This led to repression, genocide, and stagnation, as in the case of Lysenkoism in the USSR, where dogma suppressed genetics, hindering the development of biology.

2. Constructive Sublimation: How Values Lead to Cooperation and Development
The evolution of society lies in the transition from the dogmatic entrenchment of these values to their open, practical embodiment, which constitutes the essence of humane sublimation.

• Understanding the World as an Open Process. Modern science sublimated the archaic striving for "truth" into a methodology of continuous, critical, and collective research. Projects such as CERN (the Large Hadron Collider) or the International Space Station are examples of global cooperation, where the vanity of individual scientists and national ambitions are sublimated into the common goal of expanding the boundaries of knowledge.
• The Role of Religious Consciousness: We do not exclude religious people from progressive society but point to the cognitive dissonance arising from the clash of dogma with the scientific method. This dissonance should not lead to conflict but can be sublimated into motivation for a deeper search. For example, many believing scientists see in the study of the universe's complexity not a denial of God, but admiration for His creation. Thus, the value of knowledge evolves from blind faith in dogma to an active search, where questions are valued no less than answers.
• Prolonging Life as the Highest Priority. If previously prolonging life was a privilege of elites or related to the afterlife, today it is becoming a key universal value, directly linked to efficiency.
• Economic Imperative: Each additional year of healthy human life increases their personal contribution to the economy and culture. Experience, knowledge, and skills are not lost but multiplied. Investments in healthcare, as shown by the example of increasing life expectancy in the 20th century, yield multiple returns in the form of GDP growth, innovation, and social stability.
• Paradigm Shift in Politics: International initiatives, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals or the Paris Agreement on climate, are macro-examples of sublimation. Countries voluntarily limit their sovereignty and short-term economic interests for the long-term goal of preserving the habitat and, consequently, prolonging the life of the planet's population. This is a direct sublimation of the fear of death from a destructive phase (international conflicts over resources) into a constructive one (cooperation for survival).

3. Synthesis: A New Ethics of Cooperation
Thus, humane sublimation leads to the formation of a new ethics based on two pillars:

• Ethics of Knowledge: The value lies not in possessing the truth, but in the process of its search, requiring cooperation, openness, and readiness to revise beliefs.
• Ethics of Prolonging Life: The highest good is recognized as the preservation and improvement of every human life, which makes large-scale conflicts meaningless and motivates cooperation to solve global threats.

It is this sublimated system of values, not dogmatic teachings, that becomes the basis for increasing productivity, technological development, and genuine humanism on a global scale. Conflicts shift from the ideological plane to the area of searching for the most effective tools to achieve these universal human goals.

Destructive manifestations of individuality include aggression, disgust, and revulsion – states that characterize the moment of awareness of the manifestation of individuality by another organism that contradicts the subject's bases. These bases are formed throughout the organism's life and represent existential foundations of world perception, graded by levels of significance. The basic or "first" level is the most significant, usually associated with survival instincts (preservation of the life form, avoidance of pain), formed in early development or evolutionarily. Throughout life, superstructures arise – additional levels (social, cultural, ideological bases) that are built on top of the basic one but always remain existential, as they influence the fundamental sense of security and identity.
When a new basis is formed (e.g., under the influence of experience, education, or external events), a stage of alignment inevitably occurs: the new basis enters into conflict with previously accepted ones, either displacing some of them and filling their places (radical restructuring of worldview) or aligning with them (integration through compromise). This is directly related to Fritz Heider's balance theory (1958), where unbalanced states (dissonance between bases) cause psychological tension, motivating the organism to resolve it: either by changing perception or through aggression as a defensive reaction. In the context of individuality, dissonance arises when the "polarity" of bases (one's own and others') is perceived as a threat, enhancing the pain impulse and thanatophobia. Aggression here is not random but a reaction to imbalance, where another's individuality disrupts the balance of internal bases.
Creative manifestations: innovations and empathy, where individuality enhances cooperation (e.g., symbiosis in nature, where organisms' bases are aligned for mutual benefit).
Typology of Individuality Motives:

• Ensuring security (preservation of form through the basic level);
• Sexual reproduction/division (superstructures for diversity).

Unveiling Aggression as a Reaction to Another's Individuality.
Any conflict at its root arises from differences in the individuality of two or more organisms, where the "polarity" of their bases of world perception is identified as a threat. These are not superficial differences (clothing, views), but dissonance between bases: a new or foreign basis conflicts with existing ones, causing tension according to Heider. In safe environments (without external threats), insignificant differences enhance confrontation, as the organism focuses on internal "pain impulses" from discrepancies. Interaction begins when criteria coincide (a common threat to life), where bases are aligned. The formation of a new basis enhances this: it undergoes alignment, displacing old ones (radical changes) or integrating (balance), but misalignment leads to aggression.
Diverse examples leading to the thought about the root of conflicts through the prism of bases and cognitive balance:

• Social Subcultures: Clashes between skinheads and punks in the UK in the 1980s. The basic level of skinheads – striving for order and group unity as a way to survive in an environment they perceived as hostile. Punks, with their aesthetics of rebellion and negation of norms, introduced a new basis that conflicted with this striving. External differences (hairstyles, clothing) were perceived as a threat to the foundations of their group identity. In relatively calm times, these insignificant differences became causes of conflict. However, cooperation between them arose in the face of a common threat, e.g., when confronting police brutality.
• Ethnic and Cultural Conflicts: The 1994 Rwandan genocide between Hutus and Tutsis. The basic level of the Hutus was built on the idea of ethnic superiority as a basis for survival, a legacy of colonial policy. The Tutsis, with their distinct social status and appearance, embodied a "foreign" basis that destroyed this worldview. According to Heider's theory, such an unbalanced perception (seeing Tutsis as enemies) motivated aggression to restore internal equilibrium. In the period of instability after independence, even small differences in accents or customs led to an escalation of violence.
• Gender and Identity Disputes: Attacks on participants of LGBT marches in conservative societies. The basic level of traditionalists is based on the idea of binary gender roles as the natural and only condition for procreation. The LGBT community offers a new basis where identity is more flexible, causing deep dissonance. External manifestations, such as manner of dress or behavior, are perceived as a direct threat to the established world order. In safer societies, the conflict shifts to the sphere of discussions, e.g., about pronouns, and cooperation is possible when jointly countering a common existential threat.
• Workplace Conflicts: Confrontation in a team between an innovator proposing risky ideas and an employee preferring proven methods. The basic level of the conformist – stability and predictability as a guarantee of job preservation. The innovator, through their behavior, casts doubt on this certainty, causing tension. This unbalanced state can motivate collective pressure on the "upstart." However, a common threat, e.g., layoffs for the entire department, can force them to join forces.
• Family and Everyday Conflicts: Arguments between spouses over musical tastes or food choices. The basic level of one partner may be linked to traditions and habits providing a sense of security. The other partner, striving for novelty and self-expression, introduces dissonance into the established system. In a calm environment, such trifles as hobbies can cause quarrels, but a serious external threat, e.g., a relative's illness, instantly aligns their bases for joint overcoming of difficulties.
• Biological Analogies: Aggression in a wolf pack towards a stranger with an unfamiliar scent. The basic level of the pack – genetic and behavioral similarity as the basis for survival. A foreign scent signals an "incorrect" basis, causing a reaction of rejection or attack. In safe conditions, the pack may show aggression towards weaker kin, but when a predator appears, it unites for common defense.
• Political and Ideological Conflicts: Heated debates between liberals and conservatives, e.g., during discussions about Brexit. The basic level of conservatives – commitment to traditions and stability. Liberals, promoting ideas of progress and change, create imbalance. In stable societies, disagreements on specific issues, such as migration policy, lead to polarization, but a common economic crisis can force the parties to seek compromise.
• Religious Conflicts: Violence by radical Islamists towards secular people, as in the attack on the Charlie Hebdo editorial office. The basic level of radicals – faith as the absolute and only basis for eternal salvation. Secular rationalism represents a polar opposite basis, denying their value system. This conflict of bases is perceived as an existential threat, justifying aggression. Cooperation is possible only in the face of a common threat, e.g., terrorism that makes no distinction between believers and non-believers.
• Economic Conflicts: Class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, as described by Marx. The basic level of the working class – physical labor as the sole means of subsistence. The capitalist class, with its different attitude towards property and money, represented an alien basis causing social dissonance. In societies with developed social support, open clashes are replaced by hidden conflicts related to differences in lifestyle and consumption.
• Online and Virtual Conflicts: Trolling and bullying on social media due to avatars or expressed opinions. The user's basic level is their digital image as an extension of their personality and a comfort zone. An opposing point of view or mockery of their virtual identity is perceived as an intrusion and a threat. Under normal circumstances, disputes flare up over minor reasons, but a shared goal, for example, preventing the threat of a ban on an online resource they use, can unite warring parties.

These examples illustrate conflicts as a way of resolving the dissonance of bases, where a new or foreign basis disrupts the cognitive balance, causing aggression.

Mentioning Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene," it is necessary to draw important parallels with our concept. Describing evolutionary processes, Dawkins emphasizes the gene as the fundamental unit of selection, striving to preserve its integrity in competitive struggle – both intraspecific and interspecific. At the same time, he points to the "competition" of allelic genes, which can be characterized as an emergent property of the genetic system.
In Chapter 5, Dawkins explains why one cannot consider the hierarchical structure of a group as its function: "A hierarchical structure as such cannot be ascribed a 'function' in the evolutionary sense, because it is a property of the group, not of the individual." This prohibition on transferring functions to the group allows us to make a reverse move: if we consistently expand the particular manifestations of form from the gene to the organism, we see that the organism possesses its own emergent properties, irreducible to the properties of its parts. It is the organism, not the group, that is the maximum integral "form" which can be considered as the bearer of individuality in the biological aspect.
This approach allows for a new perspective on concepts such as the Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS). Even with a mathematical foundation, ESS is not an acting force, just like natural selection. It is a logical conclusion describing that in a competitive environment, only those life forms that are most relevant to the current external conditions are preserved. All evolutionary changes beyond this stability can be viewed as a continuous process of filling the probability space, where the "form" is evaluated only by the results of its specific interactions.
Simply put, fluctuations in a population operate not on the principle of "survival of the fittest," but, in fact, "survival of the most relevant" within a specific interaction, as illustrated by Dawkins' examples with "dove" and "hawk" strategies, where different behavioral models self-regulate within a population.
Thus, relying on this critique, we can more accurately characterize the concept of individuality as an emergent property of the organism-"form" and propose a hypothesis about its origin from fundamental physical principles.

Hypothesis of the Quantum-Thermodynamic Origin of Individuality.
Based on the foregoing, we propose a hypothesis according to which individuality arises as a macroscopic manifestation of quantum principles, primarily – the entanglement of fermions constituting the basis of matter, and their collective striving for thermodynamic equilibrium.
A key argument is the nature of quantum uncertainty. The impossibility of simultaneously measuring several parameters of a particle (e.g., coordinate and momentum) indicates not an imperfection of instruments, but a fundamental uncertainty, a "freedom of choice" of the system at the moment of the wave function's collapse. This "uncertainty" is the primary potential for the emergence of variants. In complex, non-equilibrium systems (which all living organisms are), this moment of collapse – the bifurcation point – in each specific case is resolved towards the path of least thermodynamic "pressure" and greatest entropic "discharge" for that local system in its unique external circumstances.
Simply put, a group of entangled fermions in a chemical reaction "chooses" the path that, under given conditions (temperature, pressure, neighboring molecules), most effectively dissipates energy and relieves internal tension. This "choice" is the simplest manifestation of the "pain impulse" – a reaction to imbalance. Thus, the "individuality" of a chemical bond or molecule is its unique, history-conditioned trajectory of movement towards thermodynamic equilibrium.
Consequently, biological individuality does not arise from nothing at the level of complex organisms. It stems from the fundamental "proto-individuality" of quantum systems, which, being amplified through hierarchical levels of matter's organization (from atoms to molecules, to cells, to organisms), reaches its reflexive form in consciousness. In the hope of the manifestation of Your individuality in the creation of life.