Change Your Brain Every Day - The Problem with Herd Mentality

Episode Date: March 17, 2021

From the pandemic to the election, this past year has seen our country go wild in taking sides to fight those with different belief systems. But who exactly are these others, these faceless ‘they’ that are supposedly driven to undermine everything one stands for? The answer has to do with herd mentality, which has become a driving force for hate over the past few years. In this podcast episode, the Amens discuss the problems with herd mentality, why technology and social media may be partly to blame, and how to identity others for who they really are.  For more info on Dr. Daniel Amen's new book, "Your Brain is Always Listening", visit https://yourbrainisalwayslistening.com/  

Welcome to the Brain Warriors Way podcast. I'm Dr. Daniel Amen. And I'm Tana Amen. In our podcast, we provide you with the tools you need to become a warrior for the health of your brain and body. The Brain Warriors Way podcast is brought to you by Amen Clinics, where we have been transforming lives for 30 years using tools like brain spec imaging to personalize treatment to your brain. For more information, visit amenclinics.com.

The Brain Warriors Way podcast is also brought to you by BrainMD, where we produce the highest quality nutraceuticals to support the health of your brain and body. To learn more, go to brainmd.com. Welcome back. We've been talking about the they, them and other dragons, and we only have one more to go. Actually, we have two more to go. Today, we're going to talk about society dragons oh boy this is what just made you crazy during the pandemic and it's the they dragons and in the book it's you know there's like a dozen baseless dragons. It's what we think they think about us or they think we should think about when there really is no, no, this is the day that I, that my mother always calls me. Oh, they said, this is, you know, this is what we have to do. They said, this is, you know, the world is ending. They said, you know, and I just, this is why I don't watch the news. It's they, it's they. There's a herd mentality. And

that's why if you go to most news sites, USA Today or the New York Times or CNN or Fox, they're basically covering the same things, which is they are deciding what's important. Right. And maybe this is, maybe this is going to sound really cynical and people are going to get mad, but I liked the one thing that you mentioned a long time ago. And I actually have raised, you know,

my daughter and now our nieces with this idea that the masses are kind of the asses. You have to think for yourself. Did you say that? I did. And do you know where I. Did you say that? I did. Do you know where I first heard that? Where? In my philosophy class at Vanguard University.

Well, I like it. The professor Murray Dempster, he's my favorite professor, loved him. And he said, if you just pay attention to groupthink. Groupthink. I don't like it. The masses are the asses. Right. Because what happens is. And this was at a Christian school. So those of you that are going, oh, they said a

bad word. No, people jump on the bandwagon with one thought. And I saw this so much during all the crazy political societal stuff. And I didn't see it with one side, let's be clear. Um, so you saw one side go to one extreme. And then I saw the other side go to the other extreme. And I was just like, what is happening right now? It's, it's so toxic when people can't think for themselves. Like you really need to step back and think for yourself, do your own research. And I've always told the kids this whenever they come to me and they're like, oh my gosh, did you see what's going on right now? And I'm like, how do you know that's true? Like, chances are it's not true.

Bring me the research, tell me why you think what you're thinking. I want to know the why behind it. Who is actually saying it? What's your source? I think now more than ever, there is so much misinformation about the pandemic and about the societal unrest.

And people have more tools than ever to be able to make it look real. So when someone says to you, they, what should your response be? Who is they? Who are they? Who are they? That's what I say to my mom. Who are they? Who are these people you're talking about? And how does it fit with who you are and what your values are? It's so important to define them. Right. And that's the next thing I'll often say to my mom is why does this matter? How is this going to change my day or your day? How is this going to change the world? Like what,

why does this matter right now? And as we all often say, where you bring your attention determines how you feel. And, you know, I just hated the political divide and I've never seen it impact my patients as much during this last election on both sides that if you didn't believe as the other person, then you're not trustworthy. Then they would automatically diminish you. And oh, no, they would say, I can't be your friend anymore. Okay. Just, you know, it's like, yes, there'll be a special place in hell for you. Yes. It's like, how many times I've heard that from from people on both sides. So I don't be a special place in hell for if you don't blah, blah, blah. It's like, many times I've heard that from, from people on both sides. It's like, there'll be a special place in hell for if you don't blah, blah, blah.

It's like, okay, well. And we purposefully try to be apolitical because we want to help everybody. No, that doesn't mean we don't have our own beliefs, but we really try to not get caught up in the extremes and all the vitriol and the, you know, just the intensity of the craziness that goes on with the fringe. Well, and they actually found fringe on the left and fringe on the right have the same brain. It's rigid and it's not flexible. And it's sadder, interestingly enough. I have a new study coming out. I haven't even told you about it, interestingly enough. I have a new study coming out. I haven't even told you about it

on happiness. So we gave 344 people the Oxford happiness questionnaire and we have their scans and we've analyzed their scans. Don't you think though, being in quarantine for the better part of the year made it worse? I think isolation for some people, not everybody, makes them dramatically worse. You don't think it gave people too much time to think? For some people. So the introverts love the isolation because other people stress them out.

Right, I tend to be like that. It drains them. I loved being at home. Right, me too. With you. I mean, we had that. Drains them. Yeah. I loved being at home. Right, me too. With you. Yeah. I mean, we had more time with the children. I mean, I get a little bored now and then want to get out.

Right. But overall. I mean, I think for people whose businesses were damaged or whose jobs were damaged, the isolation was terrible. So I don't like being told I have to be home. You don't like being told anything. Let's just be honest. I don't like being told I have to be home. I just like being told anything. I don't like, I don't like the shutdown. I don't like being told I feel, but I like being home. You don't like it when anybody tells you anything. No, I'm likely to not be very cooperative. You have the no, no, no, which we're going to talk about coming up. So taming them and other dragons,

the society dragon is a big deal. What do you believe? And when someone says they, the question is, who are they? And do you respect them? Do you look up to them? Do you want to be like them? And if you don't know the faceless dragons.

And I would take it a step further and say, what is the source? Like not just who are they, where are they getting this information? Did you learn anything? Write it down. Post it on any of your social media sites. We're always so grateful. Help us grow the Brain Warriors Way podcast. Go to Brain Warriors Way podcast,

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