The Thermodynamics of Power, Meaning, and Masks
Burnout as a Non-Metaphor and Unmasking as a Revolutionary Act in Neurodivergent Experience
Let's explore the concept of masking in neurodivergent individuals, particularly autistic people, through the lens of thermodynamics. Masking, the act of suppressing or altering one’s natural behavior to conform to societal expectations, is examined here using thermodynamic concepts such as enthalpy (imposed meaning) and entropy (emergent meaning).
By framing masking and unmasking in thermodynamic terms, we offer a deeper understanding of both the personal and societal dynamics involved. Unmasking is positioned as a revolutionary act that challenges societal norms and structures, disrupting the existing low-entropy system of neurotypical conformity and introducing the potential for a high-entropy, emergent system where neurodiverse individuals can thrive authentically.
1. Introduction: Masking as a Thermodynamic System
Masking—the suppression or modification of natural behaviors to fit societal expectations—can be viewed through the lens of thermodynamic control. For neurodivergent individuals, particularly autistic people, masking serves as an adaptation to navigate a world that prioritizes neurotypical norms. However, like any closed thermodynamic system, maintaining this low-entropy state comes at a significant cost, draining energy, leading to burnout, and suppressing the potential for authentic personal meaning.
This paper draws on thermodynamic principles, such as enthalpy (order) and entropy (disorder), to analyze the dynamics of masking and unmasking. Societal expectations function as low-entropy forces, maintaining order and predictability at the expense of individuality and personal freedom. In contrast, unmasking introduces entropy into this controlled system, disrupting imposed order and allowing for emergent, authentic ways of being. The balance between these forces provides a new framework for understanding both personal liberation and the broader implications for societal change.
2. Thermodynamics in Meaning-Making: Enthalpy and Entropy
Before delving into masking and unmasking, it’s essential to define the thermodynamic concepts that underpin our analysis:
Enthalpy (Imposed Meaning):
In thermodynamics, enthalpy refers to the total energy required to maintain a system's structure and order. In social terms, this relates to the imposed meaning that is enforced through societal norms, expectations, and roles. Society expends energy to maintain this state of conformity, ensuring that individuals act according to pre-established frameworks of behavior.
Imposed meaning in this context comes from cultural, institutional, and interpersonal pressures, which demand conformity to neurotypical standards. Neurodivergent individuals are often expected to behave, communicate, and work in ways that align with these norms.
Entropy (Emergent Meaning):
Entropy measures disorder or randomness in a system and represents a force of disruption and potential for change. In terms of meaning-making, emergent meaning arises when individuals break free from societal constraints, allowing for authentic and creative expressions of identity and purpose.
Emergent meaning represents the individualized, flexible meanings that arise when people are free to live according to their true selves rather than conforming to societal expectations.
3. The Masking Process as Low-Entropy Conformity
From a thermodynamic perspective, masking can be understood as a form of low-entropy conformity. Like a system kept in a low-entropy state through controlled inputs, masking allows individuals to fit into the structured, predictable frameworks of neurotypical society.
Masking as Enthalpy: Neurodivergent individuals expend a constant supply of energy to suppress their natural tendencies and mimic neurotypical behavior, much like the energy required to maintain order in a low-entropy system. This process can be likened to high-enthalpy systems where external energy is needed to uphold stability and prevent disorder.
Structural Insulation: Society is often insulated against change by reinforcing neurotypical norms in education, employment, and social settings. This insulation serves to maintain societal order, ensuring that neurodivergent individuals must continue masking to navigate their environments successfully, much like a thermodynamic system insulated from entropy.
The Personal Costs of Masking
Sustaining this low-entropy state comes with significant personal costs. The ongoing effort to maintain masking can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression, and a diminished sense of identity. In thermodynamic terms, the individual becomes an overheated system, expending excessive energy to maintain a rigid, stable state. Without the possibility of unmasking—a release of stored energy—this system risks catastrophic collapse through personal crises such as mental health breakdowns.
4. Unmasking as a High-Entropy Revolution
Unmasking, the act of rejecting societal expectations and embracing one’s authentic self, introduces entropy into a previously low-entropy system. By unmasking, neurodivergent individuals disrupt the order that masking maintains, allowing their true nature to emerge.
Entropy as Personal Liberation
When individuals unmask, they release the energy previously trapped in maintaining conformity. This release introduces disorder into their personal systems, creating room for authentic behaviors and more dynamic ways of interacting with the world. In thermodynamic terms, unmasking increases entropy, leading to a more fluid, flexible state where new possibilities for meaning and interaction can develop.
Viktor Frankl’s Concept of Dignity: Unmasking is not merely the release of energy—it is a dignified act of rebellion against societal structures that demand conformity. Frankl’s belief that meaning arises from one’s capacity to respond authentically to challenges aligns with unmasking as a personal revolution. By unmasking, neurodivergent individuals reclaim their dignity and assert their true identities, rejecting the imposed meanings that sought to suppress them.
Unmasking and Social Entropy
On a societal scale, unmasking introduces entropy into the broader social system. When more neurodivergent individuals resist the need to mask, they challenge the structural insulation that upholds neurotypical norms. This collective disruption fosters the emergence of new, diverse ways of being and redefines societal expectations.
Sidney Tarrow’s Political Opportunity Structures: Tarrow’s work on social movements highlights how moments of disruption can create opportunities for systemic change. Unmasking, when done collectively, acts as a form of social movement, breaking down the low-entropy stability of neurotypical norms and making space for a more inclusive society to emerge.
5. The Thermodynamic Model of Unmasking
To better visualize the dynamics of masking and unmasking, we propose a thermodynamic model that captures the tension between enthalpy (imposed meaning) and entropy (emergent meaning) in the lives of neurodivergent individuals:
Where:
( M(t) ) = Potential for meaning-making over time.
( S_e(t) ) = Entropy-driven emergent meaning, arising when individuals reject imposed norms and embrace authentic behaviors.
( E_p(t) ) = Empathy, which fosters emergent meaning and connection with others.
( N_d(t) ) = Neurodiversity, contributing to creative, non-linear thinking and behavior.
( H_m(t) ) = Enthalpy-driven masking, requiring energy to maintain conformity.
( C_n(t) ) = Cultural norms reinforcing neurotypical expectations.
( F_s(t) ) = External forces (family, workplace, societal pressures) that sustain the need for masking.
This equation demonstrates how unmasking increases entropy in an individual's life, breaking down imposed meanings and allowing for the rise of new, more authentic forms of meaning.
6. The Revolutionary Potential of Unmasking
Unmasking not only facilitates personal liberation but also holds revolutionary potential at the societal level. By challenging the low-entropy structures that demand conformity, unmasking can catalyze systemic change.
Disrupting the Social Order
Unmasking challenges the dominant neurotypical standards that dictate behavior, communication, and success. When done collectively, unmasking disrupts the structural insulation that upholds these norms, much like entropy disrupts a closed thermodynamic system.
Fostering Emergent Meaning in Society
As more neurodivergent individuals unmask, they create space for emergent meaning to thrive. Society can shift toward a high-entropy state where multiple ways of being, communicating, and contributing are recognized. This shift mirrors the process of entropy in thermodynamic systems, where disorder drives evolution and adaptation toward new, more inclusive states of equilibrium.
7. The Role of Unaware High-Masking Autistics in the Thermodynamics of Meaning-Making
One of the most complex dynamics in the thermodynamics of the mask involves unaware high-masking autistics—individuals who, without knowing they are autistic, have developed sophisticated strategies to mask their neurodivergent traits. These individuals represent a unique case within the framework of imposed meaning and personal entropy. Their experiences illustrate both the extreme costs of masking and the revolutionary potential of unmasking, should they come to understand and embrace their neurodivergent identity.
7.1 High-Masking as an Extreme Low-Entropy State
For unaware high-masking autistics, the act of masking is often so ingrained that it becomes almost second nature. These individuals might have developed exceptional abilities to mimic neurotypical behavior, perform social expectations, and suppress their natural tendencies without consciously realizing they are masking. In thermodynamic terms, they maintain a hyper-controlled, low-entropy state that requires significant energy to uphold.
Enthalpy of High Masking: The enthalpy here is extremely high, as these individuals are constantly channeling energy into maintaining societal expectations. This is particularly taxing because they are often unaware of their autism, meaning they might attribute their exhaustion and struggles to personal failure rather than the unsustainable demands of conforming to neurotypical standards.
Cognitive Dissonance and Burnout: Over time, this extended effort to maintain a low-entropy state can result in cognitive dissonance and burnout. The individual’s internal sense of identity remains suppressed, while their external behaviors are shaped entirely by societal expectations. This can lead to profound mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and a sense of alienation, all of which stem from the vast amount of energy being funneled into masking.
7.2 The Thermodynamic Costs of Unawareness
For high-masking autistics who are unaware of their neurodivergence, the costs of maintaining this low-entropy, high-enthalpy state are immense. They are not only pouring significant amounts of energy into suppressing their true selves, but they are also cut off from the possibility of emergent meaning—the personal growth and fulfillment that come from embracing one’s authentic self.
Chronic Energy Depletion: Without understanding that they are autistic, these individuals may push themselves to meet neurotypical standards at the expense of their well-being. The constant energy expenditure required to maintain this state is akin to a thermodynamic system that is over-regulated, with no release valve for entropy or disorder. As a result, these individuals often experience extreme burnout, potentially leading to long-term physical and mental health issues.
Masking as a Closed System: High-masking autistics live within a closed system where the introduction of entropy (authentic behavior, creative expression) is virtually nonexistent. This closed system creates an insulated environment where neurotypical norms are constantly reinforced, with no opportunities for deviation or personal freedom.
7.3 The Potential for Catastrophic Collapse
In thermodynamics, systems that are maintained in a rigid, low-entropy state for too long without releasing energy tend to collapse catastrophically. The same can be said for high-masking autistics who are unaware of their neurodivergence. Because they are continuously forced to exert energy to maintain their masking behaviors, they are at risk of reaching a tipping point where the entire system collapses.
Mental Health Crises: For many unaware high-maskers, this collapse can manifest as a mental health crisis—a sudden realization that their energy reserves are completely depleted. This often leads to a breakdown in their ability to continue masking, and in some cases, it may also coincide with the discovery of their autism. The transition from a low-entropy, rigidly controlled state to a more disordered, high-entropy state can be jarring, leading to feelings of confusion, loss, and emotional upheaval.
7.4 The Unmasking Process: Moving Toward High-Entropy Freedom
For high-masking autistics who become aware of their neurodivergence, the process of unmasking can be incredibly liberating, but also deeply challenging. Once they recognize that their efforts to conform to neurotypical standards were unnecessary—and even harmful—they begin to release the pent-up energy that had been trapped in maintaining a low-entropy state.
Transition from Enthalpy to Entropy: The process of unmasking allows these individuals to introduce entropy into their lives by rejecting the rigid structures of imposed meaning that have dictated their behavior for so long. They begin to engage in authentic behaviors, express their natural tendencies, and redefine their sense of self based on emergent meaning rather than societal expectations.
Personal Revolution: Unmasking represents a personal revolution for high-maskers, as they shift from a state of stability and control to one of authenticity and flexibility. This revolution not only liberates the individual from the constraints of neurotypical conformity, but it also opens up new possibilities for personal growth, creativity, and well-being.
7.5 The Role of High-Maskers in Collective Change
On a societal level, high-masking autistics who become aware of their neurodivergence can play a pivotal role in the collective revolution of unmasking. These individuals often have a deep understanding of how neurotypical norms are constructed and enforced, as they have spent much of their lives navigating these systems through masking. Their experiences make them uniquely positioned to challenge the structural insulation that reinforces neurotypical standards.
Challenging the Low-Entropy Social Order: As high-maskers unmask and share their experiences, they help disrupt the low-entropy social order that demands conformity to neurotypical norms. Their stories reveal the hidden costs of masking and provide a powerful counter-narrative to the idea that success and fulfillment can only be achieved by adhering to neurotypical standards.
Fostering Emergent Meaning in Society: By unmasking and advocating for neurodiversity, high-maskers contribute to the collective rise of entropy in society. Their willingness to reject imposed meanings and embrace their authentic selves creates space for emergent meaning to flourish, not only for neurodivergent individuals but for society as a whole. They pave the way for a more inclusive, flexible, and adaptive social structure, where multiple ways of being are celebrated rather than suppressed.
7.6 The Double-Edged Nature of Unmasking for High-Maskers
While unmasking offers the possibility of personal liberation, it also comes with significant challenges for high-maskers. The transition from a low-entropy, high-masking state to a high-entropy, unmasked state can be disorienting and emotionally turbulent. High-maskers may struggle to reconcile their past identity with their newfound authenticity, leading to feelings of grief, anger, or confusion.
Negotiating Identity: High-maskers must navigate the complex process of redefining their identity in the wake of unmasking. This often involves confronting the many years they spent masking and coming to terms with the ways in which societal expectations shaped their sense of self. However, through this process, they gain the freedom to define their own emergent meaning, based on their true experiences and values.
8. Conclusion: The Thermodynamics of High-Masking Autistics
High-masking autistics play a critical role in the thermodynamics of meaning-making. Their experiences demonstrate the extreme costs of maintaining a low-entropy, high-entropic system—where masking drains energy and stifles authenticity—and the potential for personal and collective revolution through unmasking.
As more high-maskers become aware of their neurodivergence and begin the process of unmasking, they introduce entropy into both their personal lives and the broader social system, disrupting the structural insulation that upholds neurotypical norms. This process creates space for the rise of emergent meaning, where neurodivergent individuals can live authentically and contribute to a more inclusive, adaptive, and dynamic society.
In thermodynamic terms, unmasking represents the release of pent-up energy that allows both individuals and society to shift from a rigid, controlled state to one of flexibility, creativity, and freedom. The revolutionary potential of unmasking lies in its ability to challenge the power structures that enforce conformity, paving the way for a more equitable world where all forms of human experience are valued.