Stuck in the Middle with You

     As always, it's a pleasure to share your company here so thank you for coming along on this philosophical journey. About a week ago, the conversation started to really dig into this idea of ego. Ego is likely how people experience the survival tendency we call instinct in other creatures. It is something that is naturally occurring in all animals on Earth, however, at least as a collective, humans have decided to take limiting measures on this 'naturally' driving force. Most overtly we do this by organising into something we've coined as "society", which is has a higher imposed order on top of what's required by nature. It's a higher imposed order in the sense that it is guided by a large set of rules that are more strict than what would be allowed in a natural free for all. It is also likely that the thoughts that created that "order" originated in a "higher" region of the brain called the neocortex (See "Battling the Brain Stem"). On an individual level, everyone has a unique relationship with his/her own ego and has their own reasons (or lack their of) for controlling it, letting it control them, or even justifying it. In terms of this blog, the most significant problem with ego is that it interferes with acting precisely on many levels (See "Precisely: What I was Thinking").

     Different cultures have developed varying relationships and language that help us to think about the subject. Fortunately, English actually has a number of terms that are used quite commonly to help point out the phenomena. Ego can often be used as a synonym for self. However, that does not mean it encompasses our entire being. It can be more useful and easier to conceptualizing  when thought of as a third party that happens to exist in the same brain space as the actively conscious mind. Looking at it this way makes it possible to develop an increasingly precise relationship with it over time. (see "Looking at Layers: the Power of Perception)

     Some of the English terms that attempt to point to this thing called ego are "self-control", "self-awareness" "acting selfishly" and even the phrase, "get over your self". Thefreedictionary.com gives this definition which seems to sum up the concept nicely. "egotism - the practice of thought, speech, and conduct expressing high self-regard or self-exaltation, usually without skepticism or humility." A commonly used visual metaphor is that of an angel and devil on each shoulder. In this metaphor, the ego voice (devil) attempts to convince a person to act selfishly, even at the expense of others. The higher self (angel) advises a person on what would be better considering everyone's point of view. Lastly the person in the middle, actually making the decision and taking action, is us. 

     Now one may be thinking, "Ego and instinct got us to this point. It has ensured the survival of the human race and probably all other species leading up to this point, so why go and turn our backs on it now?" That is certainly true that it has gotten us here. If we never gave a thought to it, people would likely go on surviving in some manner. However, for anyone interested in working towards precision, understanding this concept can play a critical role in helping one get there more quickly. One reason for this is because ego type, "natural", urges are generally very short sited. While they may help us survive now, it gives little thought to others or even to our own being in the long run. Ego thirsts to be satisfied quickly. It loves instant gratification. Each individual's ego wants something in the present to satisfy itself, but often it is so short sited that it hinders its own long term progress. While its' existence helps the continuation of people as a whole, it does not ensure the healthiest, longest, nor happiest life for the individual it inhabits.

     For example, let's imagine being at a buffet. It's been my experience that even when I'm completely full and in no need of anything else, historically, I have continued consuming to the point of discomfort. In the moment, I just wanted to taste something more. (The desire to taste more, and repeatedly, is how the ego communicates to my conscious mind in order to get me to act.) Now my long term goals may consist of me getting in shape, or even wanting to feel good on the walk home. However, in satisfying my (ego's) very short term desires, I acted in a way that is actually working against the goals set forth by my higher cognitive self. If I want to have a precise relationship with my body and maintain it in shape, giving into this particular ego drive is causing me to act clumsily. (See "Clumsiness and Climbing Castles" for clarity on what I mean by clumsy)

     Another example I've noticed in myself is when I go out with friends on a weekend. From time to time we'll enjoy some drinks which can add some fun to the evening. There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying some adult beverages with friends. However, when thinking only about the moment, I may consume one more than I should. The next day I might find myself hung-over, lazy and slow. In this scenario maybe I spend the day watching more TV and resting than doing exercise and reading. Instead of making a nutritious meal, I order a pizza. Now, I'll repeat, there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying some drinks and a night out, but when my short term desires for a fun evening get in the way of my long term goals (learning, exercising, using my free day more productively) then that is clumsy. The urges to place higher importance on the here and now with little or no regard to the moments that follow leads to actions that are less precise than they could otherwise be. As talked about in previous posts, precision is the defining characteristic of things done well. Long term precision has to do with control throughout increasingly extended periods of time. This includes moving from day to day, week to week, month to month to however long it can be maintained.

     In short, one way ego presents itself is in the desire to indulge in the here and now, without regarding what's to come. Indulging ego in this way can get in the way of realizing longer term goals that have been proposed by higher regions of the brain, a higher self even. This is not the only way that ego exists however. Clearly some people work long and hard for selfish means over a period of time. This too hinders the precision of society and even the world, but that must be saved for a future conversation. Thank so very much for joining me. As always, feel free to send me a message with any thoughts, critiques, or questions that may help clarify these posts. Until then, have a good one!

Battling the Brainstem

     Hola amigos, and thank you for joining me again. Recently we've entered into the process of looking at relationships between our consciously thinking selves and everything else that is out there in the "system" (see "Looking at Layers"). "Precision" seems to be the underlying characteristic of any activity we perceive as done "well" (see "Precisely: What I was Thinking"). So then, the idea is to use "the learning lens" (See "Clumsiness and Climbing castles) to help foster increasingly precise relationships with the various levels of that system, including our 'selves' and others. In my previous post, I made an attempt to bring attention to something I refer to as "ego". Today I would like to more thoroughly explore the topic so it will be easier to see how it relates as we continue to move out through the other layers of the system that lay increasingly farther from our relative points of perception. Also, I know my posts have been getting longer as of late so I will attempt keep them more directed and precise.

     Before getting into today's topic, I feel as though I need to make my intentions as clear as possible so as to not offend anyone reading this and other similar articles in the future. These posts are intended to help individuals notice the extremely subtle nature of a phenomena in people called ego. It's something that is very hard to notice because it exists on a layer of our being underneath our actively conscious mind. It should be noted that it is a phenomena that exists in all people naturally so this post IS NOT meant to be a judgement or attack of any kind in regards to individuals. If one feels damage to their pride for any reason, please understand it was unintentional on my part. However, it may be good to note that it is the thing inside us, the part that gets offended and/or prideful, to which I'm trying to bring our attention. This topic must be expanded upon because it is an essential piece of the puzzle for anyone attempting to pursue precision on any or all levels of his or her existence.

     So one of the most seemingly important questions may be the following: If we all have an ego, where does it come from? There, of course, is no clear answer to that (such is the problem with all 'origin' type questions) but ego is probably the most direct way that we experience what we call 'instinct' in other creatures. It likely originates from "lower" parts of the brain, including the stem that is responsible for our autonomic systems and survival tendencies. It influences what we do as we grow up, and our experiences and actions help to shape the neural pathways in the higher regions of the brain. This leaves a neural impression of our lower desires on the higher regions of our brain which in turns strengthens the voice of our ego. Obviously it is far more complex than that but this is sufficient for the current conversation. Historically speaking and into the present day, ego/instinct is the thing that has kept us alive and propagating the species. It has played a critical role in bringing us to the present and will continue to do so as long as we exist. However, now that survival is quite a bit simpler compared to previous eras, letting our ego/instinct guide our lives can be dangerous and destructive to ourselves and others. It also gets in the way of us behaving precisely.

     Physically speaking, one of the critical distinguishing characteristics of humans from other mobile beings on this planet (i. e. animals) is that the part of our brain called the neocortex is very large. It represents around 80% of our total brain mass and is the outer, grey, wrinkly layer that we generally think of when we picture a brain. This is the portion the brain where complex cognitive thinking takes place (which allows us to figure out how to manipulate tools and other aspects of life). It is also is largely in control of 'voluntary movement', and 'voluntary thinking' as well. We are greatly influenced by our instinctual nature, but because of this large control center that allows us to voluntarily decide how we act, we are not simply victims of following urges of our survival consciousness.

     The fact that we have organized into "society" is one of the clearest examples of how humans, collectively, have decided against letting our natural tendencies determine our existence. What I mean is there are laws of nature. Living things need an energy source, food, and also water in order to survive. In nature, if one being has (or is) food, there is nothing stopping another being from taking that food by any means including cunning, brutality and even killing. Society however has many 'extra' rules, so to speak. We often call them "laws" but essentially they are rules to limit behaviors that are otherwise allowed in nature, that we perceive as contrary to how we want to live. In the terms of this blog, I may say that laws are generally rules that encourage us to live with each other more precisely. For example, there are speed limits and traffic lights because if all traffic flows at an even rate and people take turns, everyone collectively can move about more efficiently or "precisely". When individuals don't follow the rules, running lights, speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, it causes wrecks, stop and go sections and a general slow down, usually for everyone else. All of those inconveniences I would call examples of "clumsiness" in a traffic setting.

     So this is probably enough for today. I like the idea of keeping entries short and to the point. Often times my longer posts are a result of me getting too impatient, giving into my ego, and as a result creating entries that are less precise than I hope for. I will return to this subject in the near future to explore how ego manifests itself on a more individual level, ways to notice it, and how that detracts from acting precisely in one's own life. Thank you very much for joining me and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Getting in the Zone: Somewhere Between the Ears

     Hello there and thank you for joining me once again, or perhaps for your first time. I must start today off by saying thank you to everyone who has decided to spend any time here with me since I started this project a couple months ago. Yesterday, this blog reached its first modest mile stone, reaching and passing 1000 total views with audience members ranging from 20 countries. While this started as a way for me to give some order to my thoughts, you joining me and even engaging in the conversation has really kept me motivated, so thank you again. I truly appreciate your “presence”.

     Now then, as of late we've entered into this idea of applying the learning lens (See "Clumsiness and Climbing Castles") to the various levels of life. The previous post "An Inner Model Out There" made an attempt to shed light on the subjective nature of our perceptions. In essence, the first layer with which we have a relationship is with ourselves and in particular with something that I've come to call "ego" (for any students of psychology, this different from the idea of ego that Freud described, but not completely unrelated.) Today I would like to explore the effects of ego and how it is one of the primary obstacles in keeping us from acting precisely and seeing objectively. For anyone wondering why "precision" is important, I would ask him or her, if they were interested, in returning to the posts "Pondering the Particularities of Precision" and "Precisely: What I was Thinking".

     Since acting precisely is of special interest to us, considering “the zone” might provide us with more material to work with. First off, one may ask, what is the zone? Many people will know what I’m referring to, but let’s see if there’s a way to bring everyone’s awareness precisely to the point. I whole heartedly believe that everyone has experienced the zone at one point or another. Think about whatever activity you do best or even anything that you do well. If you have ever experienced a period of time where you are just completely in that activity, with no distractions, and whatever you’re doing just works…. That’s it.

      Most commonly the term is used by athletes, describing periods of time where they perform flawlessly, or at least as precisely as possible for a duration of time. While they are there, it’s as if nothing else exists outside the field of play. As observers, we just see a great performance. However, this is not just a state reserved for athletes.

     People can experience the zone while taking part in any other activity as well. When drawing, an artist may reach a point when they are completely focused on the work at hand. Thinking stops and the pencil or paint brush almost seems to be running on autopilot. It’s often from this state that great artists produce their best work. Reading is another great example. When one engages in a book so fully that it has transported them out of the room, they just may have entered the zone. In this setting, the experience can feel as if the reader is observing the actions of a story rather than looking at the words. It can be shocking if someone interrupts and brings them crashing back into the room, breaking their concentration. The zone could be explained via any activity from playing music, cooking, meditating, walking, cleaning up around the house or anything else that we do.

     Hopefully some of these examples give some context to the idea, but the underlying characteristic of the zone seems to be this; the mind is fully engaged in the activity, without being separated from it with “word thoughts” “picture thoughts” or other distractions. A great baseball player once said, “You can’t think and hit a baseball”. Being in the zone isn’t about thinking through the action, it’s about simply doing it. A batter has no time to think “yes, now swing.” The ball would have already passed. His awareness is simply in his hands, ready to act, and swings when it feels right. When giving a speech, the zone feels like just talking about the material, never allowing interfering thoughts to enter the picture. As soon as the thought, “there are a lot of people out there, I am in front of them” enters one’s mind, the person becomes one step removed from just talking about the material (and probably starts to get nervous). Any sort of “I am doing…” thought immediately separates one’s concentration from that which they are doing, and stops them from just acting, denying them access to the zone.

     This is important because only when people completely unite their awareness on what they are doing can they act as precisely as possible. Most people only do this for short periods of time, and generally only while they are performing a task with which they have much skill and practice. This is probably because they are very familiar with that activity. Unfortunately, even when doing activities we know well, there’s no easy way to just “get in the zone”.

     Generally speaking, people clearly prefer doing things precisely and nobody likes to act clumsily. So, the question must be raised, what keeps us from being in the zone all time? What is the obstacle that keeps us from acting as precisely as possible throughout our day. While this is not something easy to observe, and the term is not something I have coined myself, it's our egos that continuously get in our way. For anyone who doesn't quite understand what I mean, I have an experiment that may help one to become acquainted with his or her ego.

     We tend to believe that we have total control of ourselves, but most of us are influenced by impulse far more often than we think. So here’s the experiment: Set a goal of closing your eyes and not thinking in words, pictures, or with other ideas for just 5 minutes. If we really have as much control as we like to believe, it should extend all the way to control over our very own mind/brain. If ever a thought enters the mind, simply brush it off and return to not thinking. Focusing on a point such as breath may aid in this experiment. For those interested, go ahead and try it now…………….

     Now you don’t owe me any sort of answer because this was a personal experience attempting to help individuals understand what I am referring to when I use the term ego. So, was setting the goal of not thinking enough to simply silence your mind? During the five min period, did anything pop up? Maybe wondering why we were doing this, maybe getting bored and just wanting to get up, maybe urges to go to the bathroom or get some water? Perhaps imagining another place you wanted to be, or revising a conversation you had that day? Maybe the voice was so strong that it convinced some that they could understand what it would be like even without trying the experiment…

     For those who did have thoughts during the trial, that is perfectly normal. That is one way ego communicates with us and attempts to influence actions. It is there nearly always, and specifically it is that thinking that keeps people out of the zone. When those type of thoughts arise while we are doing something, it prevents us from acting as precisely as possible because it separates us one degree from simply acting. Our mind is not fully engaged in the activity, rather its thinking about doing it.

     This can be a difficult concept to understand and this post has already gone on too long, but it would be more confusing in the long run to stop short. I will certainly return to this topic in a variety of ways, hopefully helping people to ‘Notice’ what I’m talking about (See “Noticing Noticing: Learning to Learn”). Remember, noticing is the first step to learning. If we haven’t noticed something, we are oblivious to it and it’s like that thing simply doesn’t exist. This is one of the most significant topics because developing a precise relationship with each of our 'selves' has extremely far reaching affects into the rest of our lives, not to mention the lives of others, and it all begins somewhere between the ears.