Second Thoughts

This is a fairly common mantra in education, business and politics today, stemming in part from current research in brain function.  Brain research has identified the amygdala as a center of strong emotion, in particular fear, whereas the  hippocampus has been associated with learning and memory.  One learning construct  resulting from this information suggests that  learning / memory cannot happen in the presence of fear.  For this reason, many  educational programs focus on the environment; making the student  feel comfortable  and safe as a prerequisite to learning.  Another less touted implication for social engineering is this:  keep people afraid and they can’t effectively use their intellect.

Promoting  superficial perceptual awareness as a goal is an affront to the dignity and individuality of people; it defines us solely as animals with limited and predictable responses.  This ideology creates a foundation for manipulation, for it holds that individuals respond only to what they see  and hear, with no capacity for inner reflection.  It allows for control of others by tapping into their feelings or emotions…which are among the most primitive of human behaviors.  In our economic system, fear sells many things like medicine, insurance and  a variety of products intended to protect our loved ones from harm.   Politicians use fear-inducing rhetoric to sell their policies, influence voters’ choices, and to undermine the influence or status of people that oppose them.

The good news is that we are more than just physical bodies; we are spirits as well, by nature of our God-given souls.   We are also given intellect, which allows us to consider and choose our path in life… the basis of free will.  I believe that people living under the influence of God (Christians) are able to react differently than scientists predict.  In simplest terms, God is love, and perfect love casts out fear.  By accepting God and living in His love, some individuals are able to discern the truth and reject the influence of businessmen and politicians.  Perhaps this is why Christians are targeted by those that would assert control through fear.