Theoretical Spouting on Instinct and Learned Responses

 Why do we do what we do? Think what we think? Act the way we act? Do you think we are mentally different from people say 1000 years ago? I believe so, but more then likely not for the same reasons as you. Let me elaborate.

 We all know what instinct is. A programmed response to external stimuli. Like knowing that spiders or snakes could potentially hurt us. When the first human beings came about, they we not pre-programed with that response. They were not able to look at a snake ad know they should stay away from it. Even if you want to go as far back as you want, back to our ape ancestors or even further. At the genetic beginning of us, we did not know to fear certain things right away.

 I believe that that’s become programmed after time. The first group of psudo-humans were not aware of the danger. Of course they became aware after seeing many from their group fall prey to such things, so they began teaching there young “This is bad”. After generations and generations and generations of being told, stay away, this is bad it became programming. Much like a computer. They were born with this information installed already as a fear reaction to the site of them. We come with a pre-prgrammed set of instructions now, like knowing to fear deadly animals instinctively.

  I believe this can be translated into just about anything, any information after a long enough period of time being fed it repetitively. Now we have had generation after generation of pre-programing from school, religions, the media and many other sources. Think about it. This could be a good thing or bad. Maybe someday we could be born with the knowledge of basic math, English, science, and so on. On the same hand, we could come pre-programmed with how we are supposed to act, look, feel, think, and basically have no true self identity. Basically we would be a pre-programmed husk.

  There was a very famous poet, philosopher, and generally incredibly intelligent man named Jiddu Krishnamurti who spoke of this theory as well. He believed very strongly in it and also thought that just as we can be programed, we can be unprogrammed as well. A clean fresh slate for us to do with and develop on our own. My favorite quote of all time comes from this gentleman……”It is no measure of health, to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society”. Amazing. That sums up a lot of how I feel about today’s world. And I do my best to subscribe to it.

  Very interesting stuff. Just wanted to throw that out there get your brains thinking a bit. So leave me a comment and let me know what you think!