The quote from John Dos Passos' "The Big Money" highlights a significant concept in physics regarding gas behavior. It suggests that the pressure a gas exerts on its container is a collective phenomenon, not dictated by the past experiences or individual behaviors of the gas molecules. This implies that the properties we observe in gases are a result of statistical averages rather than specific histories.

This idea resonates with broader philosophical themes, suggesting that while individual experiences may shape behavior, the outcomes and effects are often determined by collective interactions. Just as in gases, human experiences can aggregate into significant societal pressures that transcend individual stories, underlining a sense of shared existence within a larger context.