The Human Born into Collective Memory
A person is not only born into a society but also molded in the shadow of that society’s collective memory, expectations, and suppressed fears.
Some social structures assign direction to the individual, some merely impose rigid boundaries, while others speak so loudly that they drown out the inner voice.
Today’s individual is not merely struggling to make ends meet; they are silently unraveling within an invisible system. In this process, one finds oneself performing a role—yet that role gradually detaches from the authentic self within. This detachment leads to an internal erosion—hidden from view, yet deeply painful.
This is a quiet dissolution. At the end of the day, what truly exhausts a person is often not the job itself, but the persona they are forced to become.
From economic dynamics to security discourses, from the narrowing of expressive spaces to implicit social pressures, many forces not only shape one’s external relationships but also transform the internal landscape of the mind.
This article seeks to explore the invisible architecture of society and the psychological constructs it silently builds within individuals—an attempt at inner cartography.
Feeling Safe: The Foundation of Mental Balance
In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the security level follows immediately after physiological needs—not only referring to protection from physical threats but also the need to live in a stable, predictable, and protective social environment.
Sustaining one’s mental health depends largely on whether this foundational sense of psychological safety is provided in childhood and maintained throughout adulthood.
This sense of safety often derives not only from familial support but also from the state’s provision of stability, justice, economic assurance, and social peace.
An individual wants to believe they will be protected in times of need, that they can claim their rights, and that their life circumstances will not collapse overnight.
When such a sense of safety is established, the individual can not only live peacefully but also become a productive, creative, and self-actualized being.
However, when this need goes unmet, the person begins to feel not only economically but also psychologically vulnerable. Constantly shifting regulations, precarious job markets, arbitrary authority, and non-transparent governance foster chronic anxiety, insecurity, and a loss of control. Psychologically, this is known as an erosion of “basic trust.”
According to psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, this foundational trust develops in the earliest stages of life and influences one’s entire lifespan. But when society and institutions repeatedly violate this trust through inconsistency, oppression, or injustice, the individual begins to lose their sense of connection with both the world and themselves.
When the safety level in Maslow’s hierarchy is compromised, it becomes nearly impossible to ascend to higher stages like belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
The individual first needs to feel safe—and that requires not only internal resilience but also an external system that is fair and protective.
Only when inner peace and societal stability align can psychological equilibrium truly be achieved.
Restrictive Boundaries, Worthlessness, and the Pressure to Conform
Individuals face both overtly stated norms and subtly imposed expectations. These are often like invisible fences, signaling: “You are free—up to here.”
Over time, these restrictive boundaries cease to be merely social—they internalize and reshape the individual’s psyche.
As internal voices start clashing with societal ones, people silently retreat. Outwardly, they conform; inwardly, they begin to disconnect.
This internal withdrawal is not only cognitive but also emotional and identity-based.
Structural issues like unemployment are not merely financial losses; they force people to question their social identity.
The question “What do you do?” is less an innocent curiosity and more a social litmus test. Over time, the individual may lose confidence, feel displaced, and experience inner fatigue.
Unwritten social rules reinforce this pressure. Phrases like “What will people say?”, “You’ll be judged,” or “That’s shameful,” encourage compliance over expression.
This compliance often comes at the cost of alienation from one’s own values.
As individuals feel increasingly trapped between their values and societal demands, taking initiative or forging a new path becomes difficult.
They begin carrying not only societal expectations but also their internalized judgments. Eventually, this can lead to a withdrawal from social life itself.
A Way Forward: Awareness, Therapy, and Solidarity
Awareness
Awareness is the capacity to observe one’s own mental and emotional processes from a distance—a concept known in psychology as insight or metacognitive awareness.
People often internalize societal voices so deeply that they can no longer distinguish between their authentic thoughts and imposed expectations.
“I am not good enough,” is frequently not a self-generated belief but the residue of social or familial conditioning.
Awareness begins with questioning these internal voices. Asking, “Is this thought truly mine, or a belief taught to me?” loosens the mental chains.
At this stage, individuals begin to identify both past traumas and current stressors. This recognition prevents self-alienation and facilitates a return to one’s inner center.
True freedom begins not with knowing what one wants—but with realizing what you were made to believe.
Therapy
Healing is not merely a confrontation with oneself. Sometimes, to understand what one feels or why one reacts in certain ways, external support is necessary.
Therapy provides a safe space for this exploration.
When the mind is clouded and emotions tangled, distinguishing one’s own voice becomes difficult.
Therapy offers a space to pause, reflect, make sense, and—at times—simply speak.
Often, people reach places within themselves only in the company of another.
Feeling that one can express without punishment or judgment is healing in itself.
Solidarity
Psychological well-being is intimately tied not only to inner processes but also to relational bonds.
The need for connection is as vital as food or shelter. Chronic loneliness and social exclusion are strongly correlated with depression, anxiety, and even physical illness.
Solidarity is not merely emotional support; it is a space where emotions are normalized, burdens are shared, and individuals feel seen and acknowledged.
Group therapy, support networks, or safe social environments fulfill this need.
When individuals meet others with similar experiences, they realize, “The problem isn’t just me.”
This reduces shame and increases compassion. “I’ve been through that too” is one of the most powerful keys to emerging from isolation.
Solidarity is also the foundation of social transformation.
When one listens not only to their own voice but also to others’, healing spaces emerge—not just for the individual but for society as a whole.