and talk to each other — because sometimes that can fundamentally change our brains.
I write this on the twenty-sixth week of a year that continues to keep getting worse. Aggression is running amok. And social stability seems to be devolving like my cousin’s slam poetry.
So what do I do? I spent some time reading about aggression in humans and the wild. Basically, healthy procrastination when the world seems to breakdown. And this is what I gather -
1. Us versus them is a sliding scale.
“It is me, my brothers, and my cousins against the world. It’s me and my brothers against my cousins.” — A bedouin saying.
Groups melt, fuse and divide all the time. Division and new introductions is how groups (like office text chains) reproduce into new proto-groups.
2. Hierarchies don’t have to be despotic.
Hierarchies can be — top down or bottom up.
In top down hierarchies, the alpha takes the lion’s share of everything — like in chimps, baboons (and may be humans?).
In bottom up hierarchies the leader gets to stay at the top because everyone approves of them. If the alpha is abusive, they are overthrown — like in vervet monkeys (and may be humans?).
3. We are not the only ones who suffer when our friends or neighbors are hurting.
Rats (yes, even rats!) are sensitized to pain if they hear another rat squirming with pain. But the rat squirming should be a cage mate, a neighbor, or some one they live with.
Next time a xenophobe compares someone to rats, tell them that rats literally make better neighbors than xenophobes.
4. Reconciling.
Kiss and make up. Even Gorillas do it, so I believe so can you.
Well gorillas don’t kiss, I don’t think their lips purse that way but they groom each other. Gorillas express affection by running their fingers through each other’s fur and occasionally eating the bug that they find in their friend’s fur. After all, why waste good protein!?
Two male gorillas from a group are more likely to grooming each other after a fight. In gorilla world, that’s basically grabbing a beer after a crazy-ass fight with your mate.
5. Hormones don’t generate despotic social structures
-or- vicious individuals.
Testosterone gets a bad rep. Society blames it for aggression, some people use it as an excuse for patriarchy. Fun fact, there is actual scientific research showing that testosterone can increase both generous and antisocial behaviors. As long as both the behaviors are status enhancing behaviors
Bottom line, Testosterone simply amplifies what our society rewards. Society time to question what we reward.
On the flip side, Oxytocin, commonly called the cuddle hormone, can make us do things a lot worse than cuddling. (Full disclosure, I’m shaker not a hugger. Hugs, are the worst.)
Oxytocin sprays can make people cooperate more with an insider, but it also makes people more willing to sacrifice a perceived “outsider’’ (in a hypothetical scenario).
There goes my startup idea to sell oxytocin to couples on the brink of divorce.
5. Pain makes aggressive individuals more aggressive
— to subordinates.
It doesn’t really matter if you are a monkey or man. Studies show, poor are more likely to pummel those poorer than them (Remember Parasite!?). Rich will pummel those less wealthy than them.
You and I (in pain) are more likely to hurt someone subordinate to us. May be even someone, who looks up to us. But we don’t have to. Because we, unlike worms, have something extra in our brains that gives us a shot at freewill.
6. Our socioeconomic status bleeds into our brains and the decision specialist in us.
The prefrontal cortex is probably the smartest part of our body. It’s the part of the brain that makes an individual take the harder, but ultimately more rewarding route. To do things like, take that moment before shooting, to find out if that stranger indeed pulled out a knife or a cellphone.
Research shows that being born poor or in a stressful environment is correlated with thinner prefrontal cortex. Growing up in an aggressive family or neighborhood is a reliable predictors of aggressive behavior.
Turns out if batman really wanted to fight crime, he should have probably tried to reform taxation and federal budgets. Still waiting for that edition.
But the prefrontal cortex is extremely expensive. Those neurons — they are the most delicate and die readily under stress.
The prefrontal cortex takes the longest time to develop. It is least confined by genes and the most influenced by the environment. It is one of the most re-programmable part of the brain.
And like a double edged sword, it can learn bigotry as easily as generosity — or rather who deserves these.
7 . The amygdala ( fear center) of our brain activates more when you see someone from a different race.
-but not when you grow up/stay in racially diverse neighborhoods.
But don’t worry, if your neighborhood is as diverse as the Oscars. Everything is not lost yet. Thankfully Coke versus Pepsi is not that polarizing — yet!
Studies show that even a simple question like, “what do you think — does this person like Coke or Pepsi?” can make participants’ fear centers less active in response to a “foreigner”.
Basically the fear center is less active, when you see person for well, a person. Hopes and dreams, tastes and pet peeves — basically anything that people more than a mere stereotype.
So what do you think? I’m conflicted.
I’m kind of disappointed, because I’m out of a start up idea, and also because there is no neurotransmitter, hormone or magic potion that makes people instantly kind. But I’m hopeful too, because there is not much that hard wires us to be cruel either.
So what do you think will happen when a xenophobe, a rat and scientist walk into a bar?