It is important to bear in mind that those who do regress to the point of being dominated by 'lizard brain" are no longer, functionally, human. We tend to think of regression as a linear system containing elements of continuity. We might imagine a general movement in psychological development from simplistic thinking to modes of thinking that are more complex. In reality, human development has two major stages:
1. the stage --called pre-Oedipal in psychoanalytical literature -- in which we are dominated by the lizard brain.
2. the later stage of development where ego has the executive power over the mind (that is, in a relatively healthy, 'normal' individual).
(This pattern of development refers to the normal human who has not undergone shamanistic experience and transformation. In the case of the shaman, the need they feel is to balance the two sides of the psyche, represented above, so that neither side particularly dominates, but both are able to communicate, in harmony. A fully shamanised individual will have cognitive and emotional access to their lizard brain, but will not be dominated by it. That state of being is difficult to achieve -- and often difficult enough to maintain. Conversely, in the case of a 'normal' individual, being dominated by the lizard brain is always a risk, when that happens, it inevitably has a destructive outcome for such individuals.)
Back to my point: It is important to realise that when somebody is being dominated by their 'lizard brain', they have lost an important part of their humanity, and so there is no value in reasoning with them. To express concern for them is even worse, since they have usually managed to justify their loss as a gain. To be no longer capable of feeling human sensations -- human sorrow, anguish and regret, but also human happiness and participation in the lives of others -- seems to them to be a huge relief. Pity for them is misplaced, for they are no longer burdened with the pain that comes from having to concern oneself with ethical issues, and pity reminds them that these ethical dimensions to human experience still exist. Instead, like the Italian fascist, Attila, in the film, 1900, they would rather die a violent death in commemoration of the violence of the life they'd lived.
Lizard brain has no conscience, and so regressing to its state can seem like liberation from the oppression of conscientiousness. Such regression may be due to intolerable pain (for instance when the conscious mind finds it cannot process the degree of pain due to its weightiness, and so simply takes a break from itself). However, the fascistic point of view is the only one that puts a positive spin group regression to this state and dares to call it "strength". The capitalistic point of view does not go nearly so far, and attributes being dominated by 'lizard brain' as merely the strength of 'individuals'.
Pity, however, is misplaced, when bestowed on those who encounter their strength though regression, and take their cues for how to act from the lower part of the mind.
1. the stage --called pre-Oedipal in psychoanalytical literature -- in which we are dominated by the lizard brain.
2. the later stage of development where ego has the executive power over the mind (that is, in a relatively healthy, 'normal' individual).
(This pattern of development refers to the normal human who has not undergone shamanistic experience and transformation. In the case of the shaman, the need they feel is to balance the two sides of the psyche, represented above, so that neither side particularly dominates, but both are able to communicate, in harmony. A fully shamanised individual will have cognitive and emotional access to their lizard brain, but will not be dominated by it. That state of being is difficult to achieve -- and often difficult enough to maintain. Conversely, in the case of a 'normal' individual, being dominated by the lizard brain is always a risk, when that happens, it inevitably has a destructive outcome for such individuals.)
Back to my point: It is important to realise that when somebody is being dominated by their 'lizard brain', they have lost an important part of their humanity, and so there is no value in reasoning with them. To express concern for them is even worse, since they have usually managed to justify their loss as a gain. To be no longer capable of feeling human sensations -- human sorrow, anguish and regret, but also human happiness and participation in the lives of others -- seems to them to be a huge relief. Pity for them is misplaced, for they are no longer burdened with the pain that comes from having to concern oneself with ethical issues, and pity reminds them that these ethical dimensions to human experience still exist. Instead, like the Italian fascist, Attila, in the film, 1900, they would rather die a violent death in commemoration of the violence of the life they'd lived.
Lizard brain has no conscience, and so regressing to its state can seem like liberation from the oppression of conscientiousness. Such regression may be due to intolerable pain (for instance when the conscious mind finds it cannot process the degree of pain due to its weightiness, and so simply takes a break from itself). However, the fascistic point of view is the only one that puts a positive spin group regression to this state and dares to call it "strength". The capitalistic point of view does not go nearly so far, and attributes being dominated by 'lizard brain' as merely the strength of 'individuals'.
Pity, however, is misplaced, when bestowed on those who encounter their strength though regression, and take their cues for how to act from the lower part of the mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment