Greetings!

This Isn't Your Father's Brain

I remember a few years back when Cadillac tried to appeal to a younger market with the slogan, "This is NOT your father's Cadillac."  The implication was that the old car was big and clunky, while the new version was sleek and speedy.  Recently, as I moved through my normal travel process, I was reminded of this campaign.  The world has made the same conversion.

Consider one small component of life...air travel.  In 1995, I would contact a travel agent to obtain my tickets, arrive at the airport quite early to wait in line for a boarding pass, move quickly through a security line, wait at the gate while reading or talking with a travel companion, board the plane and wait to take off, experience cordial service with food AND beverage, de-board the plane, wait in line at the car rental company and depart the destination airport.  The whole process was lengthy; filled with lots of "unproductive" time spent in conversation, contemplation or educational/entertainment reading.  It was big and clunky.

Today, I book my own flights online, print my boarding pass at home, provide nude x-rays to TSA, check emails and work on my laptop at the gate, check my smart phone after boarding, experience safety officers rather than service in flight, check my smart phone the moment we touchdown, by pass the car rental desk and go directly to my car.  The whole process is efficient (with the TSA exception), productive and devoid of contemplation.  Sleek and speedy.

It strikes me that our entire lives have made this shift.  We no longer spend much time in quiet reflection or in forced suspension.  We now cram productivity and stimulation into every moment of our day.  We watch television to "relax" and feel anxious when we are without our technology.  And it is more pronounced for our kids, new humans that have grown up with this growing technological influence.  While technology cannot (yet?) be blamed on the increase in ADHD - there are several other compelling reasons - it seems reasonable that the constant stimulation of our evolving world would exacerbate the condition.

Are we losing the ability to experience boredom?  Will quiet reflection and meditation soon join the likes of storytelling as endearing and archaic skills of an earlier time.  Are our brains actually changing?  It is an interesting notion.  This holiday season, how about we spend a few minutes engaged in some old fashioned celebration:  sitting quietly and reflecting on our blessings.

To learn more, here is an interview with renowned neuroscientist Susan Greenfield. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128236.400-susan-greenfield-living-online-is-changing-our-brains.html