A friend and fellow writer - Kimberbee Morrison – over at Know More Media – asked about the pool of racist thought cultivated in the human brain. I’d referred to it in Kramer’s Rant from Cortisol Triggers.
Kimberlee asked … “Does this mean that Richards’ excuse that he is not a racist - is in fact a denial of what is actually in his heart and mind, because his 'pool' of thought only rose to the surface when he was angered?”
Yes, Kimberlee … but it means more….
The human brain is shaped literally by what we do daily. Had Kramer invited black neighbors in and shared a fun evening over a fine dinner – his thought pool would have been quite different. Instead he either acted or thought in ways that created a racist response - waiting to happen when cortisol poured into his brain through anger.
It’s not just Kramer, but this problem can spread to whole communities – in just this way – because that is how brains operate. Racism isn’t what we’ve been told.
Your statement … “I tend to believe that when people are angry, they say exactly what they mean …” also relates to the brain and to ways we demean others.
Individually we can create a negative or angry tone against other humans that soon mushrooms into stress and a killer tone that works against the brain’s ability to resolve conflict. Imus was another example recently of how it happened.
Like Kramer, or Imus … few are aware of their own racism pools in the brain’s basal ganglia, and yes I agree … there are probably plenty of passive racists out there. “ You might hear people say things like … I don’t really care about myself – but I care about family.” That is what we call a meta message in that this person usually does care. Others say – I just need to vent.
On another note - can you see how positive tone could also prevent racist systems and create organizational growth across cultures?
Your suggestion … “but that doesn't make what he said and did any better,” nudges this discussion into even deeper water. This is where I go out on a limb and say it is far bigger than race.
We only care when we care – and that takes deliberate acts of friendships to sustain. Friendships tend to do far more than erase racism – they tend to bring serotonin alive in the brains and hearts of people in every race.
Why so?
We are humbled when we care for others, and we also gain back plenty of well being - which generates more serotonin in the brain. Victims will say “the family across the street dislikes me.” Leaders, in contrast, open their homes and create a party to engage the people of another race as a friend. That very act of genuine friendship - rewires our own brains and the brains of others. It’s the opposite of the external rules we apply to engage other cultures … and leaves behind the poor tone we engage or the blame we pass around.
Did I say blame? There is usually more than enough to share as I see it….
Research shows that encouragement changes a workplace. It takes innovative leaders to make a difference. Brains bring us all back to a wonderful playing field as I see it. I wrote books on how we can teach leaders ways that bring brains alive in all cultures – and Europe just proved statistically how college level adults in all cultures get higher scores when using this MITA brain based method. It’s my 2 bits and others have better ways.
MITA’s just my small vessel in a very large sea out there– but I am convinced that to do what we know to respect other humans is the place to begin to build pools we can live with for ourselves and others. Nuff said… but I’d love to hear more of your own thoughts.
» What the Media Forgot to Report on Jena from BrainBasedBusiness
I can’t help hoping the media will spot and report the real story behind Jena, Louisiana – because it affects all of us more than you may think. Check out the video to see tension in Jena’s story ... played... [Read More]
Tracked on: September 20, 2007 1:12 PM | Permalink to Trackback