The Dilemma of Integrated Mind in Contemporary Context: A Cross-Level Analysis of the Evolution of Subjectivity in Low-Feedback Environments

Under the pressure of long-term low-feedback and high-uncertainty environments, individuals often exhibit “adaptive withdrawal” behaviors such as stagnation in strategy iteration, goal downgrading, and mechanical repetition. Existing research, which predominantly treats subjectivity as a stable trait, struggles to adequately explain the dynamic generation and solidification mechanisms of such behaviors. This study proposes the core concept of “subjectivity retreat,” defining it as a functional state shift induced by environmental structures—a rational adaptation strategy where the cognitive system actively suppresses exploration and meaning-making to reduce energy consumption. Based on an explanatory pluralism framework, this paper constructs a dynamic cycle model from environmental input to state lock-in across three levels: cognitive energy conservation, psychological experience, and social structure. It further distinguishes two evolutionary end-states: defensively solidified “amberization” and openly integrated “return-to-the-sea.” The paper argues that “subjectivity retreat” is not a moral failure or cognitive deficit but a systemic output under specific environmental parameters. Its practical significance lies in shifting the focus of intervention from individual repair to environmental structural repair, while warning against the mechanism’s potential alienation into a tool of governance. This study aims to provide a dynamic and transferable systemic explanatory framework for subjectivity research. notReviewed other