My brain wires sometimes like to think of the answer before the question. That was the case this time. But for the purpose of your sanity will put this here in a way that may make sense to you.
The question is: what makes us different from each other?
First, we need to define difference. I see difference as individuality and it can be described by using opposing adjectives such as beautiful-ugly, intelligent-stupid, adorable-hateful, black-white (not quite opposites) and so on. Unless you are Eminem, you cannot call yourself black and white at the same time. Therefore, 'I am ugly' and 'you are beautiful' distinguishes you from me, and makes me want to punch you. Having that cleared out, what makes me different from Cristiano Ronaldo? Why am I not getting rich kicking some football?
The question seems obvious, he's good, I suck.
Sure, the answer is very obvious, his unique combination of genes allowed him to have both mental and physical abilities that happen to be valued at his profession, that happen to make you rich if you're very good at it. But that's not all. This unique combination probably wouldn't do much if he was born in Pakistan. All the (also unique) environmental factors that surrounded Cristiano Ronaldo allowed him to make the best use possible of his abilities.
"Ok, so are we born different or do we become different?"
I know why you made that question, you're thinking: "whatever, I might not be as rich, but I'm smarter than Cristiano Ronaldo and I can make my own success". The good part is yes, you may be smarter, but no, your're not in charge of your destiny.
Being smart or intelligent means that, biologically, your brain is wired in a way that makes the overall you perform better in specific 'tasks'. Such 'tasks' were selected by our society over the years as something good, such as problem solving and abstract thinking. Off course, these 'tasks' are crutial for humanity as a species, having contributed to our survival and prosperity and were passed genetically from our ancestors to us. This is basically why you are attracted to your smart colleague. Personality traits such as being intelligent are something that you want to pass on to your children.
Why does this have anything to do with your inability to have control over your life?
Similarly to intelligence, other mental differences such as being aggressive/calm, outgoing/introvert or wanting an iPhone/Android have little to do with you wanting a more customizable device. If you analyse it all the way untill the origins of that behavior, you'll have biology and sociology. One one hand your parents gave you genetic material that designed your brain as it is, one the other hand society taught you and changed some of the wires in your brain. Take neuron number 13487 from your own brain as an example: maybe if it was linked to 23982 and not 398439 you wouldn't like Justin Bieber so much.
In reality what does it mean?
Basically it tells you that you're not in control. Whatever you do, even if you suddenly decide to run naked in the middle of the street, your only doing it because your biology and the environmental circumstances that surround you lead you into it. And it's the most terrifying thing ever, meaning that you're not free, you're just the result of a very complex equation.
Also mean that you can predict the future.
Yes, the same way you can predict where a ball is going to stop if you know direction and velocity, you can calculate the outcome of the universe if you can map each brain of each animal in the world and all the environmental variables that surround them.
In conclusion, we're different because of circumstances and luck. So, should we be proud? Should we be selfish? This bring me to my next post, selfishness.
Cheers,
The question is: what makes us different from each other?
First, we need to define difference. I see difference as individuality and it can be described by using opposing adjectives such as beautiful-ugly, intelligent-stupid, adorable-hateful, black-white (not quite opposites) and so on. Unless you are Eminem, you cannot call yourself black and white at the same time. Therefore, 'I am ugly' and 'you are beautiful' distinguishes you from me, and makes me want to punch you. Having that cleared out, what makes me different from Cristiano Ronaldo? Why am I not getting rich kicking some football?
The question seems obvious, he's good, I suck.
Sure, the answer is very obvious, his unique combination of genes allowed him to have both mental and physical abilities that happen to be valued at his profession, that happen to make you rich if you're very good at it. But that's not all. This unique combination probably wouldn't do much if he was born in Pakistan. All the (also unique) environmental factors that surrounded Cristiano Ronaldo allowed him to make the best use possible of his abilities.
"Ok, so are we born different or do we become different?"
I know why you made that question, you're thinking: "whatever, I might not be as rich, but I'm smarter than Cristiano Ronaldo and I can make my own success". The good part is yes, you may be smarter, but no, your're not in charge of your destiny.
Being smart or intelligent means that, biologically, your brain is wired in a way that makes the overall you perform better in specific 'tasks'. Such 'tasks' were selected by our society over the years as something good, such as problem solving and abstract thinking. Off course, these 'tasks' are crutial for humanity as a species, having contributed to our survival and prosperity and were passed genetically from our ancestors to us. This is basically why you are attracted to your smart colleague. Personality traits such as being intelligent are something that you want to pass on to your children.
Why does this have anything to do with your inability to have control over your life?
Similarly to intelligence, other mental differences such as being aggressive/calm, outgoing/introvert or wanting an iPhone/Android have little to do with you wanting a more customizable device. If you analyse it all the way untill the origins of that behavior, you'll have biology and sociology. One one hand your parents gave you genetic material that designed your brain as it is, one the other hand society taught you and changed some of the wires in your brain. Take neuron number 13487 from your own brain as an example: maybe if it was linked to 23982 and not 398439 you wouldn't like Justin Bieber so much.
In reality what does it mean?
Basically it tells you that you're not in control. Whatever you do, even if you suddenly decide to run naked in the middle of the street, your only doing it because your biology and the environmental circumstances that surround you lead you into it. And it's the most terrifying thing ever, meaning that you're not free, you're just the result of a very complex equation.
Also mean that you can predict the future.
Yes, the same way you can predict where a ball is going to stop if you know direction and velocity, you can calculate the outcome of the universe if you can map each brain of each animal in the world and all the environmental variables that surround them.
In conclusion, we're different because of circumstances and luck. So, should we be proud? Should we be selfish? This bring me to my next post, selfishness.
Cheers,
