Have a look at these images of the human brain.
Does it look complicated to you?
Yet we can see it in a simpler way which offers more insights.
Our human brain actually has 3 separate sections.
Note the names - because they hold some big clues to human behaviour.
The lowest part of the brain is sometimes called the reptilian brain.
The middle section of the brain is often called the mammalian brain.
The large frontal lobe which is also called the cortex sits above the other two brains.
They say the frontal cortex is what makes us human.
It gives us 2 “advantages” over the rest of nature.
Firstly; it gives us the ability to reason and rationalise.
Secondly; it gives us self awareness.
We know we exist!
But does the fore brain really make us superior?
In truth; we are so preoccupied by our human world that we forget the 2 lower parts of our brain which are there regardless of the fact we have this big fore brain.
And here is the issue!
The 2 other parts of the brain operate similarly to the animals with which they are associated.
And! They are basically automatic!
They react without thinking.
The thinking takes place in the fore brain.
The hind brain or reptilian brain is there for basic survival.
It controls breathing; heart rate; blood pressure; swallowing; digestion; posture; muscle tone; body balance and blinking.
These are all involuntary actions.
Do you think a crocodile or snake analyse their current prey or situation when they are hungry?
The mid brain or mammalian brain has a variety of functions but once again they are mostly automatic.
They include sensory–motor mechanisms; motivation and reward; reproductive behaviours; behavioural states and agonistic behaviours which means fight or flight.
This part of the brain contains the limbic brain which is mainly the emotional center.
The limbic brain records the more extreme emotions from life which may affect survival and relays what could be dangerous situations to the fore brain.
It also records traumatic events which then can affect us long term and override current behaviours.
For example. PTSD, sexual assault or incest.
The limbic brain is connected directly to the frontal cortex by a group of specialised neurons called spindle neurons.
These brain cells send messages faster than other neurons.
This is of course a survival mechanism.
If we are in peril, the conscious mind needs to know straight away.
However, the limbic brain can interpret positive and neutral situations in a negative way in it's need to protect us.
This is where the frontal cortex has the opportunity to see things rationally and decide on whether the emotion is correct and justified.
However; experience shows us that the frontal cortex is often subject to biased and prejudiced thinking which supports extreme emotional reactions which then result in negative consequences.
What is important to note here is that the 2 lower brains are both more primal in their reactions to the world around us.
They are more like the rest of animal behaviours in that they can be unconscious, automatic and to do with survival.
Here is the question though that we humans need to think about.
How does the conscious frontal cortex relate to these primal aspects of our psychology?
And this is a major question for the human race.
It seems that there are two ways that our fore brain can respond to automatic messages from the reptilian and mammalian brains.
It can either rationalise and justify the emotions and feelings of those two brains as they occur or!
It can question the primal responses and choose whether to be swayed by them or not.
Obviously; there is reason to react if there is real imminent danger but when feelings are engendered by human interactions; it is wise to understand why your responses are inside of you.
Are they coming from real dangers or are they simply old programmed energies?
In simpler words - do we react like an animal or a human being?
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