Human Emotions

“Emotions by their very nature are not reasonable things.” ~ Kvothe

When I think of conflict I then relate that conflict to one of its major, if not primary, causes - emotions. Emotions are tied to the symbolic “monkey brain” of our three parts of the brain, i.e., the human brain, the monkey brain and the lizard brain. I see the human brain similar to the logical mind depicted in the Star Trek series character, Spock. I think the series writer had it right, the ability to control the monkey brain, the emotional side of the human condition, is directly related to conflict. 

Human emotions, to my perception, are that corner stone that supports and drives the monkey brain that leads us into conflict. Conflict then leads to violence and that is a lack of control over our human emotions. 

Emotions are necessary to survival. I believe historically and genetically we depended on our emotions to survive the predatory life lived when humans resided in caves and hunted the prairies for food, etc. In those less complex times we learned quickly how to handle the emotional drives that meant survival. Today, it is a bit different.

Today, our emotions are both beneficial and detrimental to the human condition. Love, happiness and joy are all beneficial to health, both mental and physical. Anger and fear are detrimental in a way because we don’t really need them to survive in modern times. When we are subjected to anger or fear those emotions often mean losing control of the human brain so the monkey brain can drive the car. 

Yes, anger and fear (more fear than anger by my reckoning) are necessary in some instances for survival but mostly they get us into social situations that can and often result in conflict resulting in physical violence. I feel that the more complex our societies become the more our monkey brains resort to conflict and violence due to frustrations, stresses and interactions with more humans outside our close family like societal tribal needs. 

When you are confronted by so many cultures with just as many belief systems along with huge variances in communications you get frustration that begets fear and anger that begets conflict that begets violence - physical and psychological. 

The trick is training so we recognize the emotional monkey brain so that we can put that bugger back in its cage and then allow our Spock like logical human brain to take the lead (you can never truly rid yourself of the monkey but you can affect its control over you, your actions and your emotions).

As I quoted, human emotions by their VERY NATURE are NOT reasonable things. This is true and an important part of martial arts training is learning to take control of the monkey and act like a human.