Democracy and capitalism do not only depend solely on variation and individuality, but also require collective expression and mass endeavors. Even rebellion and individuality (generally considered to be the epitome of solo effort) find their greatest strength when employed en masse, from a position within the system.
The massing of society into a background condition generates the unique aesthetic pleasure of belonging to a greater organizational whole. This doesn't stifle self-expression, but enables it. All possible variations or positions can be absorbed back into the system as texture. Mass backgrounds encourage cooperation and smooth out the differences that allow for prejudice without relying on semiotic metaphors like slickness or surface folds. They mark a formal shift away from articulation and gesture towards Pattern and organization.
The massified subject is a contemporary phenomena made possible by the spread of global media, lifestyle production, and the clustering of the marketplace. It is the mark of a rationalized, constructed subject self-generated through choice and design.