This Is How Humans Are Programmed To Self-Destruct

The human brain is an amazing tool, but why is it so lousy at comprehending the seriousness of big picture problems like climate change? Does the abstract painting of darkness scare you? Why should it, it is just an abstract right? Wrong! It turns out the brain doesn’t ‘do’ abstract, and that could be what kills us!

Humans have a history of not reacting to large, looming threats. It’s why we still smoke! It is why we are not acting fast enough on climate change! It is why we don’t react on mass extinction or ocean acidification!

Our brains are wired to respond in real-time to immediate threats. We are better at dealing with the ‘here and now’, but we have trouble visualizing abstract threats in our distant future.

The brain’s amygdala processes your emotions, for example, it registers fear and triggers a reaction. Its role is primitive and has evolved in living creatures for millions of years. The neocortex is a newer part of the brain that has only evolved in mammals. The neocortex is a separate pathway that helps us to analyze potential risk. We can thank the neocortex for the invention of airbags and other precautions.

However, since the amygdala is an older part of the human brain, we rely on it more. Whereas we are still learning to get the most out of the neocortex. This explains why we are better at dodging a baseball and not a climate change-induced apocalypse. It is why a black square doesn’t scare us, when darkness ahead should terrify us!

Share, if you are starting to get the picture, and be warned on time!