Causes of Polarization: The Rise of Left Brain Thinking

We have two overarching mental modes of operating in the world. One is driven by the right hemisphere of the brain, which sees the world holistically. It appreciates context, excels at pattern recognition, is creative, and is engaged more directly with reality and its particularities. Because the right-brain perceives interrelationships and tolerates ambiguity and contradiction, it can view situations from multiple viewpoints and is thus better able to resolve conflicts.

The second mode, driven by the left hemisphere of the brain, sees the world in fragments and focuses on categorizing reality into usable bits. It is highly focused in order to grab, use and control: a closed system that cannot see beyond itself. This left-brain focuses attention on particulars and looks for certainty. It is therefore far less able to deal with ambiguity, and operates through an ‘either-or’ way of thinking (i.e. polarized). Computer systems are extreme material extensions of the left hemisphere mode of cognition.

The two hemispheres evolved to work together. When they do so in a harmonious way with the right hemisphere appreciating context and directing the left, it produces more enlightened thought and behaviour. Given that the right hemisphere “sees” more, it is natural that it should lead. Disharmony occurs when the hemispheres become lopsided—especially when the left hemisphere dominates the right and rushes to manipulate and exploit situations in a grossly simplified and overly focused way.

Today, we live in a world in which left-brain thinking is the dominant mode. However, history shows that healthier, less polarized and more vibrant societies operate otherwise.

The rise of civilizations is marked by a primacy of right-brain intelligence using its creativity to directly engage with reality while using the left to strive to conquer and settle. By contrast the decline of civilizations, as we’re currently experiencing, is associated with the left mode predominating amongst its leaders and elites with their black-and-white certainties, fanatical linear thinking and obsession with manipulation and control. This is typified by overly ideological politics, the growth of blind bureaucracy and the disappearance of ‘common sense’—all oriented more towards internal strife rather than meeting a challenging world successfully.

Our increasing reliance upon, and addiction to, screen-based digital technologies also exacerbates these tendencies.

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Read our next post in the series: Causes of Polarization: Unmet Needs and High Emotional Arousal