Advances in science have made human life super cushy. Infant mortality rates are way down in the last 100 years. We rarely have to worry about random death from inclement weather, predators, or gangrene.
On the surface, things seem great! Life is easy compared to how our ancestors lived.
But inside, does it ever feel like we haven’t advanced at all? Do you get the sense our inner lives remain primitive?
For example, why do we always feel behind? Why is it so hard to manage time, commit to an exercise regimen, and buckle down to do the difficult thing (like write, get on stage, or do the reps for our chosen field)?
Why is instant gratification so much more pleasurable than long-term gratification? Why is the allure of relaxing, binging a Netflix show, or devouring a pan of brownies so powerful?
In short, why is it so hard to be disciplined?
Modern life feels like the future, like we’ve eliminated all the problems. We have iPhones, rocket ships, and live safely enclosed in air-conditioned pods most of the time. But that’s a facade. We actually have the same brain our ancestors had a million years ago.
And these brains, according to the triune brain theory, are made up of three parts. The oldest is the reptilian part, the base of the brain stem, which we share with lizards and snakes. This is where survival instincts and other involuntary motor functions live.
Built on top of the reptilian brain is the mammalian brain, the limbic system, which houses emotion.
These two, older parts of the brain make up the vast majority of what’s in our heads. We think and behave largely as dictated by these ancient controls. The newest part of our brains, the presumed pilot in the cockpit, is the neocortex. This tiny sliver of brain matter is what distinguishes us as human. It’s where complex cognitive, linguistic, motor, sensory, and social abilities live.
The job of the neocortex is to manage all the other older, base instincts and drives, despite its comparatively tiny size.
This pilot is in a makeshift saddle atop that axe-wielding ape in the picture (from the awful new Godzilla x Kong movie), trying to make these monsters go where it wants.
That’s our struggle. Being a human being is like trying to steer a monkey that’s trying to steer a dinosaur.
Good luck to us! (Subscribe for piloting tips.)
p.s. I neglected to list the date of our next Zoom meeting in my last post! It’s this Saturday, June 29, at 11AM CT. Details are here, at the bottom. See you there!
It can be even more difficult to handle the combative relationship of the parts of the brain if you have some sort of mental "disorder" (e.g. autism, PTSD, MPD, fetal alcohol syndrome).
"For example, why do we always feel behind?" Exactly!