Belief is to Adults as Blanky is to Child: The amygdala hijack, society, and the triple column technique
*5 min read *
"In our very earliest days we clung to the certainty of things to fill the darkness beyond the campfire and we began to construct answers to those questions, [answers] that attracted us like moths to a flame. Where did we come from? Where are we going? What is it that holds up and populates the sky that's so full of stars above us? And in the long tenure of human history we've answered these questions with absolute certainty many times and in many forms, in a dizzying array of different kinds of explanatory frameworks, and every time in every case, thousands of us, hundreds of thousands of us, millions of us, creative, insightful and intelligent beings that we are and always have been, have been absolutely certain that we're right, until the tide of history shifts and we find something else to be absolutely certain about." -Tom Wilson
Recent research in neuroscience has shown that we respond the same way to social threats as we do to physical threats. For example, if we are rejected by a group, we may experience a fight or flight response. The same is true for social and physical rewards. When we receive many upvotes on a Steemit post, that can trigger a dopamine response exactly the same as if we were about to eat our favourite desert.
There are five parameters of SCARF, "a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others." If there is a perceived threat to any one of the SCARF domains, the reaction is the same as if it were a physical threat. The domains of SCARF as presented by David Rock, the creator of the model, are as follows:
- Status is about relative importance to others.
- Certainty concerns being able to predict the future.
- Autonomy provides a sense of control over events.
- Relatedness is a sense of safety with others [being part of a group].
- Fairness is a perception of fair exchanges between people.
Any perceived threat to our security in these five domains causes a fight or flight response. "When the emotional brain overheats--performance suffers, as does well being."
The amygdala hijack is "an immediate, overwhelming emotional response with a later realization that the response was inappropriately strong given the trigger." It can be intentionally provoked by news media to inspire impulsive sharing. The Trump campaign was aware of the phenomenon. It was in part because of their use of targeted facebook ads, they won the election.
Whether or not a person experiences a perceived social threat depends on the underlying, usually hidden belief. The degree of the reaction is proportional to the strength of attachment to the belief. If the attachment is strong enough, a person may become violent.
"We never stop to consider that our beliefs are only a relative truth that's always going to be distorted by all the knowledge we have stored in our memory." --Miguel Angel Ruiz
Politicians believe they can create order by legislation or by use of military force. Society is not some external thing to be shaped and molded with advances in computer technology or a new system of government in the hopes that, maybe, it will create a more peaceful citizen. This is a fairy tale. In 10,000 years of recorded history, has there been peace on Earth? Maybe peace isn't the politician's goal.
What about technology? Will blockchain government make society peaceful? Using technology to change society won't create peace either. It may solve some tough problems and make things run more smoothly, but as long as there is conflict within the majority of individuals, there will be conflict in society. As long there is attachment to hidden beliefs, there will be conflict internally and externally. This is an unavoidable fact.
Within a group there are shared beliefs. Any belief or theory that comes from within the group automatically has more merit than a theory from an outsider. This kind of behaviour can start wars and yet it is promoted in media.
The news, both corporate and many independent sources too, is all about belief. "What side are you on? What do you believe?" They argue and persuade, rather than promote rational dialogue. It's a popularity contest between different groups and their beliefs, and as soon as the collective amygdala cools off, the spotlight moves to the next hot topic before any meaningful discussion happens. I'm sure this is obvious to anyone paying attention.
Not the politicians, not the corporations, the president, government, the corporate media or any "other" is solely responsible for the conflict in the world.
Society is not "out there"; it is in each one of us, in how we are raised and how we are taught to believe certain things and not believe others. Society is our conditioning, our entire history of experience. As Jiddu Krishnamurti would say, I am society and society is me. Don't believe me? Good. Find the truth by observing yourself.
"If a man [or woman] wants to find out, discover what the truth is, he must deny the whole structure as it is, and be a light to oneself." --Jiddu Krishnamurti
It's simple. We either need to work to understand ourselves or else we will continue on the path of technological "enhancements," becoming more and more like machines, controlled, suppressed, and we will repeat the same mistakes in an increasingly dangerous world. This would be the easy route because it doesn't require anyone to take responsibility for their contribution to the destruction of our beautiful planet. To understand the self isn't easy. It requires a passionate effort to become aware of automatic, conditioned reactions and uncover the underlying structure of our behaviour. It's worth it though. The feeling when you see the implied belief of a behaviour that you hadn't seen before is indescribable.
If nobody bought gasoline, the oil companies would die. If nobody obeyed tyrants, they would hold no power. We as individuals are responsible for the world as it is, and that is liberating.
Technology like the blockchain is extremely valuable in the fight against tyranny. But peace will never exist on Earth unless: A) We become machines, void of the capability to love, or B) We find peace within ourselves.
A practical approach to uncover hidden beliefs and remove distorted thinking patterns.
I have experience with the triple column technique because of depression and I think it can benefit everyone. First read about the 10 Distorted Thinking Patterns.
The technique can be done anytime you experience a strong negative emotional reaction. Just the other day, I was nervous about going to a New Year's party so I took out a piece of paper and in ten minutes those nerves turned into excitement.
Be vigilant for the signs that your amygdala has been hijacked. Then pay attention to the underlying thoughts that are triggering the reaction. Write them down. Identify the distortion. Write a rational response. With practice you will experience immediate emotional relief and personal growth. Results are proportional to the amount of effort invested.
Peace to all Steemians and happy new year!
@krnel has excellent posts on "fake news" and similar topics for those who want to read more.
Follow me, @skypal, for weekly posts about markets and life. All rewards for this post go towards funding my Poloniex trading experiments. I plan to revert back to 100% steempower payouts next week.
Upvoted, followed, and Re-Steemed.
Bang on.
Your exercise of awareness is appreciated. Keep on spreading this good message.
~KafkA
Thank you!
It is more a five year study than a five minute read, but you attracted me with this false information.
What part of this post, specifically, is "false information?"
the fact that you can read it in 5 min :)
Ahaha. Gotcha. Well, you can't read all the links in five minutes maybe, but the body took me about five.
Lol. True. It is not a simple topic. Thanks for reading.