The human brain is unique in the animal kingdom, in that we have a large cerebral cortex that allows for complex reasoning. This, undoubtedly, has played a major role in human achievements. The limbic system in which we share with all animals is our “emotional brain”. The emotional brain, older and more entrenched can easily over power reason or worse make it a servant i.e. rationalization. For centuries, mankind’s progress can be attributed to a greater capacity to solve complex problems through reason. It is because human’s have complex reasoning abilities that we have language, science, math, creativity and more. Yet, despite this, despite that we are supposed to be the “most educated” generations ever, we see that people in the West, the inheritance of Enlightenment thought, are shriveling and regressing by allowing emotions and their mammalian brain to dominate social discourse, politics, governance, education etc. There is nothing more regressive or harmful to peace and love than allowing emotions to overrun and guide us. Yet, here we are.
Allowing ourselves, in a time of heightened corruption and sophisticated means of influence and propaganda, to be easily swayed by lies and deceitful emotional appeals, truly makes us, we the people, suckers! All those who are using histrionics and highly-charged emotional appeals must be seen for what they are, unevolved or more likely traumatized; by an increasingly decadent society no longer focused on posterity. Most of us are adult children of unhealed trauma, making us very susceptible to blaming others and victim-hood ideology. We are all being baited to hate by unscrupulous corporatism and authoritarians. If one steps back and observes, it is amazing how easy it is to tap into the emotional brain to hijack the rest. Those who operate from the emotional brain are likely stupid, in that they do and think things that harm themselves and others, often unwittingly. Stupidity is independent of any other characteristic, i.e. people with PhDs are increasingly stupid. There are unscrupulous bandits leading the stupid who seek to turn the masses into useful idiots by provoking emotions and picking at the wounds of trauma. It’s really quite disgusting that their are people who believe they are righteous in doing so.
2024 will be a year a over-the-top emotionalism and there will likely be an eruption of unhealed trauma coming into the fore. If we don’t find our way back to logic, reason, and plain ol’ common sense sooner than later, the prognosis for real societal progress and enlightened thought is fatal. The odds are increasingly in favor of a Mad Max future over that of Star Trek.
We as a species have the capability to rise above, but we have to want to. Currently we are placated by “bread and circuses” paid for by stealing from the young and unborn. By allowing our emotions to call the shots, we have become a Nation of degenerates. We must find a way back to reason.