The emergence of difference is a primal generative moment; in the cosmology of Lucretius the clinamen, the particle that swerved instead of falling straight down, was the difference that spawned the universe. Differentiation in living organisms is a hallmark of evolved complexity. In social systems difference proliferates but is managed and shaped by the delineation of identity at scales from the individual upwards. The most basic delineation is between self and other, us and them.

This work in progress explores generative differentiation using a simple particle system. Particles alter their own state after comparing it to their two closest neighbours. Within a certain range, differences are reduced (assimilation, consensus, conformity); beyond that range, difference is amplified (diversification, radicalisation, marginalisaton). Particles are repelled from each other according to their degree of difference. These simple relationships create a dynamic equilibrium in which difference is emergent and immanent.

Three preliminary visualisations of the system are presented here. The raw visualisation simply draws each particle and renders its state as a greyscale shade. The cell visualisation draws each particle as a circle, with the radius equal to the distance between each particle and its nearest neighbour. In the facet visualisation neighbouring groups of three particles are drawn as triangles; their combined states determine the colour. The system takes a little while to settle down - for best results let it run for some time.

Us is Them

Made with Processing | (cc) Licence | Mitchell Whitelaw 2006