As for CORTICAL control of auto-amygdala functions, i.e "conscious
clicking the amygdala from non-thinking reaction forward into
conscious creative advanced thinking"-- There is no controversy among
learned persons about this whatsoever. You can identify it, and then
use it...
ILLUSTRATION of Intelligence Click
If you see a mountain lion in your path, if you do nothing but
automatically "click backwards", you run like hell, and then the cougar
thinks you are prey and you are the cougar's lunch.
If you see this same mountain lion, and you "click forward" you remember
what you learned when you stop and used your advanced brain to read
the brochure in the Forest Ranger Cabin near the entrance to the park
that said "...if you encounter a mountain lion, DON'T RUN, make yourself
appear as big as possible, raise your hands and wave, make lots of
noise." And you survive.
THAT is the difference between clicking your amygdala backward and
forward. In terms of EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, the human brain is wired very
well to reward advanced thinking and discourage insufficient advanced
thinking. That's where the "pleasure and pain" come into the picture.
So, if someone has an objection to or denies the idea that one can "click
forward" and thus improve one's life and ability to survive- this would
imply that such a person does not believe it is in one's interest- much
less a possibility- to consciously and purposefully engage the vast
unlimited potential inside one's own brain, specifically in the frontal
lobes functions of CICIL
(creativity-imagination-cooperation-intuition-logic). A rather
depressing and self-defeating attitude for anyone to have.
The trick is to remember and make use of frontal lobes processes and
make long term solutions rather than be a slave to reptilian brain
backward clicking short term solutions.
"Click your amygdala"-- This is a phrase invented by brain and behavior
researcher T.D.A. Lingo to refer to conscious cortical control of lower
brain functions. Its just a useful phrase to illustrate that you have
a neuroprocess that engages other brain processes--- like flipping the
light switch on your wall.
Example: You are startled by a loud noise in back of you. "Your amygdala
clicks backward, automatically"- Fight or flight reactions happen
instantaneously to enhance self survival. Or for example, you stumble
upon a snake in a forest path- amygdala "clicks" backward. [1]
Here's how Mother nature so cleverly wired up our brain to reward smart
thinking and use of brain potential, and discourage dormant brain
thinking:
NEGATIVE NOTHINGNESS When you use little of your brain potential, i.e.
just the core reactionary part of your brain (McLean's Reptile Brain)
excluding more advanced frontal lobes type processes- you can only
experience pain, boredom, fear, and at very best, short term pleasure.
Think of a reptile sitting on a rock, all alone. But with your human
body and brain. Bored. Lonely. Cold. How about a teenager who hasn't
yet grown into full frontal lobes utilization (the frontal lobes are
not fully developed till after 20 years or more). Someone who hasn't
clicked on "cause and effect" circuits.
"Hey lets get REALLY DRUNK!!! Let's spend all our money on 2 cases of
BEER! And go take dad's car for a spin!!! YEA!!!!!" This is short term
fun of insufficient frontal lobes processes. Hangover if lucky. Dead
at 17 if not so lucky.
Back in the late 1800's, Phineas Gage blew apart his frontal lobes
working on the railroad with an explosive charge and a railroad tie
splitting his cranium. He taught us that without the ability to "click
forward" into our frontal lobes (now mush on the railroad), life becomes
a random sequence of meaningless and frustrating events. POSITIVE
REWARD: On the other hand-- frontal lobes
creative-imaginative-cooperative-intuitive-logical circuits fully
engaged:
Picasso or Einstein. Aerosmith after they got sober. Happy family life.
Job you like. A little money in the bank. Money saved for trip to Europe
or new drum set. Nature REWARDS frontal lobes thinking with PLEASURE.
Self esteem. Happiness of Success and goal achievement. "EUREKA!! I
figgered it out!" Don't that new song sound good? Don't that picture
look pretty? Happiness of Success and goal achievement.
Now, of course, no one wants to disengage permanently one's "reptile
brain", as Dr. McLean has called the primitive reactive core brain.
You need this instantaneous survival reaction- its there for a good
reason. But you don't want your life RULED by it. The frontal lobes
evolved because the ADDITION of advanced frontal lobes processes like:
abstract thought; imagination; planning; understanding cause and
effect; concepts of time; creativity; cooperation. This enhanced
survival far beyond the limitations of the reptile brain and "clicking
backwards" alone. Thus, we evolved bigger and bigger frontal lobes.
To click forward into. Thank you Mother.
Its neuroscience.
"Clicking" is simply a convenient phrase to describe different
functions involving the amygdaloid body, both voluntarily modified
processes, and involuntary processes, which are extremely well known
among even the most modestly educated person.
It should be noted that the popular press emphasizes the negative
conditioning responses of the amygdala. However this "nutty" little
organ also processes and learns POSITIVE REWARD REINFORCEMENT. Its not
just all punishment, fear and pain conditioning. It helps you to
remember when you do something that feels good just as well.
The degree to which any individual has cortical control over their lower
brain, the degree by which any individual can click forward or
backward-- this is a matter of experience, education, and a knowledge
of self and environment. If the ideas above seem "wacko" to anyone...
gee whiz. :-)
Brain Magic. Is the brain capable of "magic"? Consider this: Australian
Neurology Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles. (Lecture: University of
Colorado, University Memorial Center Boulder, July 31, 1974.) "The
brain indicates its powers are endless."
The human brain is one of, if not THE most mysterious and "magical"
things in the universe. We are surrounded- IMMERSED DAILY in a continual
environment of things, powers, and phenomenon we completely take for
granted, things that were thought IMPOSSIBLE a hundred years ago and
less, but now undeniable direct and indirect expressions of human brain
thought, creativity, and imagination.
Who is to say that out-of-body experience, prediction and manipulation
of clouds and weather, and all types of other-normal experience is not
valid or even possible with the human infinity think machine? We have
just begun to learn what is possible with the human brain.
Where as "clicking backwards" is an automatic process to engage
survival, fight or flight, and such-- "click forward" refers to
conscious deliberate cortical (higher brain) functions to overcome
lower brain limitations. Thus, you can engage "CreativeImaginative-Cooperative- Intuitive-Logical" process dependent on
primarily increased frontal lobes processes to SOLVE the PROBLEM of
"snake in path".
The difference is, in the lower brain "clicking backwards solution"you shoot and kill the snake, or simply run like hell till you drop
after you've run out of breath or stumbled over a cliff.
In the higher brain "clicking forward solution", you identify the snake
as non-lethal, or you simply calm yourself down, you don't panic, and
you walk around the snake, or you back up slowly. I.e., you THINK instead
of merely REACT
The ability to CONSCIOUSLY and deliberately engage additional frontal
lobes options in a threatening, unfamiliar, and problem situation is
a matter of training, education, planning, and is available to anyone
who has a functioning pre-frontal cortex (most of us).