I am reminded how much my writing works to process and correlate information for my own sake, to better understand rather than to be understood. Whether or not someone reads it doesn’t really matter but going public does serve as another layer for me to consider. I spent several hours, over 2,000 words in the past two days trying to connect three dots and all I’ve done is muddy the water. So I am starting over.
1st dot: Drawing the line between knowing and believing is incredibly difficult. One requires proof (compelling, objective, reliable evidence) while the other gets by on good looks and a good measure of blind faith. Sadly, most of us can’t tell for sure where knowing ends and believing begins.
2nd dot: Those who think their proof is both credible and reliable (trust worthy) are often mistaken. Proof is a high hurdle to clear. Most of us (human beings) take the low road (opinion) when it comes to establishing cause & effect, especially when a moral principle is at stake.
3rd. dot: The brain is literally two brains working in tandem, often competing for control of the mind. One (the midbrain) is undisciplined, short sighted and inaccessible. It wants what it wants and it wants it now. It doesn’t care about unexpected, unintended consequence. The other is not only curious and patient but it is the accessible, conscious part. It would rather suffer bad but correct news about an unpleasant truth than feel good in the moment with fiction. But it isn't the patient part that gets the last word. Decisions are finalized in the end by the subconscious, undisciplined midbrain. It doesn't mean that we cannot make rational, reasonable, good decisions but that's another story, another hour and a thousand words. I am not making this up, it’s how the brain works.
Here comes the crunch. Say, 15,000 years ago when people began crossing the Bering land bridge from Siberia into present day Alaska, life was short and incredibly dangerous. Fear and reaction to danger needed to be swift and instinctive for them to both survive and prevail. Not enough time; you could be killed before considering all the possibilities. A short fused, selfish mind served them well. But with the advent of civilization and technology, a more disciplined, rational, patient mind is more in line with meeting modern day demands. The problem is that biologically (brain wise) we haven’t evolved beyond the hunter-gatherer’s impatient, intolerant mind.
Evolution doesn’t just happen. It needs a driver, something that interferes with reproduction. Only then, when an evolving trait gives some individuals a reproductive advantage but not others, the species evolves. Those without the advantageous trait lose ground and get culled out of the population. Trait genes that get culled out can no longer be passed on. Then the new trait is the only one available. Not common knowledge but that’s how evolution works.
Humans would benefit greatly from a genetic shift away from the dominant (impatient, inconsiderate) midbrain to a recessive, if you will, (patient, disciplined, curious) cortex. But in the past 3,000 years when civilization has taken great leaps forward there has been no significant threat to human populations. Without an extreme, dangerous die-off (there are 7.8 billion people currently; unprecedented) the biology of disciplined, critical thinkers has no advantage in the race to procreate.
So, it should be no surprise that a significant, high percentage of modern people are easily influenced by emotional appeals. Traditional, old-world, right & wrong values are exploited. No surprise that conspiracy theories and unrealistic fears are used by leaders and followers as well to gain not only power and material gain but also the deeply rewarding satisfaction of feeling good and right (righteous). That kind of mental posturing can be unbelievably empowering. I have a niece who graduated high school and works in a medical office. She knows more-better about Covid and vaccines than the WHO and the CDC combined. She also knows for a fact that Hillary Clinton runs a human trafficking ring. She knows somebody who knows somebody else who knows for sure. It makes her feel really, really good. I am at 650 words now and it seems like a good place to stop.
1st dot: Drawing the line between knowing and believing is incredibly difficult. One requires proof (compelling, objective, reliable evidence) while the other gets by on good looks and a good measure of blind faith. Sadly, most of us can’t tell for sure where knowing ends and believing begins.
2nd dot: Those who think their proof is both credible and reliable (trust worthy) are often mistaken. Proof is a high hurdle to clear. Most of us (human beings) take the low road (opinion) when it comes to establishing cause & effect, especially when a moral principle is at stake.
3rd. dot: The brain is literally two brains working in tandem, often competing for control of the mind. One (the midbrain) is undisciplined, short sighted and inaccessible. It wants what it wants and it wants it now. It doesn’t care about unexpected, unintended consequence. The other is not only curious and patient but it is the accessible, conscious part. It would rather suffer bad but correct news about an unpleasant truth than feel good in the moment with fiction. But it isn't the patient part that gets the last word. Decisions are finalized in the end by the subconscious, undisciplined midbrain. It doesn't mean that we cannot make rational, reasonable, good decisions but that's another story, another hour and a thousand words. I am not making this up, it’s how the brain works.
Here comes the crunch. Say, 15,000 years ago when people began crossing the Bering land bridge from Siberia into present day Alaska, life was short and incredibly dangerous. Fear and reaction to danger needed to be swift and instinctive for them to both survive and prevail. Not enough time; you could be killed before considering all the possibilities. A short fused, selfish mind served them well. But with the advent of civilization and technology, a more disciplined, rational, patient mind is more in line with meeting modern day demands. The problem is that biologically (brain wise) we haven’t evolved beyond the hunter-gatherer’s impatient, intolerant mind.
Evolution doesn’t just happen. It needs a driver, something that interferes with reproduction. Only then, when an evolving trait gives some individuals a reproductive advantage but not others, the species evolves. Those without the advantageous trait lose ground and get culled out of the population. Trait genes that get culled out can no longer be passed on. Then the new trait is the only one available. Not common knowledge but that’s how evolution works.
Humans would benefit greatly from a genetic shift away from the dominant (impatient, inconsiderate) midbrain to a recessive, if you will, (patient, disciplined, curious) cortex. But in the past 3,000 years when civilization has taken great leaps forward there has been no significant threat to human populations. Without an extreme, dangerous die-off (there are 7.8 billion people currently; unprecedented) the biology of disciplined, critical thinkers has no advantage in the race to procreate.
So, it should be no surprise that a significant, high percentage of modern people are easily influenced by emotional appeals. Traditional, old-world, right & wrong values are exploited. No surprise that conspiracy theories and unrealistic fears are used by leaders and followers as well to gain not only power and material gain but also the deeply rewarding satisfaction of feeling good and right (righteous). That kind of mental posturing can be unbelievably empowering. I have a niece who graduated high school and works in a medical office. She knows more-better about Covid and vaccines than the WHO and the CDC combined. She also knows for a fact that Hillary Clinton runs a human trafficking ring. She knows somebody who knows somebody else who knows for sure. It makes her feel really, really good. I am at 650 words now and it seems like a good place to stop.
The "Good Stuff" for sure.
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