It is ironic that, to recognize the transition from affective to cognitive thinking, we (and by "we", I mean Westerners, those cultures that I have observed) must use our analytical left brains and our perception of linear time. The very nature of this blog, with its textual references and complete reliance on the written word to convey ideas, shows just how far removed we are from our oral ancestors. As Allie said, our logical nature "allow[s] us to make the argument of its faults". But in the modern Western world, where everyone is so focused on innovation and personal gain, we have moved beyond simply relying on logic. With the awareness and anticipation of constant change comes a conscious detachment from those elements that are unlikely to last. It is almost impossible to experience the same feelings of peace and unity, the same depths of emotion that our predecessors must have achieved on a regular basis, when one is all too aware of time passing. Abram maintained in The Spell of the Sensuous that indigenous peoples were able to immerse themselves in myths and rituals because time, for them, was "not separable from the circular life of the sun and the moon, [...] from the eternal return of the greening earth" (185). They had no concept of a permanent end; everything was always being renewed and relived.
Yet it is our ability to look back on the past, to analyze events in a logical way, that has enabled us to recognize and thereby mourn our loss of a spiritual connection to nature. As Danny articulated (and Allie expounded upon), the left brain's insight often allows the right brain to feel emotions more deeply. And we have grown to love our literate, pragmatic side. It allows us to read, write, reason, and even save lives through the development of new medicines and new technology (which, unquestionably, also requires the creativity inherent to the right hemisphere of the brain). There is no easy solution to the struggle between cognition and emotion, especially with our own culture's linear approach strongly influencing our views on the matter. Even if we lament the separation from Abram's "more-than-human world" and bemoan the dominance of unemotional reasoning, we must ask ourselves: would we go back to the way it was, given the choice? The implications would be astronomical: not only would reverting mean giving up plumbing and electricity and all the other commonplace comforts of the modern world but also it would mean that we value our current existence so little that we would trade it for a relative unknown.Which leads me to my next question: will there be a time in the future when we look back and mourn the loss of today's culture? Every time period has its wonders, its aspects that humans find indescribably precious. I believe that as change occurs, humans adapt, letting the old fade out of memory in order to lessen the emotional impact of the loss. And therefore, life is about learning to fulfill one's potential and find value in the current situation, be it a bustling metropolis or a quiet, uneventful town. In order to do this, humans must use some combination of the emotion that connects them to the rest of the world, and the logic that sets them apart.
When I look around at the modern world, yes, I do see the detatchment and individualism of which you speak in this piece. Yet, I do not see the right brain completely usurped. I don't see it impossible, or even nearly impossible to experience the same emotional high as our prehistoric ancestors. I still see it. Yet. What I see is the remnants of ourselves, as we swallow ourselves up into our heady minds. It is a sad thing. I am not convinced however, that this is the way to die. It is a way to die, but its not a very romantic one. I do not promote a back-to-the-land, no-electricity, live-as-the-Indians-did plan, although the idea isnt a bad one. This is because of ourselves and the culture we have built up around us. To do so would be a lethal withdrawal.
ReplyDeleteBesides feeling awesome that you referenced me twice in your post, I would like to thank you, because you gave me a mini-revelation. As a class we have discussed at length how our culture is so utterly left-brained. You mentioned the need for innovation, something the left brain may recognize, seeing where society's faults lie. But the actual innovation- the creation- is right-brained. All the great leaders or innovators in our country must have the capacity to create new ideas and identify with the needs of people. The people who push our society forward must create, using the right-brain, in order for the left-brain to be used. I kind of wish I wrote my post on it. :)
ReplyDeletePlus, I like your ending where you criticize the idea that people think we should go back to "primitive" ways and currently "bemoan the dominance of unemotional reasoning". It's virtually impossible in our modern culture, and shows we have little value for our current existence.