In Search of Stillness

This is the third part in an ongoing series exploring why so many people seem to disavow expertise and science. Part 1 looked at the possibility that people are detecting an as-yet unmeasurable sense that science is ignoring and Part 2 investigated the proposal that literature no longer helps us grapple with science as it did in the past. Perhaps, though, people are just too busy and don’t have the mental space in their lives to incorporate scientific analysis of the issues that face them.

Although relying on experts should make life more efficient – a boon to the busy – if those experts use science-based reasoning for their arguments, already-stressed brains may retreat. If I have spent all day planning meetings or playdates or preparing presentations or family schedules, the last thing I probably want to analyze is whether the claim someone is making in the news is based on the scientific method. In fact, I am probably annoyed by the demand on my limited mental resources, since I would prefer to be binge-watching something on Netflix. Feelings are easy – they are controlled by part of the brain that developed eons ago. Our aptitude for rational thought and long-range planning, on the other hand, is a relatively fresh adaptation, as is our concept of self. It stands to reason that there might still be conflicts between the old operating system and the new.

Unlike with technology, in the case of our brains, the old operating system – the limbic system – is quicker than the updated version. When the signals from a particular stimulus are sent to the brain, the amygdala (part of the old operating system) can “hijack” the response before the cortex has had a chance to process it. The prefrontal cortex can analyze whether the “gut reaction” to something is rational – that is, based on well-reasoned facts rather than well-delivered fictions designed to stimulate our emotions – but fully engaging the cortex takes energy, and the amygdala’s response is automatic. In addition, there is evidence that the brain fatigues much like muscles do and needs to rest. In fact, sleep – particularly REM sleep – is crucial for memory consolidation, and people who have been deprived of it do extremely poorly on neural tasks, eventually even beginning to hallucinate.

While sleep helps solidify recollections, we are only minimally conscious during it and so are not methodically sifting through our observations of the world. At the same time, we are precisely scheduled during our waking hours, and that organization often leaves us little time for contemplation. One comment often heard from many executives when they are asked for advice on how to manage successfully is that they schedule downtime into their routine, otherwise they do not have time to pull back from the details and see the whole picture. Additionally, research shows that reducing commute times and attenuating the level of exterior noise at home are two of the most durable ways to increase happiness levels, perhaps because they hamper stillness. We need stillness to consolidate our observations of the world.

Although most people have more free time now than in the past, many report increased feelings of “time stress,” and the quality of that free time is poorer, as touched upon in a previous post. Instead of focusing on one activity, people report multi-tasking even with their leisure time, watching TV while surfing the internet or responding to work-related requests while in the middle of dinner. Mindfulness and meditation have been shown to inhibit anxiety, but maybe we can reduce stress just by switching between undertakings less frequently – by trying to cultivate more stillness in our lives. If we did this, it seems possible that we could contemplate more and react less, which is exactly what science requires.