This touches upon profound concepts in cosmic sociology, often referred to as civilization paradigms. We have evaluated hundreds of thousands of lower-tier civilizations across various metrics. Naturally, the vast majority—especially regarding their mindsets—scored abysmally low...

They are backwards, foolish, and utterly ignorant. They are accustomed to exploiting their own kind and remain perpetually obsessed with petty, short-term gains...

Black spoke with a profound, heavy tone, then fell silent for a long time.

The entity didn't fully understand the Federation yet and couldn't accurately rate it. However, statistically speaking, it didn't hold out much hope for them. The number of species capable of evolving into a true interstellar civilization was astronomically small...

It fell into its own thoughts: What if this civilization really is that hopeless?

Peter wasn't as visionary as Jason, nor as unconventional as Arthur Lambert; he was just an ordinary guy.

Having never studied the newly proposed field of cosmic sociology, his understanding of the universe was entirely superficial.

If individuals with broader perspectives and extensive knowledge, such as Jason or Sean, were to converse with Black, they would undoubtedly arrive at far more valuable conclusions...

*Why was the night sky so dark? Why was the universe so silent?*

Perhaps, armed with only a few words from Black, they could draw countless connections and propose all sorts of brilliant hypotheses.

But Peter was just an average person, and his mind couldn't make those leaps. Yet, even with his limited understanding, a profound sense of humility washed over him.

He reflected on his past life and his past actions.

Back on Earth, he had been perfectly content. As a wealthy kid from the upper class of society, he had access to endless resources, living a vibrant, carefree life. He could date whoever he wanted and do whatever he pleased...

No one ever told him it was wrong; society as a whole simply accepted it. Everyone claimed to despise materialism, yet it was deeply rooted in the very core of human civilization, impossible to eradicate.

As long as Peter didn't explicitly break the law, or even if he bent it just a little, it was fine, provided he didn't go too far.

Humanity sat at the top of Earth's food chain, meaning the ultra-wealthy sat at the absolute pinnacle of the human race. But what did it matter to be at the top of humanity? What did it mean to be the king of an anthill?

What right would they have to complain if a vastly superior alien civilization gave them a failing grade, crushed them on a whim, or simply annihilated the entire Solar System?

This humility wasn't the typical philosophical realization of being a small speck in the cosmos; it was deeply personal. It was a humbling realization of his own flaws and the inherent flaws of his entire civilization.

It was a feeling he had never experienced before: true ignorance and insignificance.

All the disasters and hardships of the past had been shouldered by Jason and the other leaders. Although ordinary citizens like Peter worried about the future, they subconsciously believed that if the sky fell, the giants among them would hold it up. They felt no need to shoulder the burden themselves.

In reality, this was simply a way to dodge their own responsibilities.

If the ship of civilization truly sank, would it all be Jason's fault? Of course not. Every single one of them shared the blame...

The situation had been even worse back on Earth. With billions of individuals, people felt entirely disconnected from society at large. Was it fair to be sued for trying to help a stranger in need, or to see charity donations embezzled by corrupt executives? People naturally thought, *What does the fate of society or the strength of our civilization have to do with me?*

With so many people in the world, one person's actions felt meaningless, so why bother trying to make a difference?

Little did they know that the will of a civilization was forged by the actions of every single individual. Conversely, that civilizational will influenced everyone...

How could the well-being of a society possibly have nothing to do with its individuals?

Perhaps an extraterrestrial civilization had once observed human society and concluded that humanity was nothing but "the most average, lowest-tier trash." Yet, arrogant humans remained blissfully unaware, lost in their own beautiful delusions.

Humans were the undisputed kings of their little mountain, sitting atop the food chain. Inside that bubble, they faced no rivals and remained completely blind to the judgment of outsiders.

Of course, a higher alien civilization might just be in a good mood and spare them, much like a person stepping over an ant... They wouldn't care about human civilization in the slightest, because such primitive societies were a dime a dozen in the universe.

If they were in a good mood, they would ignore the anthill. If they were in a bad mood, they might pour boiling water over it and the ants wouldn't even comprehend the nature of the disaster that wiped them out.

At that moment, Peter suddenly realized how laughable humanity's pride and power truly were.

Nuclear weapons? Stealth fighter jets? Aircraft carrier strike groups? What a joke...

This realization of insignificance struck him so deeply that, for the very first time, he felt his life of idle complacency was an active burden on his entire civilization.

But now they were the Federation. Everything was starting fresh...

They still had a chance!

Just as Peter wanted to ask more, Black flatly refused him. *I cannot disclose any further information on that subject. Knowledge is the most valuable currency in the universe. If you wish to know more, you will have to pay a much higher price.*

"..."

Peter barely managed to swallow his frustration. "Then tell me, what is the average mindset score for the Federation?"

*It is difficult to say at this stage; further observation is required,* Black replied calmly.

Peter's temple throbbed. "...Just continue with the rest of the Spirit Level breakdown. Didn't you say there were five aspects?"

Black paused, realizing they had gone off on a tangent. *...The fourth aspect of the Spirit Level is personal willpower. This measures an individual's ability to consciously set a goal, regulate their actions to align with that objective, overcome adversity, and ultimately achieve success.*

*Generally, a person's willpower solidifies after reaching adulthood. It can be improved, but doing so is exceedingly difficult. A specimen like you would only score a seven or eight. The human average sits around thirty. However, your leader would score at least an eighty or ninety, which is remarkably impressive...*

*Certain chemical substances can completely obliterate willpower, while others can artificially enhance it. Naturally, willpower is also intrinsically linked to an individual's mental potential...*

Peter was growing accustomed to being constantly belittled. Coupled with his current bout of existential dread, he was somewhat numb to the entity's insults.

Besides, the alien wasn't wrong. Peter genuinely lacked willpower. If he had any, he would have been an honors student years ago. It was precisely his lack of drive that prevented him from excelling academically and fully integrating into their new society.

Willpower could be changed, but it would be an uphill battle...

*Finally, we arrive at self-awareness. This is the ability of an individual to perceive the concept of the 'Self.' It consists of three pillars: self-cognition, self-experience, and self-regulation.*

*This aspect is incredibly difficult to quantify and is almost immutable in adults. True self-awareness operates at the quantum level of the brain and is inextricably linked to memory, neurological architecture, and physiological structure. Due to its high degree of quantum uncertainty, it can only be estimated by observing an organism's external behaviors.*

*Certain individuals possess such a profound sense of self that they can perfectly resonate with their own minds, awakening unique psionic abilities. This is a major field of study in advanced biological sciences...* Black mentioned casually.

*However, a slacker like you, someone with no ambitions, no ideals, and no core beliefs would score a seven or eight at best. Your leader, on the other hand, would score at least a sixty or seventy... Very impressive.*

*Those are the five pillars that form the Spirit Level.*

Peter shook his head. He was well aware of the massive gulf between himself and Jason.

Back when they were building the Lunar Base, he had felt a twinge of jealousy, but that had faded long ago. He could never work the way Jason did, pulling endless all-nighters. That kind of intense, relentless pressure would have driven Peter insane.

Nor could he possibly master every scientific discipline, becoming a polymath capable of understanding the intricacies of every single research report.

A small gap in ability might breed jealousy. But when the gap was so staggeringly vast that you couldn't even see the other person's shadow, jealousy was impossible. All that was left was awe.

There were two profoundly disheartening differences between people: their innate talents, and their mindsets.

The inherent, genetic disparities between people were enough to induce despair. There would always be someone taller, better-looking, wealthier, or more naturally gifted than you...

However, a gap in mindset was theoretically bridgeable. But if a person never even attempted to elevate their way of thinking, that gap would become truly insurmountable.

It divided humanity into four categories: those with innate advantages and progressive mindsets; those with innate advantages and backward mindsets; those with innate disadvantages and progressive mindsets; and those with innate disadvantages and backward mindsets.

Innate traits set the baseline, but a person's mindset dictated their trajectory. Over time, the divergence between these four groups would only grow exponentially...

Within the Federation, the vast majority were progressive thinkers. Those with backward mindsets had essentially been filtered out. Fools didn't get tickets off Earth—except, perhaps, for a few trust-fund kids like himself who somehow slipped through the cracks...

Furthermore... their leader, Jason, was someone who practically transcended mortal bounds. Comparing ordinary people to him was an exercise in futility.

Calling the man a "Son of God" wouldn't even be an exaggeration...

Peter finally understood why so many people bought into Calvin's religious rhetoric. Inexplicably, Peter was starting to believe it himself.

*Using the Spirit Level to quantify the differences between individuals is highly accurate,* Black concluded. *The higher an individual's Spirit Level, the greater their potential and the broader their horizons... This is an absolute rule of the cosmos. The statistics have never failed to prove it.*

*Similarly, the higher the average Spirit Level of an entire civilization, the more likely it is to successfully ascend into a true interstellar species.*

*Did you honestly think ascending to an interstellar civilization was easy? That it was merely a matter of time and incremental technological advancement? Impossible!*

*...If it were that simple, would the universe be so dim? Would the cosmos be so deafeningly quiet?* Black sneered mockingly.

*Spirit Level is the absolute measure of a civilization's potential!*