Industrialist and RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka has sparked a significant discussion on social media by referencing a classic behavioural science experiment to highlight a profound societal risk. He pointed out that a society with abundant resources but lacking structure and purpose is doomed to collapse, drawing parallels from a famous rodent study.
The 'Mouse Paradise' That Turned Into Dystopia
In a detailed post on the social media platform X, Goenka recounted the work of ecologist Dr. John B. Calhoun in the late 1960s. Calhoun created a utopian environment for mice, which he termed "Mouse Paradise." The enclosure provided unlimited food, water, and shelter, with no predators or scarcity. The mice initially thrived in this environment of pure abundance.
However, the scenario took a dark turn as the population grew. When the colony exceeded 600 mice, the society began to crumble. Goenka described the ensuing chaos: "The strong hoarded space. The weak were bullied. Mothers abandoned their young. Violence rose. Mating stopped. Purpose vanished." He emphasised the experiment's grim consistency, noting Calhoun repeated it 25 times with the same outcome. The core finding was that a population loses its will to live once it loses purpose, meaning, and social bonds.
Netizens Weigh In on the Human Parallel
The post prompted a wave of reactions from users, who connected the experiment's findings to contemporary human challenges. One user commented on the paradox of abundance leading to conflict, stating revolutions and wars often stem from such conditions. Another succinctly noted, "Progress without purpose creates fragile societies." A third user linked the concept to the future, suggesting that while artificial intelligence might create material abundance, humanity must consciously strive for a peaceful and purposeful direction.
The Science Behind Calhoun's Behavioural Sink
Calhoun's experiments, detailed in a 1962 issue of Scientific American, were conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Rats were placed in a secure, resource-rich environment where they could breed rapidly. The only limiting factor was space, which became critically scarce as numbers soared.
This extreme density led to a catastrophic breakdown in social behaviour, termed by Calhoun as a "behavioural sink." Unwanted social interactions spiked, causing severe stress and aggression. The situation devolved into violence, cannibalism, and infanticide. The population plummeted to extinction. Survivors were psychologically broken, remaining isolated even when reintroduced to normal populations.
However, human studies have shown more complex results. Research, like that by psychologist Jonathan Freedman, found people adapt better to crowding. The key difference lies between objective density and the subjective feeling of crowding. Factors like personal control, privacy needs, and social roles determine how crowding affects humans, suggesting we possess greater resilience and adaptive capacity than the mice in Calhoun's utopia.
Harsh Goenka's invocation of this decades-old experiment serves as a stark reminder that material wealth and security alone cannot guarantee a thriving society. The essential ingredients, as highlighted, remain purpose, strong social bonds, and a functional structure.
