Our ancestors shared qualia. Members of the same group used the same landmarks and pathways to find what they needed to survive. A certain smell or sound might cause the same reaction in two brothers – go look and see, run away, etc.
This was no different for us than forany other creature.
But what happened when some individual had a unique reaction to something in the outer landscape? To notice qualia that others did not notice might be dangerous: rather than react to it and be “different,” he or she did NOT react, but held that qualia in the mind.
How long did that cautious ancestor of ours wait, debating whether not to share? Certainly, others had shared to great effect, such as her uncle who made everybody laugh in his youth when he imitated Alph behind his back. He was briefly popular and even got to impregnate auntie…but then Alph gave him that giant scar across his face…
Who knows how long such individuals remained in the closet, but at some point it became evident that two (or more) individuals were having the delightful realization that their unique inner qualia was not unique: they could play together with ideas and imagination.
What was once a landmark (or a sign) in the outer landscape, was now a shared landmark (or a symbol) in the inner landscape. This is how community is created.
Now we have language and civilization. We have progress. But we are no longer cautious about sharing our thoughts. We proudly display our inner qualia, expecting community to gather round us.
But the belonging has become shallow. Our qualia too often makes for merel superficial relationships. That can also happen when the qualia within comes to the surface. Maybe we have come full circle and we will again be wary of expressing ourselves too readily.
Or maybe we are on the cusp of discovering a new kind of imagination.