No problem, PH. Let me go for clarity. The "collective consciousness" is comprised of individual consciousnesses. But the total consciousness field (the "collective") is more than the sum of its parts (individuals). That's an hypothesis; but it's consistent with quantum theory. There is a "group effect" (on this theory, called N^2, where N is the total number of individual consciousnesses in the group). Instead of being additive, it is exponential to the second power. This is the case, because of the way individuals affect each other in the consciousness field, inducing emotional reactions, collaborating on creative questions, and so forth. These things become emergent properties in the whole field.
Anyhoot, that's my understanding of the issue. I've read an experiment is in design that would attempt to isolate the dynamics of such effects. It'll be interesting to see how it all turns out.
Thanks for the clarification. As long as we retain our individuality, let the universal field do whatever it is that such fields do. (Obviously, that's the comment of someone who hasn't been following this thread.) Carry on, BB.
Would the collective consciousness field have affective properties? Seems there is nothing to sustain such properties except in the individual minds. Rational process, however, can be sustained in the collective through scholarly journals and legal caselaw. What exists to sustain shared affect except Hollywood, and that only in each individual to varying degrees highly dependent on local moral systems?