masstomist

Masstomist is a neologism used in certain online discussions to describe a person who subscribes to masstomism, a framework that foregrounds mass-scale phenomena in social, political, and technological contexts. As a label, masstomist points to a systematic interest in how large groups, mass media, and digital infrastructures influence belief, behavior, and institutions. The term is not part of established academic discourse, and there is no formal doctrine or agreed set of tenets.

Origin and usage: The word appears in informal writings and speculative essays from the 2010s onward, with no single founder. It tends to be used in critiques or thought experiments about governance in highly connected societies. Etymology is uncertain; masstomism appears to combine "mass" with a generic suffix used to denote adherents of a philosophy.

Key ideas: Masstomism emphasizes systems-level analysis of emergent phenomena in crowds and networks. Masstomists study how mass communication, platform design, and automated processes shape attitudes, culture, and policy. They often advocate for interdisciplinary research and careful consideration of ethical implications of mass-scale technologies.

Critique: Critics argue the term can be vague or overly reductionist, risking imprecision about what constitutes a "mass" phenomenon or a masstomism program. Some warn about potential technocratic bias or attempts to justify control of collective behavior.

See also: mass media theory, crowd psychology, sociotechnical systems, data governance.