Maruki nodded thoughtfully at Hamuko’s question, his expression shifting into the analytical calm that often came over him when discussing his field of study. It was clear that her curiosity and intelligence weren’t lost on him—if anything, they pushed him to dig deeper into his own thoughts.
“Well, if we consider Carl Jung’s theory of the Collective Unconscious, I wouldn’t necessarily tie all Shadows to Nyx’s influence,” he began, his voice soft but confident. “Nyx, from what I’ve gathered, was a powerful being with her own unique impact on humanity’s psyche. But the Shadows we see here may not have been conjured by her directly. I don’t exactly see the goddess of darkness showing up again anytime soon to string humanity together for its doom.” He tried to soften the grim topic with a faint chuckle, though it only partially masked the tension beneath.
Maruki flipped to the topmost page of his clipboard, scanning his notes. “From what I have discerned so far—after hearing about Nyx being sealed enough times to almost give me gray hairs,” he added with a half-joking smile—“it’s possible this place functions similarly to Mementos- another cognitive phenomenon now relevant in our Shibuya. All of these phenomena seem to be influenced by cognition. That is, by perception—either an individual’s or, more importantly, a collective group’s common belief.”
He paused for a moment, considering how best to explain it. “Take the studio we just walked into earlier who have a public figure they look up to, for example. If someone—or an entire group—perceives them a certain way, whether positively or negatively, that perception can manifest here. It’s not necessarily tied to logic or truth, but rather the emotional weight and intensity of those beliefs.”
Maruki’s gaze turned more serious as he continued. “It’s similar to the way some people I’ve interviewed here talk about the fog. Some believe it’s poisonous, which is why they avoid investigating it. That belief, driven by fear and anxiety, could be keeping the fog in place—clouding their vision both physically and mentally.”
He stopped for a moment, his brow furrowing as a new thought struck him. “There’s also other forms of anxiety that stems in the forms of Hypochondria."
"Its where an individual who believes themselves to be sick can end up actually turning sick because of that. A trick of the mind. If we keep looking onward maybe we could...”
Maruki’s voice trailed off slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. “But as much as I can theorize, there’s still a lot I don’t understand."
no subject
“Well, if we consider Carl Jung’s theory of the Collective Unconscious, I wouldn’t necessarily tie all Shadows to Nyx’s influence,” he began, his voice soft but confident. “Nyx, from what I’ve gathered, was a powerful being with her own unique impact on humanity’s psyche. But the Shadows we see here may not have been conjured by her directly. I don’t exactly see the goddess of darkness showing up again anytime soon to string humanity together for its doom.” He tried to soften the grim topic with a faint chuckle, though it only partially masked the tension beneath.
Maruki flipped to the topmost page of his clipboard, scanning his notes. “From what I have discerned so far—after hearing about Nyx being sealed enough times to almost give me gray hairs,” he added with a half-joking smile—“it’s possible this place functions similarly to Mementos- another cognitive phenomenon now relevant in our Shibuya. All of these phenomena seem to be influenced by cognition. That is, by perception—either an individual’s or, more importantly, a collective group’s common belief.”
He paused for a moment, considering how best to explain it. “Take the studio we just walked into earlier who have a public figure they look up to, for example. If someone—or an entire group—perceives them a certain way, whether positively or negatively, that perception can manifest here. It’s not necessarily tied to logic or truth, but rather the emotional weight and intensity of those beliefs.”
Maruki’s gaze turned more serious as he continued. “It’s similar to the way some people I’ve interviewed here talk about the fog. Some believe it’s poisonous, which is why they avoid investigating it. That belief, driven by fear and anxiety, could be keeping the fog in place—clouding their vision both physically and mentally.”
He stopped for a moment, his brow furrowing as a new thought struck him. “There’s also other forms of anxiety that stems in the forms of Hypochondria."
"Its where an individual who believes themselves to be sick can end up actually turning sick because of that. A trick of the mind. If we keep looking onward maybe we could...”
Maruki’s voice trailed off slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. “But as much as I can theorize, there’s still a lot I don’t understand."