Marian Roalfe Cox - in her book "Cinderella: 345 Variations" - shows that the origin of the Cinderella tale is extremely ancient and multi-thousand years old. To give you an idea, the Cinderella tale existed before the Roman Empire and was told not only in Europe, but also in Asia and - as other studies reveal - in Africa before humans arrived in Europe. An analysis of this data allows us to see that, as time passed and the story was orally spread throughout these civilizations, some aspects of the tale changed more frequently than others, until a region established a characteristic that - for some unknown reason - remained amidst the mutations.
In this way, particles of the tales remained constant while the whole society developed and modified the rest of the story: the version of Cinderella that you know is the result of an evolution not of animals, plants and other living beings, but rather an abstract evolution. Its mutations were the result of: either the loss of memory that brought the need to replace what existed with something new and perhaps more memorable, making its forgetting and replacement more unlikely; or the ingenuity of creative people who sought to sophisticate the work. Thus, only what is considered memorable and sophisticated remained.
In other words, the abstract object "Cinderella's tale" underwent variations in some of its parts, modifying its particles until it reached the most common format today.
And this phenomenon is not unique to Cinderella: not only did it occur with other fairy tales, but it also occurs with an unknown number of abstract objects: classical music has the same music (symphony) formulated with rules that are restricted but open enough for variations to occur: as hundreds of musicians explored these formulas in different ways and shared them with others, they appropriated ideas that were too good to be ignored: they created a cycle of constant improvement until today, when we speak of symphony number 40, we probably refer to Mozart's symphony 40; when we speak of prelude and fugue we refer to Bach; and when we speak of a nocturne, we refer to Chopin; these created works whose abstract particles were so evolved in the specific genre of classical music that they monopolize the abstract space of the collective formulation of these musical formulas to this day, in the same way that the best-known version of Cinderella does today with its new variations.
If these examples are not enough, there are also video games that appropriate innovative mechanics from their competitors in a continuous cycle of constant modification and sophistication (with errors in the short term, but a clear tendency to seek to improve overall over time, for example in graphics), maintaining only the aspects that are most appealing to the collective brain: here is yet another process of evolution of abstract particles in the search for the creation of the final version of an abstract object, that is, of an apex.
The idea: every video game is the same abstract object as every other video game of the same genre (they are just different versions of the same object). The destiny of these abstract objects (stories, games, songs..., ideas that follow a formula) would be to reach their final and absolute variation: their state of perfection in which the things that constitute it (in this example, it would be the story of the game, its mechanics, its music, how these things relate to each other...) cannot be criticized - within the criteria of their type - for functioning with the greatest possible perfection (this is how "classic" works, which remain relevant over time, are born).
It is as if a teacher were to teach the same class every day and seek to improve his teaching methods every day, he would improve or modify some aspect of the class until he found a sublime way that would allow him to give a perfect class. This is the process of evolution of abstract objects and their abstract particles; however, instead of the mind of a teacher being responsible for the variations, this process of modifications of the abstract particles that make up an abstract object is carried out by hundreds of individuals who test the abstract particles over time, naturally seeking and defining which one will be chosen. It is as if thousands of people were forging the perfect sword, but the sword is abstract and must please societies of different times and with different opinions.
The more a specific abstract object is perfected, the more it dominates the general space to which it belongs. For example, Bach's "art of fugue" is the pinnacle of the musical style known as fugue; therefore, it should dominate only the musical space of fugue. However, it is also recognized as one of the best Baroque works and dominates not only the space of classical music (Baroque, Classical and Romantic) but also dominates the collective imaginary space of musical intellectuals worldwide. As if that were not enough, it is so recognized that, when asking a connoisseur of general arts about which is or are the greatest work of art, he or she may mention the "art of fugue" to the detriment of various works of sculpture, cinema, painting and literature. In other words, the specific abstract object (fugue music) has a work of perfection in its abstract particles that transcends its specification, dominating (or at least in the direction of dominating) the abstract object of music in general..., and the abstract object of all the arts! The ultimate dream of the best romance novel is that it will change until it becomes the best novel of all genres.
Furthermore, the abstract object of entertainment can evolve so much that a book becomes a new specification: a book gives birth to a new literary genre. Or even modifying other characteristics until it becomes a film! Notice: the abstract object – in addition to having versions that are pinnacles within its specificity – also moves towards a version that is so modified that it transcends its specification, creating a new specification or becoming part of another, more general abstract object.
What would be the fate of abstract objects - considering: (1) the existence of an evolution of ideas; (2) the desire to transcend their specifications -?
Logical answer: the destiny of abstract objects is similar to the dream of physicists: to create a theory of everything! The end, the apex of all abstract objects of humanity would be a great and perfect abstract object that would be entertainment, education, criticism, art..., all in one: it would transcend all specifications, it would be the definitive general idea that makes all others irrelevant, it would be the absolute abstract creation. This final – and utopian – idea is called divine abstraction. It is important to emphasize that this seems to be the trend, but it will not necessarily come to fruition.
The processes of evolution of abstract particles can also be observed in memes (Richard Dawkins proposes that human activities come from memes, which are "all behaviors or styles that are passed from person to person within a culture"; therefore, I am not referring only to internet memes). Therefore, according to the evolutionary theory of the abstract object, we are moving towards absolute human behavior.
Of course, not all modifications/mutations of abstract objects are an improvement, but we observe that in the chaotic creation of their versions, the one that innovates and pleases has the tendency to be copied, thus influencing the creation of another version that adds yet another pleasant thing that will be – again – copied, forming a cycle.
In short:
1- There are abstract objects that go through a process similar to Darwin's evolution. This process is called the evolution of abstract particles and it is carried out by the thinking collective.
2- The destiny of specific abstract objects is to create new specifications or reach peaks restricted to their specification.
3- Every abstract object is just a variation of the concept behind it. Therefore, a motorcycle, a train and a car are different versions of the same abstract idea/object that would be, in this case, a means of locomotion (but there are several levels of specificity: a car model could also be included in the abstract object car).
4- Analyzing the tendency of the nature of the evolutionary process, we realize that: one of the final destinies of thought – human and others – is the creation of the most perfect and absolute general abstract object. From there, we create an ideal called divine abstraction that represents this absolute peak. This would be the result of the final stage of collective consciousness.
5- There is a tendency for higher complexity in new inventions.
In this way, particles of the tales remained constant while the whole society developed and modified the rest of the story: the version of Cinderella that you know is the result of an evolution not of animals, plants and other living beings, but rather an abstract evolution. Its mutations were the result of: either the loss of memory that brought the need to replace what existed with something new and perhaps more memorable, making its forgetting and replacement more unlikely; or the ingenuity of creative people who sought to sophisticate the work. Thus, only what is considered memorable and sophisticated remained.
In other words, the abstract object "Cinderella's tale" underwent variations in some of its parts, modifying its particles until it reached the most common format today.
And this phenomenon is not unique to Cinderella: not only did it occur with other fairy tales, but it also occurs with an unknown number of abstract objects: classical music has the same music (symphony) formulated with rules that are restricted but open enough for variations to occur: as hundreds of musicians explored these formulas in different ways and shared them with others, they appropriated ideas that were too good to be ignored: they created a cycle of constant improvement until today, when we speak of symphony number 40, we probably refer to Mozart's symphony 40; when we speak of prelude and fugue we refer to Bach; and when we speak of a nocturne, we refer to Chopin; these created works whose abstract particles were so evolved in the specific genre of classical music that they monopolize the abstract space of the collective formulation of these musical formulas to this day, in the same way that the best-known version of Cinderella does today with its new variations.
If these examples are not enough, there are also video games that appropriate innovative mechanics from their competitors in a continuous cycle of constant modification and sophistication (with errors in the short term, but a clear tendency to seek to improve overall over time, for example in graphics), maintaining only the aspects that are most appealing to the collective brain: here is yet another process of evolution of abstract particles in the search for the creation of the final version of an abstract object, that is, of an apex.
The idea: every video game is the same abstract object as every other video game of the same genre (they are just different versions of the same object). The destiny of these abstract objects (stories, games, songs..., ideas that follow a formula) would be to reach their final and absolute variation: their state of perfection in which the things that constitute it (in this example, it would be the story of the game, its mechanics, its music, how these things relate to each other...) cannot be criticized - within the criteria of their type - for functioning with the greatest possible perfection (this is how "classic" works, which remain relevant over time, are born).
It is as if a teacher were to teach the same class every day and seek to improve his teaching methods every day, he would improve or modify some aspect of the class until he found a sublime way that would allow him to give a perfect class. This is the process of evolution of abstract objects and their abstract particles; however, instead of the mind of a teacher being responsible for the variations, this process of modifications of the abstract particles that make up an abstract object is carried out by hundreds of individuals who test the abstract particles over time, naturally seeking and defining which one will be chosen. It is as if thousands of people were forging the perfect sword, but the sword is abstract and must please societies of different times and with different opinions.
The more a specific abstract object is perfected, the more it dominates the general space to which it belongs. For example, Bach's "art of fugue" is the pinnacle of the musical style known as fugue; therefore, it should dominate only the musical space of fugue. However, it is also recognized as one of the best Baroque works and dominates not only the space of classical music (Baroque, Classical and Romantic) but also dominates the collective imaginary space of musical intellectuals worldwide. As if that were not enough, it is so recognized that, when asking a connoisseur of general arts about which is or are the greatest work of art, he or she may mention the "art of fugue" to the detriment of various works of sculpture, cinema, painting and literature. In other words, the specific abstract object (fugue music) has a work of perfection in its abstract particles that transcends its specification, dominating (or at least in the direction of dominating) the abstract object of music in general..., and the abstract object of all the arts! The ultimate dream of the best romance novel is that it will change until it becomes the best novel of all genres.
Furthermore, the abstract object of entertainment can evolve so much that a book becomes a new specification: a book gives birth to a new literary genre. Or even modifying other characteristics until it becomes a film! Notice: the abstract object – in addition to having versions that are pinnacles within its specificity – also moves towards a version that is so modified that it transcends its specification, creating a new specification or becoming part of another, more general abstract object.
What would be the fate of abstract objects - considering: (1) the existence of an evolution of ideas; (2) the desire to transcend their specifications -?
Logical answer: the destiny of abstract objects is similar to the dream of physicists: to create a theory of everything! The end, the apex of all abstract objects of humanity would be a great and perfect abstract object that would be entertainment, education, criticism, art..., all in one: it would transcend all specifications, it would be the definitive general idea that makes all others irrelevant, it would be the absolute abstract creation. This final – and utopian – idea is called divine abstraction. It is important to emphasize that this seems to be the trend, but it will not necessarily come to fruition.
The processes of evolution of abstract particles can also be observed in memes (Richard Dawkins proposes that human activities come from memes, which are "all behaviors or styles that are passed from person to person within a culture"; therefore, I am not referring only to internet memes). Therefore, according to the evolutionary theory of the abstract object, we are moving towards absolute human behavior.
Of course, not all modifications/mutations of abstract objects are an improvement, but we observe that in the chaotic creation of their versions, the one that innovates and pleases has the tendency to be copied, thus influencing the creation of another version that adds yet another pleasant thing that will be – again – copied, forming a cycle.
In short:
1- There are abstract objects that go through a process similar to Darwin's evolution. This process is called the evolution of abstract particles and it is carried out by the thinking collective.
2- The destiny of specific abstract objects is to create new specifications or reach peaks restricted to their specification.
3- Every abstract object is just a variation of the concept behind it. Therefore, a motorcycle, a train and a car are different versions of the same abstract idea/object that would be, in this case, a means of locomotion (but there are several levels of specificity: a car model could also be included in the abstract object car).
4- Analyzing the tendency of the nature of the evolutionary process, we realize that: one of the final destinies of thought – human and others – is the creation of the most perfect and absolute general abstract object. From there, we create an ideal called divine abstraction that represents this absolute peak. This would be the result of the final stage of collective consciousness.
5- There is a tendency for higher complexity in new inventions.