Ever since you were born, you were in a non-stop phase of
constructing your mind. As with any
building, there are different components to its construction. The components for the base of your mind are:
1) biology; 2) biography; 3) society.
With these added, you get a total that is greater than the sum of the parts:
your mind. Your mind is complex and
constantly changing. The earliest
influence is our genetic predisposition, which interacts with our biology and
that interacts with society. As we
continue, we shall see that there is a commingling of deterministic and free
will aspects of our lives.
After conception and our genetic predisposition, the primary
contributor is biology. This is the
initial blueprint of the structure that your mind will be based upon. It will also be one of the key contributors
to further development throughout your life.
It will be the basis for neural and overall physical development. If there are problems at this level (genetic,
disease or accident), then future development of all kinds will be impaired if not
impossible. For example, if there are
not a sufficient number or type of cones in the eye, one will be colorblind to
some extent and won’t be able to know what ‘red’ is as compared to other colors. Equally,
if born deaf one won’t be able to hear voices and music, or speak phonetically
articulately. Finally, if born without
the sensation of touch, one won’t be able to tell what ‘hot’ is as compared to
cold. Biological abilities and
limitations will affect future cognitive development.
The next level for contributing to our mind structure is
biography. Biography is our experience
and the processing of life events, including how we (if we) reflect upon those
events. It is from this base that we see
individual units as distinct from others and begin to conceptualize based upon
that distinction. This is done in two
phases; recognition of individual units and grouping into an individual
concept. For example we see six identical
units, we say we have six apples, but as there are other small, round sweet
fruits we come up with the concept of apple as contrasted to the concept of
orange; as they both share some characteristics while not other characteristics
with each other and other types, we combine or exclude them from the greater
category of fruit. This is a pre-social
acceptance of a term, for what may be ‘hraguhd’ to the toddler who doesn’t have
language, will be changed to black in English-speaking societies, negro in
Spanish-speaking societies, and so on.
Our experience of apples and oranges can be extended into
ripeness, whether over or under, or even rotten. We contrast each type of fruit so we don’t
treat one different ones such as a banana to be as long-lasting as a
walnut. Similarly, this same process of
experience, we come to make friends, have food preferences, as well as music
and all other appetitive preferences.
The final level for contributing factors to our mind’s
construction is society. Whether
formally or informally, expectations and rules of how to act ‘legally and
ethically’ as well as general behavior are defined and enforced by society. This includes everything from gods to worship
or deny, gender norms, roles of the citizens and the State, professional roles
and all else where individuals in society interact. This is a two-way street for it guides us
toward what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. This begins as small as one’s family in
childhood to as large as one’s country or religion.
These three levels interact to construct the base structure
of your mind. When we combine the three
levels, we can see the interaction. We
are born with predispositions that direct us toward a preference for some things
over others, such as authoritarianism/libertarianism, toward drinking alcohol
or not, sexual preference and so on. From
our experiences, we develop a penchant for specific parts of those broader
preferences, such as when do we care to dictate or live free, or if we will
pursue hetero-, homo- or bi-sexual interests.
Society influences in whether those authoritative/libertarian acts are
acceptably exercised: are you exhibiting authoritative acts by being a bully
and a brute, or by being a coach and a guide; are you being libertarian by
ignoring speed limits, or by ignoring property rights and stealing?
However, an empty building does not make a home. All buildings are more than just the physical
structure. The biology states there will
be specific rooms. Your biography states
what kind of material the rooms will be built from and how big those rooms need
to be. Lastly, social influences will
state what should be placed inside those rooms.
To visualize, we can picture an artist; that artist was born with
genetic predispositions such as a higher sensitivity toward picking out details
for art, say colors. These
predispositions and potentials are then utilized in biography where enacting
with the environment, the artist will come to prefer certain colors, textures and
the like. Lastly, society will press
upon the artist what subjects are appropriate or inappropriate to treat in
artistic expression. The artistic room
will be built of a better material, be larger and decorated more than other
rooms; the artist who prefers to use white marble in smooth sculptures has his
mind’s home.
There is a final point to consider. As mentioned earlier, the mind is more than
the sum of its parts. It is the
self-directed aspect that is consciousness that completes the mind. As you grow, you fill the floors of your
mind’s structure.
Being that at our base we are animals, that is we have
bodies, the body has its requirements for our mind to function. If we are starved, we are not as likely to be
able to focus and ponder the nature of the universe or understand the text on a
page as well as if our hunger was sated.
The ground floor is where the body gets its base necessities taken care
of: resources in and waste out, as in loading and unloading gates. Base bodily functions of all sorts begin here.
The next level up is the security center, where our sense of
safety can emerge. It is the base from
where our ‘guards’ reside, our walls and barriers are constructed for when they
need to be deployed. Our bodies and
minds are vulnerable to threats, and it is to this level that handles those
threats, whether it may be a threat to employment, home, yourself or loved
ones, it is handled by the security level.
The next level up is where our taking in and putting back
out into society is based. Consider this
equally the main living area where you get ready to go out into the world,
interact with friends and family you invited to interact with you. This is where the general, pleasing aspects
of life are shared.
The next level up is a more personal place. Those who you allow to enter here are more
important to you. It is the difference
between an acquaintance, a family member and your beloved; the acquaintance may
not be invited at all, while the family member may get to visit this area at
times, but your beloved and those you hold dearest visit the most. This is where you want and feel your best
self with esteem gained from those you esteem.
Want to be the best lover, partner, brother, sister, or whatever else
and feel the appreciation of your being your best at what you do – it is at
this level that it is done.
The first four levels are each dependent upon someone or
something external. The final level is
the highest level. Unfortunately, not
all create this level. This is where you
are truly you. This level is not based
upon relationships – it is not tied to another.
You may want to be the best lover from the level below, but when you are
not actually being the lover and are on your own – who is that? Disagree with what society prescribes, it is
here you emerge above the role handed down.
This is the level of self-actualization, your highest achievement for this
level will enable you to be better for the lower levels by advancing to your
greatest potential. This highest level
is where the total being more than the sum of the parts.
That these are in ascending levels does not mean that the
prior level has to be fully sated before the next can be attained. You can – and generally do – have varying
levels filled at any given time.
However, achieving the higher levels enables the lower levels to be
endured when having moments of trouble.
For example, parents who will forego sating their own hunger to feed
their children.
A final point to consider.
From the moment we are born change is constant, and we are continually
assuaged by external and internal factors – how society presses upon us, how
our own biology presses upon us and how we integrate everything to then return
it back into our world. Our experiences
and our thoughts may change us, and from that we act in ways that can change
our environment that in turn acts upon us once again. It is a combination of genetic predisposition
from conception, environmental factors and biology, to social factors and
finally self-direction and actualization – that is if you reach the highest
points. This is your mind’s structure,
everso briefly summarized.
[Psych 101 level intro]
