Me & My Reptile Brain

July 14, 2005
(last edited on April 29, 2006)

I was walking to the supermarket today, when I realized that my brain stem -- the seat of "base" emotions, like fear, love, etc. -- is identical to the brain of a reptile. Reptile brain is romantic in a survivalist sort of way, and for that reason, it is the seat of the funamdental false dichotomy that permits the perception of self; that of a seperation, of "me" and "else." This, in turn, creates the foundation of "us" and "them" mentalities. It occured to me, then, that any appeal to reptile brain is an attempt to impose a false dichotomy. This has the effect of, perceptually, splitting the whole (humanity) into two (my camp and the not-my camp). Nationalism, politics, holy wars, racism, and the like seem to be reptilian in nature; they are the very opposite of consciousness. Those ists and isms are what reptile brain does when it is stroked by fear peddlers; it is the quickest route to bypassing individual consciousness. I believe awareness of reptile brain may be an effective detterent. This, then, brings the false dichotomy inside the cranium; "me" and "my reptile brain."