Founder & socially focused entrepreneur. Empower talent, banish bias & embrace humanness. Build unity, seek fresh thinking. AI, Neuroscience, Psychology & Consciousness for deep understanding of #HumanSkills #DeepLearn
Yes Lynne Franks OBE and in the currents of modern life, where the digital age has cast a wide net over the essence of human interaction, a notable shift in the collective psyche has emerged. This transformation, often characterized by an increasing tilt towards #narcissism, demands a closer examination, not through the lens of genetics, which has long been the focus of debates around human behavior, but through the nuanced and dynamic field of #epigenetics. Epigenetics, the study of how behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way genes work, offers a compelling framework to understand how our culture might be drifting further from the "felt presence of #experience." Our genetic makeup is like a vast, intricate library, filled with books that have been passed down through generations. These books, while fixed in their content, are not always read in the same way; the environment around us—the cultural air we breathe—acts as librarian, influencing which books are pulled from the shelves and how often they are opened. It's not the text itself that changes, but how it's read and interpreted based on external stimuli. And as we dive deeper into a world mediated by screens, where interactions are often filtered through layers of digital abstraction, the epigenetic effects on our behaviour become more pronounced. The constant bombardment of curated images and narratives on social media platforms feeds into a cycle of comparison and self-centeredness, fostering a culture where the value of an experience is often measured by its shareability and potential for validation rather than its intrinsic worth. This shift can be seen as an epigenetic response to our environment; our genes haven't changed, but the way they express themselves has nudged our behaviors towards more narcissistic tendencies. The digital echo chamber amplifies and rewards narcissistic traits, encouraging a detachment from the direct, unmediated experiences that foster genuine empathy and connection. The irony is stark: in an age of unprecedented connectivity, we find ourselves more isolated, caught in the reflection of our own curated personas, drifting away shared human experience. ‘We have a narcissism we can’t put down’. However, just as our environment and culture has led us towards narcissism, it can also steer us back towards empathy, connection, and experience. This requires a conscious effort to cultivate environments, both online & offline, that reward authenticity, vulnerability, and genuine engagement over superficiality and self-promotion. By recognizing the power of our environment to shape our behaviours and priorities, we have the opportunity to steer our collective ship back towards a culture that values the felt presence of experience over the superficial allure of narcissism. In doing so, we can rediscover the beauty of genuine human connection, grounded in the rich soil of shared experience and mutual empathy. #unity Yondur
I Raise Up Women, I am a Changemaker, Seed Sower, Alchemist, Medicine Woman, Story Teller, Space Weaver, Sky Dancer & Wisdom Keeper
This week I want to request that we stop this terrible divisiveness in all areas of society. We are all brothers and sisters and should treat each other with respect, love and peace. It is the only way forward.
I Raise Up Women, I am a Changemaker, Seed Sower, Alchemist, Medicine Woman, Story Teller, Space Weaver, Sky Dancer & Wisdom Keeper
7moHi Chris, your beautiful words fill me with hope. Your work sounds fascinating. Thank you for sharing, Lynne