Summary of Key Points
This article explores the question of "where a society with an abundance of material resources would go" through the experiments conducted by zoologist Karl Honer with his "University of 25" mice. By providing the mice with a paradise where they had no worries about food and drink, and lived in comfort and safety, their population initially grew rapidly. However, this led to the emergence of social stratification, abnormal behaviors (such as aggression or complacency), a loss of maternal instincts, and self-isolation, ultimately resulting in the cessation of reproduction and the collapse of the society. The article draws parallels with human societies, suggesting that pain and goals are crucial for maintaining social vitality. Without the pressure of scarcity, the distress associated with interaction, and the pursuit of objectives, both individuals and societies lose their purpose in existence.
Why Did the Mice' Paradise Become a Hell?
Karl Honer spent $500,000 (equivalent to today's value) to create an ideal home for the mice, equipped with 256 nests, unlimited food and water, and constant temperature and humidity. Initially, the eight mice reproduced rapidly, doubling in number every 60 days, reaching a peak of 2,200 individuals. By day 560, problems arose:
- Dilemma for young males: The old mice occupied all the territory, leaving the young with no space; they either became extremely aggressive or completely complacent.
- Changes in female mice: They stopped caring for their offspring and even attacked them.
- **The emergence of "beautiful individuals": Some males did not fight or seek mates, spending their days grooming themselves, much like people who are "idle" on Earth—eating, sleeping, and playing without any purpose.
By day 600, the society was in chaos: the mortality rate of the young was nearly 100%, violence occurred for no apparent reason (not over territory), and reproduction had almost stopped. Eventually, no new mice were born, and the remaining 100 mice were all abnormal.
The key reason: It was not a lack of material resources but the breakdown of social relationships and the collapse of behavioral norms—no one needed each other anymore, and there was no motivation to survive.
Do the Mice' Complacent Behaviors Resemble Those of Some People Today?
The "beautiful individuals" in the experiment reminded the author of a phrase from a short video: "Some people are just idle on Earth, not dating, not getting involved in anything, just eating, drinking, and playing with their phones, avoiding the main tasks (getting married, buying a house), and not engaging in side activities (socializing, striving for success), and sometimes even giving up on weight loss attempts halfway."
Doesn't this describe some young people today? Although they have better material conditions than before, traditional goals of success (buying a house, getting married, getting promoted) are becoming increasingly unattainable, so they choose a lifestyle of low desires: no socializing, no competition, and no pursuit of mainstream values. For example, some people prefer to watch dramas at home rather than look for a job; others find dating too troublesome and decide to remain single.
The underlying logic: When material wealth is no longer the biggest source of stress, people lose their traditional drive to strive. Without new goals, they can easily fall into an idle state—just like the "beautiful individuals" among the mice, seemingly comfortable but actually having lost the meaning of life.
Why Does a Society Collapse Without Pain and Goals?
The author of "We Are Gods" summarizes three lessons:
1. Breakdown of social bonds: The mice no longer helped each other; they didn't even respond to the bodies of their dead peers. The same is true for humans—without interaction (even arguments or cooperation), society disintegrates.
2. Loss of adaptability: Without scarcity (such as hunger), there is no need to develop skills like finding food and fighting for territory. Once the environment changes, the species will be eliminated.
3. Lack of goals: Without the pressure to survive, mice lack the motivation to reproduce or defend their territory. Humans without goals (such as earning a living or pursuing dreams) become lost and may even give up on life.
Essence: Pain and stress are the "fuel" for species evolution; without them, both individuals and societies lose their vitality and eventually decline.
What Lessons Does This Experiment Teach Us About Human Society?
Although we can't conduct experiments on humans, the movie "The Matrix" has already envisioned a similar scenario: the original Matrix was a perfect world without pain, but humanity still collapsed because "humans need pain to define reality."
The lessons for us are:
- Don't pursue only material abundance: While society has more and more material resources, feelings of loneliness and psychological issues are on the rise. For example, many people with houses and cars feel that life is meaningless—this is an early sign of what happened in the "University of 25" scenario.
- Embrace necessary pain: Things like work stress, academic challenges, and interpersonal friction are not bad; they are evidence that we are alive.
- Find your own goals: Whether small (like running daily) or big (like doing what you love), having goals gives us motivation and prevents us from becoming idle.
Embracing Pain Is Not Self-Mutilation, but a Proof of Being Alive
The article concludes with the statement: "The pain we experience when facing reality is evidence that we are alive." This doesn't mean we should seek out suffering willingly; rather:
- Pain is an opportunity for growth: a breakup teaches us to love, failure makes us stronger.
- Pain connects us to reality: if everything were perfect, we would feel like we're living in a virtual world and lose our sense of authenticity.
- Pain gives society vitality: people cooperate and compete to overcome pain, driving social progress.
In conclusion: The mice' "paradise" teaches us that material wealth is not everything. Humans need pain, goals, and connections with others—these imperfections are what give meaning to our lives.
This article uses the mice experiment to convey a profound truth: a perfect material world may not be a good thing. What truly makes us alive are the challenges and connections that bring about imperfection. May we all find our own goals in the realities of life and feel the true meaning of being alive.