One of
the biggest issues facing the developed World today is the incredible
increase in both mental health problems amongst adults and
developmental disorders in children. There are any number of reasons
put forward for this from both the mainstream science community, and
from the alternative thinking lobby, and there are almost certainly
multiple reasons for these changes. If we look more closely at the
types of problems being faced we see steep rises in the rates of
depression, paranoia and personality disorders in adults, and similar
rises in attention deficit disorders and Autism spectrum disorders in
children. One factor that appears to have been somewhat overlooked
comes to us from recent research carried out by psychology and
neurology researchers at Kings College London into the effect of
modern media technology on the human brain.
It has
long been known that the brain is relatively good at filtering out
the larger part of the sensory inputs that bombard us on a daily
basis. Figures between 90% and 50% are given for the amount of
sensory data that is not processed by the conscious mind, but is
stored and processed subconsciously. Since the 1950's there has been
an incredible shift in the speed with which media technology has
developed and alongside this a rapid development in the ability of
the media to break through into our consciousness. Think of the
difficulty you have in ignoring your mobile phone. Look around a
restaurant next time you are out and see how many people interrupt
their meals, and the people they are meeting with to answer the
phone, something that is generally considered incredibly rude, yet it
still happens. Think of a time that you have tried to have a
conversation with someone whilst they are watching TV. It is
incredibly difficult to break into their attention, and the response
is often aggressive.
When
it comes to the internet it gets even worse. How many people do you
know who are addicted to Facebook and online games? Careers are being
ruined, businesses are collapsing because of this phenomena. You can
probably begin to see that there is something very odd, and quite
wrong going on here. The kicker comes with the research into our
relationship with media technology. Using fMRI (functional magnetic
resonance imaging) technology to observe the way the brain operates
and the areas of the brain that are active in a variety of scenarios
has let to an understanding that modern media affects the brain in a
totally unexpected, at least by the researchers, way. Watching TV, or
sitting on the internet engages far more of the brain than is
expected to be the case by simply stimulating optic and aural
pathways. There is an incredible increase in conscious brain activity
and an engagement of parts of the limbic system, the most ancient and
basic part of the brain, as well as the pituitary region, an area of
the brain associated with enhanced conciousness and altered mental
states. Have a look at the work of Timothy Leary on the effect of LSD
on pituitary hormone. It is interesting stuff.
So,
where does this take us? We are surrounded by technology that has
been developed specifically to invade our minds. It sends out signals
and data that has also been specifically designed to invade our
minds, why do you think adverts are louder than programs? At the same
time we are becoming more and more mentally and psychologically
unwell at a time when people who don't have access to this technology
aren't. Coincidence? Do me a favour. Disconnect from the grid for a
couple of days, maybe a week. Stop watching TV, stay off the
internet, turn of the radio. Use the time to read a book, talk to
your partner, cook a good meal. Just try it, and let me know how you
feel before and after the break. I think you may be surprised.
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