The Thrill of 30,000 People Shouting Together

Dimitris Xygalatas, a cognitive anthropologist at the University of Connecticut, witnessed a remarkable phenomenon while studying a fire-walking festival in the Spanish village of San Pedro Manrique. As residents walked barefoot across burning coals while thousands of spectators watched, both the walkers and the crowd reported feeling the same emotions. It was as if everyone had become one.

This wasn't merely emotional communion. People's heart rates and brain waves were actually synchronizing.

From 'Collective Effervescence' to 'We Mode'

'Collective effervescence,' first coined a century ago by French sociologist Emile Durkheim, has recently been reexamined under the name 'we mode.'

Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist at Stanford University, explains it this way:

"When connected through shared positive emotions, expression becomes joy that spreads like an aerosol. It transmits other people's smiles, laughter, and physical expressions."

The thrill at a concert, the adrenaline rush in a group exercise class, the fervor of a religious festival—all these moments are manifestations of 'we mode.'

When Hearts Beat as One

Xygalatas had a similar experience while cheering for his hometown soccer team alongside 30,000 others. This phenomenon, also called 'physiological synchrony,' is what McGonigal refers to as 'collective joy.'

Recent research shows that physiological changes actually occur among people participating together in meaningful activities:

• Heart rate synchronization: Heart beats align when moving or cheering to the same rhythm
• Brain wave synchronization: Brain activity patterns become similar during intense collective experiences
• Hormonal changes: Increased oxytocin and endorphin release enhances bonding and happiness

Creating 'We Mode' in Daily Life

'We mode' isn't something you can only experience at grand festivals or events. It can be created in everyday life.

1. Moving Together

• Group dance classes
• Group yoga or Pilates
• Walking or running together

2. Pursuing Common Goals

• Participating in team sports
• Volunteer activities
• Community projects

3. Attending Cultural Events

• Attending concerts or performances
• Cheering at sporting events
• Participating in local festivals

Why 'We Mode' Matters Now [AI Analysis]

The paradox of the digital age is that while we're more connected than ever before, we actually feel more isolated. As social isolation has emerged as a public health crisis following the 2020s pandemic, the value of collective experiences like 'we mode' is being reevaluated.

Future research in this area is likely to develop in several directions:

• Mental health treatment: Increased use of group activity programs for treating depression and anxiety disorders
• Organizational culture: Companies adopting 'we mode' activities to strengthen team building and collaboration
• Urban design: Expansion of public spaces and event planning that promote collective experiences

Science is now proving what our ancestors instinctively knew for thousands of years: when we dance, sing, cheer, and move together, we're not simply individuals in the same space—we become a true 'we.'