I'm sure that many out there have seen this as it is one of the most popular Ted Talks. Jill Bolte Taylor is a neuroscientist who suffered a stroke to the left side of her brain. She did recover, but the stroke changed the way she uses her brain and as she explains in this illuminating Ted Talk.
I believe that the implications of what Jill Talylor and Ian McGilchrist are telling us in these presentations is profound. Because this likely explains our polarized political divisions, as well as our disconnection and wanton destruction of our natural environment.
McGilchrist explains how business, money, markets and especially power and control are the functions of the left hemisphere. It deals with comparitive analysis, it needs structure, and it is concern is with non-living things. It is focused on the material world, is ridged and thinks in a linear fashion. And is focused on the separate individual self and does not consider matters outside of it's limited worldview.
The right hemisphere is about connection, creativity, fluidity in thought. And this is where we feel compassion and desire harmony in relationships. In fact it is all about relationships and it's also the place of our spiritual selves. It's function works as a kind of connection to other living things, to the universe, to art, music and beauty.
McGilchrist is concerned that we have become a left brain dominant world especially in cultures like the US. This is becuase the Western culture values and emphasizes the qualities the left hemisphere. And we have now collectively lost the balanced worldview that is required to fuction in a healthy and sustainible way with our fellow humans and with the planet.
John, this video I seen and had a strong impact with me. I usually just pass over these sorts of things but Arthur is the type of individual in our community here at PP that gets me outside the box, and so I Googled left brain, right brain and this popped out. John, it doesn't surprise me at all that you put this up. Your work ethic is one I respect and you haven't disappointed at all with me your balances with regards to your search and research, very nice.
What I enjoy most about PP is the balance, the sum of the parts as they come from very bright and sincere Folks just challenging each to gain more. I am stubborn in my core beliefs as Oil and PM are the constants of all things made and then transferred easily as my excess labors accumulate in digits. After that it's just adding to, and preserving what I don't need today for tomorrow and beyond. My plan for the future and how to save for the the pleasures I seek come what may. 1st up for instance is a nice long stay at Yellowstone.
Hi Bob,I'm glad that you found Jill's talk interesting. Millions of people have seen this and it's one of the top ten talks I believe. I really liked the talk that Arthur posted and I have also read The Master and his Emmissary. I think that these two presentations complement each other and it's interesting to hear Ain McGillchrist's thoughts about the real world implications of this. And it's important to understand that we need both sides of our brains to function at our best, that it's about balance.
What Arthur is trying to bring to attention I think is that the left side doesn't realize that it needs the right side to have the more complete picture of the world. That's because it is all about focus, details, comparing and judging and it is essentially narcissistic. The right hemisphere is open and inclusive and it "knows" that it requires the use of the executive functions of the right hemiphere to achieve practical and necessary things to survive.
Gotta go. J.
There are times when for me where I am privileged to walk through a door previously closed to me, and bits and pieces of knowledge coagulated and form just one beautiful awakening, and this entire subject, and the participation of every single person who took the time to pen their thoughts made this possible. I really need to thank you all for this most pleasurable feeling that I have right now.
Thank you
In Asia they have a saying, "The bigger the front, the bigger the back", here in the West we say, "There is no free lunch".
Each of us needs to realize that every choice we make has an impact on not only the Society around us but the Planet and then factor that into our decisions, if we are to be part of the solution instead part of the problem.
The Left says tax the Ultra Wealthy, they can afford it and the Right says, tell all those that are unemployed to get jobs and stop being a drain on Society.
We are like one-armed paperhangers that cannot do everything at once, so it is no wonder that most people take care of themselves (and those closest to them) first; which is OK as long as most of those around you are in a similar situation. A great example is a Country Club with members of different economic levels interacting with each other. But that changes if you now place that Country Club in the middle of a depressed area and suddenly, it becomes an island of prosperity in the middle of a sea of fiscal despair, which makes just going to the Club a risky endeavor. What to do? Having a police force to maintain the peace is helpful, especially if the Police can afford to become Club members but at some point that also tends to break down as the level of despair increases.
The Middle Class has for at least the last 50 years served as a buffer between the Wealthy and those in need, (think of that Country Club being located in a large City) but now more than ever before, the size of the Middle Class is shrinking rapidly and as it does so, the separation of the Haves and Have-Nots gets concentrated, (think of a Country Club being located in a tiny poor town).
One solution, at least for the Wealthy, is to insulate themselves from those that are Not Wealthy by relocating; a example might be to be one of the select few to live on the Hawaiian Island that is now almost privately owned (think of the entire Island as a Country Club).
For the poor, their solution is to band together and either use their democratic right to vote and or pass laws to better their situation or use their numerical superiority to “demand” better treatment. History shows us, that In China, when the price of rice rises beyond what the poor can pay, there is a revolution (because the poor have nothing to fear), and I liken the current secession talk to this concept.
What to do?
My solution is for both sides to immediately comment to “working together” ASAP and fix what is wrong with our Country by accepting no foot dragging from Congress or the President. If the Public demands far better from all our Leaders, then our Leaders will have to respond because the Wealthy will exert fiscal pressure from above and the Poor will exert massive pressure from the bottom. The key is to aim toward an acceptable middle ground and as a goal of what that might look like, I’d suggest the image of the USA during the early 50’s, with the personal freedoms of the late 90’s …
Thank you John for the video and your summary of McGilchrist's book. Your summary was much clearer than mine. I second Bob's comment too, I feel lucky to have found this website. It's a pleasure to read such respectful, intelligent, and thought provoking comments. Thanks to all!
I too thank John for shining a bright light on the subject of our shortcomings . This relationship between our hemispheres is worthy of further study.Insight is what I come to this site for.
For like minded folk I offer Greetings from Talos by Nate Hagens (The Oil Drum)
I had seen that video and it's good when a doctor (rationally trained mind) experiences this phenomena It valids what buddhist monks experience after years of training. Deliberately training there minds to shut down the separating self …the ego , the rational mind. Cultivating compassion, interdependance, happiness. I for one, learned to meditate the buddhist way and did a daily practice of 45 minutes a day. This helped me to calm my mind…slow it down and smell the roses. I will for ever be grateful because I am much happier.
Sonya
[quote=John Lemieux] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU
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Interesting and inspirational video.
"We are the life force power of the universe", she said.
But when the instrument is damaged and the intepretation of perception comes from that instrument, then the perception will be distorted. She's close but she's mistaken at to her role. Metaphorically, she's the humanly intelligent and powerful antenna and receiver of the signal. She's not the divinely intelligent and all powerful signal and the source of that signal. Nevertheless, her message still resonates with a certain truth.
"If wages rose such that an hour’s labor bought five gallons of gasoline, the wage earner’s purchasing power has actually increased despite the apparent 90% drop in the value of the currency"
Wrong. In 1993 I worked at a hotel for $6.50 an hour. Gas was .80 cents a gallon I remember clearly. I had a small one bedroom apartment, cable, and a car payment. All on this meager salary.
Now I just came off a position where I ran an apartment complex for $34,000 per year which is roughly $17.70 an hour. I was working literally 3 times as hard. Try living in an apartment with a car payment, insurance, etc. on this salary and see how you make out. I won't even deal with insurance.
The wages and thus purchasing power in this country have not even come close to maintaining value. The above is a real world example not a chart.