This article by Thomas Armstrong is about how all brains aren’t the same just like flowers are unique in different ways. It is no because a person has a dysfunctional brain, that doesn’t react and work like a normal brain that this person should be treated differently. We have to be aware of the vast natural differences that exist from one brain to another regarding sociability, learning, attention, and mood. Treating them differently is a way of discriminating them. According to the author, we are all related just like the ecosystem so we need to have a greater tolerance upon those whose neurological systems are organized differently than our own. Armstrong also explains how the environment plays a major role for our brain, so for example for a person that has a problem to pay attention putting him in a environment where they have to sit down and concentrate won’t be the ideal working condition for them; the ideal working condition would be a job where they will have to move around and do different things. Another example the author gives us, is children who have a genetic vulnerability to depression or anxiety, the appropriate environment they need is a safe, warm and predictable homes and school.
I never really take into consideration or ask myself about what the author here is presenting us. After reading this article, I agree with Armstrong ideas; it is no because they have a different brain as ours than we should treat them differently. In the matter of fact, they are the one who should treat them differently because each one of their brain are unique and respond differently while ours (normal brain) are just normal, nothing special.
The video from Jeremy Rifkin really grabbed my attention. First Rifkin talks about how in the 1990’s the scientist discover through monkey, mostly chimpanzee that they have a mirror neurons and then later on discover that human being have also mirror neurons. Mirror neuron is like s soft wired for attachment, affection, sociability and companionship. To illustrate his point, he gave us different examples; in a new born nursery, when one child starts crying for whatever reason, the others babies will start crying as well without reason. Another examples Rifkin explains is how when one person is watching another person being sad, happy, stress or anxious the same neurons in his brain will react as if he was the one being sad, happy, stress or anxious. This is how we express empathy, by knowing how other feels.
Among the different topics Rifkin introduces us, the one that surprised me the most is when Rifkin says, that there is no empathy in heaven because once you in heaven there is no death, no morality and no suffering. And when there is no suffering there is not empathy. Rifkin also talks about how our first drive on the earth is to figure out where we belong to, and where we fit in.
Rifkin explains how our conscience changes throughout the years, from forager hunter to a medieval serf to a modern man. Rifkin also promotes how it is possible to extend our empathy to the entire human race (animal, human and biosphere) so we could safe our species and our common planet. And to symbolize his idea, Rifkin uses a hand as a form of empathy that will stretch our empathy.
Another factor Rifkin illustrates is how the communication helped us empathize over the years; blood ties, theological consciousness, detribalize and association, religious ties and nation ties. Rifkin also use how people responded so quickly at the disaster, the earthquake in Haiti; one hour by twitter, two hours later YouTube was projecting videos of the earthquake and three hours later people were already moving to rescue them. And this was an example of the entire human race in empathic embrace.
The main point Rifkin is describing here is that we all came from two human being, which mean we are all related in different ways, we are a family. As we take care of our own family, we should also take care of our planet and safe our biosphere.
I really liked this video from Jeremy Rifkin, this was a creative ways to express his ideas and make a point. Rifkin’s way of express his ideas is so powerful, that while I’m writing this reaction I still have the images in my head.
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