Beach Walk 87 – Sorting Saves Energy But…

Sorting people into quick, superficial categories saves energy and it also leads to stereotyping and missed opportunities.

h3. About Today’s Show

My brain was full and I was feeling aware of how much information and stimulation exists in my (and your) environment, I found it really useful many years ago when I learned about the limbic brain and how it wants to categorize and store things for simplicity sake. It makes sense from a filing point of view, but it turns people into groups based on the most superficial of criteria, then the result is racism, sexism, nerdism, and so forth. (I mean that literally as in their surface attributes, not conceptually, whether they are deep thinkers or not.) Here’s a list of 234 isms relating to belief systems.

Consciousness takes energy to be sure. It is hard some days. We get to choose though with whom we want to use our energy to get to know more personally. And for me, it’s really useful to tell my old back brain that just because I met someone with whom I did or did not click, please do not take a scan of their physical characteristics and apply the intrinsic qualities I experienced to all similar types of people!

And so I end up with one of my favorite recurring themes: life is specific. The urge to generalize is compelling, but I prefer things like cognitive dissonance and meeting people who shake up my known world.

Hawaiian words
‘Ano: type, sort
Lolo: brain

Be in Touch!

Comments

  1. I checked out your site for the first time today as a result of Jen and Kent’s pomo submission on their vlog (i guess it worked!), and have watched about 15 episodes! I love what you’re doing, but I especially love how you’re doing it. I finally decided to comment on this episode because i was touched to see you address a hot-button topic in such a genuine, gentle and wholesome way. Its obvious that you’re grounded, and that you’re approaching your life and your expression from a loving place. from what little I’ve seen of your show, and your self, i appreciate that you realize the power that affords you, and use it wisely, when there is so much abuse in our world. Thanks, and keep talking to us!