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Plurality FAQ
May. 25th, 2017 09:45 amWhat is plurality?
Plurality is an umbrella term for the experience of having multiple "others" sharing your body alongside you. Plural systems, as they are commonly called, can be multiple (comprised of fully separate individuals known as system members) or median (comprised of different facets or personalities).
While some plural systems, such as those diagnosed with DID/DDNOS could be considered disordered, plurality itself is not inherently pathological, and there are many other systems who don't arise from trauma the way clinically diagnosed systems do. These systems are referred to as endogenic systems, and the systems that arise from trauma such as DID/DDNOS systems are known as traumagenic systems.
So is endogenic multiplicity, tulpamancy, and DID all the same thing?
Hardly. While all of these experiences fit under the plurality umbrella, they are all vastly different experiences from one another, and it is impossible to tell whether the same mechanisms that give rise to one experience also give rise to another.
Or, to put it this way, American, Pakistani, and Chinese are all cultures, but they are not the same thing, and entail vastly different experiences.
How old is the plurality community?
Decades. Astraea’s Web, one of the oldest plurality sites, was rehosted in 2007 but actually was first created in 1999. There are some mailing lists that extend as far back as the 1980s.
What is the difference between plurality and multiplicity?
Plurality: An umbrella term encompassing all phenomena in which multiple beings coinhabit a brain and body.
Multiplicity: Can refer to one of two meanings:
(a) The state of having system members who are strongly separate from each other, each possessing a self-identity distinct from the others in the system. Contrast medianhood, in which members are somewhat separate but share one central identity among themselves. The older and more common definition of this term.
(b) Referring to a plural system that is not a tulpamancy system, i.e. a system where no members were created by other members. A more recent use of the term that emerged with the appearance of Western tulpamancy.
While the latter definition of multiplicity is useful for discussing the many differences in culture and experience between tulpamancy systems and non-tulpamancy systems, it should be noted that systems are systems and people are people regardless of origin–one should never use the latter definition of multiplicity to exclude tulpamancy systems as “less plural” or tulpas as “less real.”
What is the difference between plurality and dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
DID and OSDD are clinical diagnoses for plurals who trace their plurality back to trauma, experience their plurality as fundamentally entwined with their trauma, and/or experience their plurality as a source of clinically significant distress, dysfunction, or danger. Not all plurals are dysfunctional, and thus, not all plurals fit the DID narrative. In addition, it is possible for functional systems to become dysfunctional, and dysfunctional systems to become functional without integration/merging.
Beyond that, it is also possible for systems who are diagnosed with DID/DDNOS to not identify with the diagnosis, as well as for systems who are unable to be formally diagnosed to identify with the clinical labels. All in all, you should watch someone and see/ask if they use the diagnosis to describe themselves first, and not apply it to others without their permission. It's also important to keep in mind that experiences within the diagnosis itself are diverse. Some come to treasure their plurality, others have only experienced suffering as a result of being plural and would rather not be. No matter what, all experiences should be respected.
Can types of plurality overlap?
Indeed they can, in several ways. A systemmate might fall into multiple categories; for example, being a fictive walk-in and thus also a soulbond. Their origins may blur the lines (e.g. an encouraged split may be considered a repressed but pre-existing natural member, a split, or even a tulpa) or be difficult to place (e.g. a system member who has been around for as long as anyone can remember–it is impossible to tell how they originated).
In addition, the terminologies of certain subgroups can clash or overlap. This is particularly seen in tulpamancy–what the tulpamancy community calls “accidental tulpas,” the wider plurality community calls “walk-ins”, for example.
How many plurals are there?
It’s hard to say. However, two systems, based upon their interactions with people and some careful questioning, have made upper- and lower-bound estimates. The lower-bound estimate: 1 in 10,000 people is a plural. The upper-bound? 1 in 10.
Whoa, one in ten?
Keep in mind that’s an upper-bound estimate, i.e. at most one in ten people are actually plural. This number also largely includes medians and other plurals who are relatively “normal”, e.g. fiction writing authors who can speak to their characters–these plurals may not even know they are plural, or identify as plural.
How can I tell if someone is plural?
Unless you ask them (and they’re honest with you), there’s no way to tell for sure. Even systems who switch can learn to imitate each other and pass their switches off as forgetfulness or moodiness with the uninformed. A preliminary way to test the waters is to ask the question, “Have you ever lost an argument against yourself?” However, keep in mind that this is not a definitive measure of plurality.
Why/how does plurality exist?
We don’t know. It can develop as a coping mechanism, especially in trauma-created systems, but not all plural systems were created from trauma and not all trauma victims become plural. Some people appear to be born with an inherent tendency towards plurality, with some having known or even switched with their systemmates at childhood. Articles by Simler, and the theory he discusses–bicameral brain theory–posit that plurality was actually the original state of the human brain. But there is no solid consensus or data on the matter.
What we do know, however, is that plurality exists. It is not something that is made up. It is not only hinted at in the accounts of authors and mystics–it has also been physically verified by EEG studies and other case reports on DID systems. How it operates, we cannot say, just as we cannot say how a singlet consciousness comes to be–we only know that the brain is far vaster, far more complex, and far, far more marvelous than we have even begun to understand.
Can system members be different ages/genders/species?
Yes. Keep in mind that mental/inner identity does not have to correlate with physical characteristics.
What are the upsides to being plural? Downsides?
This is going to vary depending on which system you ask. Some systems cooperate extremely well and get along wonderfully, considering each other family--they could not imagine life without each other. Other systems are in constant disarray or infight constantly, and plurality is a curse for them.
All in all, plurality is not innately good nor innately bad, but a baseline neutral experience that varies per system and per member, just like any other human experience.
I think I might be plural. How do I tell if I really am?
See our page on this. (link TBA)
I want to become plural. How do I do that?
It was previously thought that a singlet could not consciously become plural. With tulpamancy and soulbonding, and arguably daemonism (though daemians, it should be noted, generally do not consider themselves plural), we now know that’s not the case, and that it is possible for even singlets to consciously create new system members.
However, the decision to become plural should not be made lightly. Remember that a systemmate is a person as much as you are, and should not be created for the purpose of being a toy, for switching with you so you can escape responsibilities, or discarded and neglected when you tire of them, especially since young tulpas tend to be frail and wither without attention. A systemmate should not be created with the intent of replacing real-world friendships or interaction. In addition, keep in mind that just like physical people, systemmates are not perfect and will not agree with you on everything. You must be ready to communicate and listen.
Finally, realize that by becoming plural, especially when delving into projection/switching, you are changing the wiring of your brain on a major scale, and breaking down mental shields that cannot be easily replaced. To say that this process is entirely safe, with no possible drawbacks, is a lie. And should you ever decide to be public with being plural, be ready to face ridicule, ostracization, or, at worst, forced psychiatric treatment (especially if you are a minor, as your parents can commit you to treatment against your consent).
How should I treat a plural system?
See: ettiquette. (link TBA) A general rule of thumb, however: if you’re ever uncertain about how someone wants to be treated, ask politely–just as you would with any other individual.
Why do plurals hide?
Stigma and prejudice. Thanks in part to sensationalized media portrayals of plurality, the bulk of the public believes that plurals are unstable, dangerous, or otherwise “crazy”, when in reality, even a DID system is far, far more likely to be hurt by ableism regarding their plurality than they are to hurt anyone else. On top of that, psychology and psychiatry both pathologize plurality as something that can only ever be a mental illness, as something that must be “fixed”. Plurals have had their driver’s licenses confiscated, have been forcibly committed, have been denied employment and benefits for being plural. Even in less drastic cases, plurals must deal with accusations of “faking” for attention, claims that they are “delusional”, and many other forms of invalidation, even from friends and family–or even other types of plural systems who regard themselves as "more legitimate".
Given the above, it isn’t too hard to see why most keep their plurality a secret.
I’d like to ask you some questions, but I don’t want to be rude…
No, please do ask! As long as you’re polite and respectful of boundaries and identities (e.g. no asking about highly private matters like “how does sex work?” or phrasing questions problematically like “so why do you think you’re different people?”), questions are appreciated. It means you want to learn.
Plurality is an umbrella term for the experience of having multiple "others" sharing your body alongside you. Plural systems, as they are commonly called, can be multiple (comprised of fully separate individuals known as system members) or median (comprised of different facets or personalities).
While some plural systems, such as those diagnosed with DID/DDNOS could be considered disordered, plurality itself is not inherently pathological, and there are many other systems who don't arise from trauma the way clinically diagnosed systems do. These systems are referred to as endogenic systems, and the systems that arise from trauma such as DID/DDNOS systems are known as traumagenic systems.
So is endogenic multiplicity, tulpamancy, and DID all the same thing?
Hardly. While all of these experiences fit under the plurality umbrella, they are all vastly different experiences from one another, and it is impossible to tell whether the same mechanisms that give rise to one experience also give rise to another.
Or, to put it this way, American, Pakistani, and Chinese are all cultures, but they are not the same thing, and entail vastly different experiences.
How old is the plurality community?
Decades. Astraea’s Web, one of the oldest plurality sites, was rehosted in 2007 but actually was first created in 1999. There are some mailing lists that extend as far back as the 1980s.
What is the difference between plurality and multiplicity?
Plurality: An umbrella term encompassing all phenomena in which multiple beings coinhabit a brain and body.
Multiplicity: Can refer to one of two meanings:
(a) The state of having system members who are strongly separate from each other, each possessing a self-identity distinct from the others in the system. Contrast medianhood, in which members are somewhat separate but share one central identity among themselves. The older and more common definition of this term.
(b) Referring to a plural system that is not a tulpamancy system, i.e. a system where no members were created by other members. A more recent use of the term that emerged with the appearance of Western tulpamancy.
While the latter definition of multiplicity is useful for discussing the many differences in culture and experience between tulpamancy systems and non-tulpamancy systems, it should be noted that systems are systems and people are people regardless of origin–one should never use the latter definition of multiplicity to exclude tulpamancy systems as “less plural” or tulpas as “less real.”
What is the difference between plurality and dissociative identity disorder (DID)?
DID and OSDD are clinical diagnoses for plurals who trace their plurality back to trauma, experience their plurality as fundamentally entwined with their trauma, and/or experience their plurality as a source of clinically significant distress, dysfunction, or danger. Not all plurals are dysfunctional, and thus, not all plurals fit the DID narrative. In addition, it is possible for functional systems to become dysfunctional, and dysfunctional systems to become functional without integration/merging.
Beyond that, it is also possible for systems who are diagnosed with DID/DDNOS to not identify with the diagnosis, as well as for systems who are unable to be formally diagnosed to identify with the clinical labels. All in all, you should watch someone and see/ask if they use the diagnosis to describe themselves first, and not apply it to others without their permission. It's also important to keep in mind that experiences within the diagnosis itself are diverse. Some come to treasure their plurality, others have only experienced suffering as a result of being plural and would rather not be. No matter what, all experiences should be respected.
Can types of plurality overlap?
Indeed they can, in several ways. A systemmate might fall into multiple categories; for example, being a fictive walk-in and thus also a soulbond. Their origins may blur the lines (e.g. an encouraged split may be considered a repressed but pre-existing natural member, a split, or even a tulpa) or be difficult to place (e.g. a system member who has been around for as long as anyone can remember–it is impossible to tell how they originated).
In addition, the terminologies of certain subgroups can clash or overlap. This is particularly seen in tulpamancy–what the tulpamancy community calls “accidental tulpas,” the wider plurality community calls “walk-ins”, for example.
How many plurals are there?
It’s hard to say. However, two systems, based upon their interactions with people and some careful questioning, have made upper- and lower-bound estimates. The lower-bound estimate: 1 in 10,000 people is a plural. The upper-bound? 1 in 10.
Whoa, one in ten?
Keep in mind that’s an upper-bound estimate, i.e. at most one in ten people are actually plural. This number also largely includes medians and other plurals who are relatively “normal”, e.g. fiction writing authors who can speak to their characters–these plurals may not even know they are plural, or identify as plural.
How can I tell if someone is plural?
Unless you ask them (and they’re honest with you), there’s no way to tell for sure. Even systems who switch can learn to imitate each other and pass their switches off as forgetfulness or moodiness with the uninformed. A preliminary way to test the waters is to ask the question, “Have you ever lost an argument against yourself?” However, keep in mind that this is not a definitive measure of plurality.
Why/how does plurality exist?
We don’t know. It can develop as a coping mechanism, especially in trauma-created systems, but not all plural systems were created from trauma and not all trauma victims become plural. Some people appear to be born with an inherent tendency towards plurality, with some having known or even switched with their systemmates at childhood. Articles by Simler, and the theory he discusses–bicameral brain theory–posit that plurality was actually the original state of the human brain. But there is no solid consensus or data on the matter.
What we do know, however, is that plurality exists. It is not something that is made up. It is not only hinted at in the accounts of authors and mystics–it has also been physically verified by EEG studies and other case reports on DID systems. How it operates, we cannot say, just as we cannot say how a singlet consciousness comes to be–we only know that the brain is far vaster, far more complex, and far, far more marvelous than we have even begun to understand.
Can system members be different ages/genders/species?
Yes. Keep in mind that mental/inner identity does not have to correlate with physical characteristics.
What are the upsides to being plural? Downsides?
This is going to vary depending on which system you ask. Some systems cooperate extremely well and get along wonderfully, considering each other family--they could not imagine life without each other. Other systems are in constant disarray or infight constantly, and plurality is a curse for them.
All in all, plurality is not innately good nor innately bad, but a baseline neutral experience that varies per system and per member, just like any other human experience.
I think I might be plural. How do I tell if I really am?
See our page on this. (link TBA)
I want to become plural. How do I do that?
It was previously thought that a singlet could not consciously become plural. With tulpamancy and soulbonding, and arguably daemonism (though daemians, it should be noted, generally do not consider themselves plural), we now know that’s not the case, and that it is possible for even singlets to consciously create new system members.
However, the decision to become plural should not be made lightly. Remember that a systemmate is a person as much as you are, and should not be created for the purpose of being a toy, for switching with you so you can escape responsibilities, or discarded and neglected when you tire of them, especially since young tulpas tend to be frail and wither without attention. A systemmate should not be created with the intent of replacing real-world friendships or interaction. In addition, keep in mind that just like physical people, systemmates are not perfect and will not agree with you on everything. You must be ready to communicate and listen.
Finally, realize that by becoming plural, especially when delving into projection/switching, you are changing the wiring of your brain on a major scale, and breaking down mental shields that cannot be easily replaced. To say that this process is entirely safe, with no possible drawbacks, is a lie. And should you ever decide to be public with being plural, be ready to face ridicule, ostracization, or, at worst, forced psychiatric treatment (especially if you are a minor, as your parents can commit you to treatment against your consent).
How should I treat a plural system?
See: ettiquette. (link TBA) A general rule of thumb, however: if you’re ever uncertain about how someone wants to be treated, ask politely–just as you would with any other individual.
Why do plurals hide?
Stigma and prejudice. Thanks in part to sensationalized media portrayals of plurality, the bulk of the public believes that plurals are unstable, dangerous, or otherwise “crazy”, when in reality, even a DID system is far, far more likely to be hurt by ableism regarding their plurality than they are to hurt anyone else. On top of that, psychology and psychiatry both pathologize plurality as something that can only ever be a mental illness, as something that must be “fixed”. Plurals have had their driver’s licenses confiscated, have been forcibly committed, have been denied employment and benefits for being plural. Even in less drastic cases, plurals must deal with accusations of “faking” for attention, claims that they are “delusional”, and many other forms of invalidation, even from friends and family–or even other types of plural systems who regard themselves as "more legitimate".
Given the above, it isn’t too hard to see why most keep their plurality a secret.
I’d like to ask you some questions, but I don’t want to be rude…
No, please do ask! As long as you’re polite and respectful of boundaries and identities (e.g. no asking about highly private matters like “how does sex work?” or phrasing questions problematically like “so why do you think you’re different people?”), questions are appreciated. It means you want to learn.
