Summary
Silence is a tool allowing us to contemplate our next action. Silence or stillness in the mind requires the cooperation of multiple neural networks. Human society has evolved to include cooperation, friendships, and love. Cooperation is necessary for us to survive as a species. Let’s use silence to prevent us from doing stupid things. Let’s not be silent faced with people who want to silence some of us.
Cultivating Silence for Future Altruistic Actions
Silence conveys a sense of being quiet as well as the idea of contemplating future actions. Altruism can be a part of those actions. Let’s explore how we can opt for cultivating silence for future altruistic actions.
Silence Defined
Silence is the absence of sound.
Silence is stillness in the mind.
In their article entitled “The brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility”, Vago and Zeidan explore neural networks and the intersection of multiple networks which are ‘cooperating’, if you will, leading to a stillness of mind or a sense of tranquility. The authors identify that the combination of mental training in mindfulness and the inherent tendency of our brains to engage in mind wandering (considered an activity of our default mode network which operates in the background) allow us to work towards stillness of mind.
Flynn (2018) concurs with Vago and Zeidan in the importance of an interaction between the mind at rest and a mind engaged in tasks, recommending that future research not focus on one or the other of these brain states in isolation and rather look at the brain in both states.
Silence requires a mind at rest and a mind engaged in activity. Cooperation in our brain.
Hope: Human Beings Are Good
Altruistic actions abound in our world. Not every action is altruistic. Not every action reveals the goodness of humanity. Not every action stems from a contemplative silence nourished by positive intentions.
Trust in our fellow human beings nurtures hope for our future as a species.
Consider the wise words of Martin Gray in interview with a Québec journalist on CBC Radio Canada conducted during 2016. Martin Gray talks about not losing hope and not taking his life, despite the multiple experiences which uprooted his life. Martin Gray says he never lost hope in humanity. “Le monde est violent, mais la vie est belle.“ The world is violent but life is beautiful. He speaks of having hope and fighting negativity.
Take a listen, if you understand French.
Martin Gray in an interview with Alain Crevier from the programme, Second regard, on the CBC Radio Canada, held in 2016.
Looking at the Evidence: Human Evolution and Human Goodness
In a Sense of Mind podcast episode from July 29, 2022, Andrew Cooper-Sansone interviewed Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH. The topic was The Evolutionary Origins of Society. Dr. Christakis is recognized for his work about the good in human society as opposed to the well-known negative behaviours of humans.
Dr. Christakis challenges us to consider that in order to live together, in order for society to be functional, we have to recognize each other; love of our partners and love of our children; we form friendships and social networks; we cooperate with each other, including with strangers; we prefer people who belong to our group, commonly known as in-group behaviours; we are egalitarian and we have hierarchies; and we participate in social learning.
I am going to highlight one of the afore-mentioned human species behaviours which I find problematic: in-group behaviours. In-group behaviours contribute to the trend of identity politics. It seems to me our inclination to espouse in-group behaviours is exactly the problem we are facing in the world. In my opinion, too many people identify strongly with their so-called in-group, creating socially constructed divisions in society.
Hello, fellow human beings. We all defecate the same way. We all eat the same way. We all make love the same way. And, we all die the same way.
So, let’s consider that in-group allegiance is a convenient way to feel “comfortable” with cultural traditions; cultural norms; and cultural beliefs. Great. Happy to hear that we can feel comfortable. But, that should never be at the expense of another group of people; that should never malign another group; and that should never exclude certain persons because they are not “pure strain, pure wool”.
If you are interested in hearing the complete interview Cooper-Sansone conducted with Dr. Christakis for its comprehensive review of how human society has evolved and that human society is actually a good society, check out the link below:
Then, be altruistic. Pick up the telephone or take a walk down the road and reach out to someone, a person who might already be your friend or who might become your friend. Reach out and befriend someone. Learn about your neighbours. Cocreate a world of friendship and love. Believe in the beauty of life. Remember Martin Gray: La vie est belle.
Silence for Future Altruistic Actions
Getting back to the subject title of this post. Silence is a tool to allow us to plan our future actions and behaviours.
Silence is a tool we can employ to bridge a chasm between “us” and “them”, the damned in-group tendencies we have. Consider silence as a means to allow us to cooperate with each other.
In early January 2025, I listened to a motivational presentation by Denzel Washington in which he recommended the use of silence to handle our interactions with certain people, to respond and not to react to certain people, that sometimes our response may be silence:
In the following presentation, Denzel Washington speaks of the power of silence for us to work towards goals, fostering our inner sense of self:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFUdw4Y2124
As a former supervisor used to say, I choose to walk away from an argument because I do not need to engage in every opportunity to argue. Words of wisdom.
Take-aways: Silence and Altruism
Yes, we can cooperate as a species in this world.
Let’s shed our false differences, by false I mean socially constructed differences.
Let’s work together towards peace.
Let’s stop those who envision this country as a theocracy with the goal to discriminate against those who are not like them. Take a listen to the January 12, 2025, broadcast on NPR about Christian Nationalism, in which in-group affiliation is being employed to treat “the other” as being devoid of rights.
Let’s demonstrate our interconnectedness by employing silence to reflect; to plan; and to grow neural connections.
Let’s employ silence as a means to stop the in-group actions which aim to separate members of our society, falsely in a socially constructed fashion which fuels hatred and meanness.
Let’s employ silence to learn about ourselves; about how to stand up for ourselves; about the ties which bind us to our fellow human beings; and about the opportunities offered by the silence.
In light of the catastrophes in this world of ours, including the fires in Los Angeles, California, cooperation and altruism are essential to the survival of all of us.
As always, music to inspire you, because art truly reflects life:
Pentatonix performing The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel:
Don’t let silence be the tool that silences our species. Let silence be the tool to bridge chasms; contemplate future actions; and ensure altruism and cooperation in our world. Let silence assist us in communicating with each other for a world of peace and hope and beauty.
La vie est belle, n’est-ce pas?
Selected References:
Cooper-Sansone, A. (July 29, 2022). Nicholas Christakis on The Evolutionary Origins of Society. Sense of Mind podcast. Accessed online on January 12, 2025, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZymrWBQ9nfE&list=PLC92ipyM9i9J9MsOwEvufOqQM9hN4Kiwp
Finn, E.S. (Dec 1, 2022). Is it time to put rest to rest? Trends Cogn. Sci., 25(12): 1021-1032. Accessed online on January 12, 2025, at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8585722/
National Public Radio (NPR). (January 12, 2025). Theocrats on the Doorstep of Power. Up First Podcast. Accessed online on January 12, 2025, at https://www.npr.org/2025/01/12/1224382120/extremely-american-christian-nationalism-moscow-idaho
Vago, D.R., Zeidan, F. (March 24, 2018). The brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility. Ann.N.Y.Acad.Sci., 1373(1): 96-113. Accessed online on January 12, 2025, at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5866730/
Disclaimer: This post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your mental health professional team.
If you are having thoughts to hurt yourself or someone else, call 9-8-8; call 9-1-1; or go to the nearest emergency room.
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