Meditation for December 28th, 2016
Feelings Make You Dumb
We have brains that help us decide, control all of our bodily functions, and react. Out brains protect us from harm from ourselves. We are able to solve complicated problems and make diplomatic gestures.
We are able to do so much with our brain until we get a strong feeling, then we become dumb.
We are hurt so we quit our jobs before even understanding the full consequence of that decision. We break up with our partner because we can’t convince our partner we are right. We buy a bunch of shit because we feel so sad.
No matter how smart we are, we will turn into unrational idiots the minute we feel something. Emotions can be the great mind equalizer.
Emotions are product of the limbric system. These were developed later in humans evolutionary development. And neuroscience has shown that the limbric system and the rest of the brain never agree on anything, so the emotional response has to shit down the lizard brain and the rational parts of the brain. Literally making you dumb.
When you feel pain from heartbreak and grief, you become an idiot. When you get mad at other drivers, you turn into a fucking dummy. When you think you’re getting fired, you turn stupid. You might think you are entitled to your feeling, and that you get to feel the feeling, and that you need to express yourself, but while you’re feeling, you are a big old dummy.
As a society we feel that feelings are on par with our opinions and our identities, but the culture we are developing are based on the very moment we are dumbest.
For true intellect is to strip away all actions based on fear and feelings.
When we are heartbroken we are told to just feel it, but if you want to be the smartest person in the world, stuff all those feelings and solve that Middle East shit! When you are struggling with grief, forget that person and write a goddamn good song. When you are scared of losing your job, quit and start that klezmer-hip hop record label.
We put so much effort into nurturing our feelings with therapy, creating safe places, religion, and other “healthy” choices that we are unintentionally making our society dumber.
So next time you want to cry, swallow that lump and try to be smart for once.