Why I believe the quality of my posts has improved.

by The Rebel 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  The Rebel

  " Thinking fast and slow" is a self help book by D Kahneman.

  According to my simplified understanding of the above self-help book we have 2 brains, which the author calls System 1 brain and system 2 brain.

  System 1 brain is the brain that make the decisions, that we do as routine.

  System 2 brain is the brain that uses conscious reasoning. I.e. thinking that requires conscious effort.

  Now the interesting thing is System1 brain is often making decisions System 2 brain isn't even aware are being made. This is because System 2 brain requires conscious reasoning, and thinking that requires effort. However the interesting point is that the distinction between System 1 and System 2 brains have practical implications.

  Having been made aware of this, I believe the quality of my posting has improved because I now usually try to post in System 2 brain mode, which requires conscious reasoning and appreciating the other posters comments, before replying.

  To clarify I think most of us enjoy and spend most of our life in System 1 brain, which is for example when we walk through the park and simply enjoy the walk. However if it was late at night and a noisy crowd were in front of us we would then allow System 2 brain to function and consider the risk factors of walking past the noisy crowd.

  The interesting point is that I had always thought I had only 1 fully functioning brain (a thought I appreciate many have disputed ) I think however being aware of System 2 brain and employing it more often has greatly improved my life. This O.P was written in system 2 brain that's a nice way to start the day.
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  Anders Andersen

  I never got around to reading that book, but it's on my radar :-)
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  The Rebel

  Anders Andersen, I am glad the book is on your radar. However whilst I am grateful for the author teaching me about, System 2 brain, the irony is System 2 brain (which is thinking that requires thought and reason ) taught me that like all self help-books the book itself contains a few paragraphs of beneficial self help, but the additional 400 pages were simply the author and publishing company filling pages to financially benifit themselves by selling a book. Ok If I am too be fair to the book, maybe I am now cynicle of all publishing companies, possibly because of my experience with the "Watchtower publishing company" and all those Watchtowers, Awakes, and stupid noncence books I read like " Revolution it's Grand Climax at Hand" etc, etc, etc, etc,
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  Tapioca

  Thanks for the post! For me, it was also a revelation that it was possible for me to force a little gear-changing and go a little deeper and wider. I would be interested in more examples of how this model has improved your life. Your posts have always had the quality of healthy introspection. Where else do you see a difference, other than in writing?
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  The Rebel

  Thanks for the kind words Tapioca

  Q) " I would be interested in more examples of how this model has improved your life?"

  A) Well one example is I consider the risk factor more frequently, before I make decisions. A simple illustration would be driving a car and using the mobile. System 1 brain thinks it's ok to drive the car and use the phone at the same time, whilst System 2 brain would consider the risk factor of driving whilst on the mobile. The point is many people make errors of judgement because they only think in System 1 brain. If we employ System 2 brain in our decision making we are less likely to make these errors of judgement.
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  DJS

  Great OP The Rebel. Our brains are no different than any other muscle. It won't improve, get stronger, more capable and resilient if we don't exercise it. I'm a rational by nature and Myers Briggs, but I work every day to be more analytical, rational and empirical and less reactionary, emotional and biased or set in my ways as people say.

  It's no different for me than working out and lifting heavy weights. You won't see the results if you don't work hard.

  You are an asset to the site. I aspire to be more congenial like you. Good luck with that.
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  little_Socrates

  Is all of this much different from the concept of "mindfulness"?
  
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  The Rebel

  little-socrates:-

  Q) Is all this different from the concept of " mindfulness" ?

  A) Possibly you have jumped to an initiative thought which is system 1 thinking.

  The book gives a good example of why we should take Kahnemans theory seriously:-

  Linda who is single, outspoken and very bright, and who as a student, was deeply concerned with the issues of discrimination and social injustice. So which is more probable: (1) Linda is a bank teller. Or (2) Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.

  85% of students in Stanfords Graduate School of Business, who had extensive training in probability flunked the Linda problem . The correct answer is (1) Linda is a bank teller, but the overwhelming responce was that answer ( 2) was more probable, which is of course a blatant violation of the laws of probability. This illustration shows how we value our opinion ( system 1 brain) over logic and conscious reasoning, ( System 2 brain)

  DJS " You are an asset to this site,. I aspire to be more congenial like you"

  Thanks DJS system 2 thinking at its best :-)