Right? Or the ability to form and dissolve subcultures at whim, each with their own governing rule systems of norms, values, beliefs, mores? Or a small subset of atoms that leveraged the work of other atoms to the extent that they could just enjoy a life of relative leisure?

"It's just atomic nature that protons should bind with electrons. Anything else is just deviant."

"I'm fed up with being a proton. You electrons have way more fun. I'm going to be an electron from now on."

"Actually, I've always felt more like a neutron. I never really felt like a proton."

"We protons do all the work around here, we must be way more important. Our name means 'first' in Greek so it's kinda obvious that we're supposed to be in charge. The entire sequence of atomic numbers is based on us. That's no accident - we were always meant to be unique and important, more so than you."

Can you imagine trying to observe elements if they had feelings and were subject to the Hawthorne effect? :-)