looks like I've been wrong and spreading misinformation about the disproven "triune brain theory".
The finalāand most importantāproblem with this mistaken view is the implication that anatomical evolution proceeds in the same fashion as geological strata, with new layers added over existing ones. Instead, much evolutionary change consists of transforming existing parts.Ā
- From https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721420917687#con1
I have definitely made this mistake, many many times.
I'm not sure yet the implications of recognizing instead that "all vertebrates possess the same basic brain regions, here divided into the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain;" in some ways it seems like a nuance, but in other ways I think it'll shift how I see things and talk about things.Ā
more quotes in case you don't read the article:
neural and anatomical complexity evolved repeatedly within many independent lineages
the correct view of evolution is that animals radiated from common ancestors (Fig. 1c). Within these radiations, complex nervous systems and sophisticated cognitive abilities evolved independently many times. For example, cephalopod mollusks, such as octopus and cuttlefish, possess tremendously complex nervous systems and behavior (Mather & Kuba, 2013), and the same is true of some insects and other arthropods (Barron & Klein, 2016;Ā Strausfeld, Hansen, Li, Gomez, & Ito, 1998). Even among nonmammalian vertebrates, brain complexity has increased independently several times, particularly among some sharks, teleost fishes, and birds (Striedter, 1998).
The idea that larger brains can be equated with increased behavioral complexity is highly debatable (Chittka & Niven, 2009).Ā
looks like I've been wrong and spreading misinformation about the disproven "triune brain theory".
The finalāand most importantāproblem with this mistaken view is the implication that anatomical evolution proceeds in the same fashion as geological strata, with new layers added over existing ones. Instead, much evolutionary change consists of transforming existing parts.Ā
- From https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721420917687#con1
I have definitely made this mistake, many many times.
I'm not sure yet the implications of recognizing instead that "all vertebrates possess the same basic brain regions, here divided into the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain;" in some ways it seems like a nuance, but in other ways I think it'll shift how I see things and talk about things.Ā
more quotes in case you don't read the article:
neural and anatomical complexity evolved repeatedly within many independent lineages
the correct view of evolution is that animals radiated from common ancestors (Fig. 1c). Within these radiations, complex nervous systems and sophisticated cognitive abilities evolved independently many times. For example, cephalopod mollusks, such as octopus and cuttlefish, possess tremendously complex nervous systems and behavior (Mather & Kuba, 2013), and the same is true of some insects and other arthropods (Barron & Klein, 2016;Ā Strausfeld, Hansen, Li, Gomez, & Ito, 1998). Even among nonmammalian vertebrates, brain complexity has increased independently several times, particularly among some sharks, teleost fishes, and birds (Striedter, 1998).
The idea that larger brains can be equated with increased behavioral complexity is highly debatable (Chittka & Niven, 2009).Ā
Is having children selfish or selfless? Controversial question/interesting discussion time!
Is having children a selfish or a selfless act?
I'll put my thoughts in comments - would love to hear yours :)
Monogamy v polyamory. Is monogamy better? Is poly better? Is there an overall norm for people, with exceptions? Is it totally pluralistic? Here are some points for monogamy, with some counter points, to convey some of my uncertainty but nevertheless leaning into what Iāve chosen:
poly is impracticalargument. Most of the people I meet practicing polyamory are constantly putting tons and tons and tons of life energy into their relational problems, and it seems like their relationships are often built around addressing these problems rather than enjoying life together. The fact that it takes so much time and energy points to something being a little off. Monogamous relating also takes energy but it usually seems less self-referential; theyāre more often helping each other face and engage the world, rather than face and engage each other and their relationship.
Sex at Dawnetcā¦
thereās tons more, just want to get the convo startedā¦
"Mom Brain". I was aware before I got pregnant that the "Mom Brain" phenomenon (brain fog, forgetfulness, etc) often has its onset during pregnancy but it has been really fascinating to experience firsthand what this is like sensationally (?) and emotionally. The "Mom Brain" seems to be gradually more and more noticeable and apart from objectively catching myself in more goofy little mistakes I am also noticing the like funny ambiguous itchy feeling that translates into the verbal though "I feel like I'm forgetting something" is becoming more and more common for me. I am a pretty starkly type A person and I am surprised how confronted that part of my identity feels as I make trivial mistakes that feel "out of character" for me - this experience has been so rare for me that I feel really "caught" when it happens and I don't have a script, relationally with others or my self, for handling these brain farts šØ
silver lining: becoming a mother is obviously a huge transition that will entail the death and rebirth of many aspects of my identity - it can't hurt to be getting a taste of that process early on in the second trimester lol
It's too intimidating for men to be men. Alright, hereās one of my most controversial opinions, and Iām gonna try to take the filter off as much as possible:
Feminism has played out as retribution instead of solution. The Barbie movie is an entirely thorough example of what Iām talking about. You suppressed us, so weāre gonna use any means necessary to take over.
And then they recreated the same imbalance in its opposite.
I see most social movements do this too. True solutions to imbalances arenāt fair because they donāt have human-enacted payback. You suppressed us, so weāre going to move toward balance.
Iāve been spending about 2 years trying to set aside my learned default into my masculine energy (having grown up in highly feminist orange/green) and learn how to root in my feminine. But my feminine longs for a tether to something rooted. Masculine energy feels rooted, solid, grounded, and my feminine very much doesnāt (though it is held by a spacious ok-ness, but itās so airy it easily gets chaotic when not balanced in connection with a grounded masculine.)
But Iāve had a hell of a time finding grounded healthy masculine men. Many of them can do it for a time, but then flee to an extreme, like angry resentment at one end and non-binary softness at the other end. And I think itās because the culture has become super aggressive to men who are solidly men.
Working out & Cortisol, Which exercise method is best? Many conflicting perspectives (often research-backed) exist on the best ways to keep your body healthy.
Do HIIT for cardiovascular health, itās the best thing for your heart
Do LISS, itās best for longevity
Donāt do HIIT if youāre stressed out and already have elevated cortisol, as it will elevate your cortisol more, especially if youāre a woman
Focus on slow flowing movements because itās what our bodies are meant for
Women should lift heavy, itās the best way to build muscle and protect bone density
Women should do exercise like pilates to build long, lean bodies and keep exercise core focused
These are some of the things Iāve heard across various platformsā¦Huberman, Attia, My traditional Chinese Medicine dr, and random coaches that Iāve worked with.
What are your beliefs about staying active? Whose ideas do you subscribe to the most? Whatās your workout routine?
Attraction is out of our control, Microbe overlords are controlling our actions. So, I watched this documentary on Netflix last night, which reignited my interest in the gut microbiome.
Iām connecting dots between what weāre learning about how the gut biome impacts mood and actions with the elusive nature of attraction.
During my Sunday Relateful Flow session, someone said, Iām learning that trying to understand someone gets in the way of just letting myself be attracted to them.
Research is showing that the gut biome can influence and even potentially create conditions like depression, autism, and obesity.
More research will show that the sense of attraction to others is also influenced by the biome. We have scant data on this now- one study shows that female mice tended to be more attractive mates when they had more diverse gut flora.
So, why does this matter? It makes me think about sitting at the dinner table the other night. Some friends were over with their young child, and he was incessantly eating salt. The kidās dad said oh hm he must need salt,
trusting his natural intelligence.
My hypothesis is that research will show that weāre attracted to people with the gut bacteria we need more for greater diversity, so our microbes drive us to exchange bodily fluids with them.š
On the other hand, I guess itās possible that if youāre overrun with less-than-ideal microbes or less gut biodiversity, then maybe those microbes want to stay in charge, and theyāll lead you to swap fluids with someone whose biome maintains the status quo.
Hereās what I think everyone should do with this information:
1. Eat more fiber and fermented foods. Do this for many months.
2. Once youāve worked on ensuring you have a diverse microbiome, trust your attraction. If youāre monog, sorry- you need to take up polyamory. Give it a go. For your health. š