Free mind - vs - Caged mind

The unprecedented evolution of human species in contrast to other animals on the planet for over a million years, can be credited to our intense, complex and advanced cognitive capability. If there was no free mind, humans wouldn't be on top of the food chain, as we are for many centuries.

I strongly believe and there's plenty of empirical evidence that suggests that the most superior thinking species is steadily regressing and degenerating. Most of the evolutionary progress in humans was on the cognitive front. Cognitive capability of humans grew in quantum leaps, while emotional and physical capabilities dwindled as humans evolved to the current version. There's plenty of scientific data to support the above observation that humans have degenerated physically and emotionally but hugely progressed on the cognitive front throughout the evolution.

The evolution of the mind played a critical role in shaping our human destiny so far.

Free-mind and the unsurpassed cognitive strength has overridden even the most physically strong animals on this planet. However, the last three decades are showcasing socio-psychological indicators that are pointing at dangerous decline in human cognitive capabilities, across spectrum.

The study and conclusions of regressive human evolution is a vast area and requires volumes of thesis to prove. However, I am highlighting only a few social indicators, which are at work.

It is important for me to define a 'Free-mind' and 'Caged-mind' before I move any further.

FREE-MIND

The socio-psychological competence is to freely use one's multiple senses to actively receive, process, learn and apply. It is to proactively generate specific information through multiple sources and transform it into highly applicable knowledge, to accomplish valuable objectives.

In short, it is about being open-minded, actively listening, curious, constantly learning, experimental, innovative, result-oriented, patient, tolerant and solution-centric.

CAGED-MIND

The socio-psychological incompetence is to freely use one's multiple senses to actively receive, process, learn and apply. It is to be inactive, lethargic and resistant to generate any specific information through any source and transform it into necessary knowledge, to accomplish any valuable objectives.

In short, it is about being close-minded, presumptive, prejudiced, intolerant, impatient, non-receptive, argumentative, suspicious, incoherent, incongruent, staling and unworthy of accomplishing any valuable objectives.

CONCLUSION

It is beyond any doubt that all human progress can be credited to the 'Free-Mind.' All discoveries, inventions, innovations and ideas that human enterprise pursued and accomplished were only possible through the biggest human differentiator – the 'Free-Mind.'

It is almost scary to envision in retrospect, what would be the human condition, if human species did not possess and apply 'Free-mind'!

Other animals on this planet haven't cognitively evolved even a fraction in comparison to Humans. If they were to evolve parallelly, we could have faced many inter-species wars. Their lack of cognitive evolutionary progress points towards their natural orientation of a 'Caged-Mind.' Most animals on this planet are caged cognitively.

Let me highlight 3 key global social trends, which calls for our immediate attention towards dwindling 'Free-mind' in humans. If we don't intervene, we can regress cognitively.

DEATH OF OPEN-MIND

It is extremely visible in societies across the world in general, and India in specific, that generation after generation is losing the breadth of open-mindedness.

A free-mind operates to its optimum only when it is open. It receives inputs, information with unbridled inflow and enthusiasm.

We are a land of discoverers and innovators centuries ago. However, when is the last time India has invented something of global value? When's the last time we have created a global impact with our innovation in science and technology? When's the last time, India has designed, nurtured and established a global commercial brand in any major sector? What products we manufacture in India that has massive global demand?

Dwindling open-mindedness is the core reason for our shrinking cognitive capability to compete with the best. Our education is partly responsible, while there are many socio-psychological factors which need to be corrected, to regain our past glory and superiority of mind.

EXTINCTION OF LISTENING

Auditory sense is central to all our learning. The post-natal human developmental stages in a child's growth phase through 1 to 18 years of age are highly influenced by one's listening competence.

Anyone can do a small social experiment in their family, school, college or neighborhood to easily conclude how low we will score in 'listening competence.' No one is listening to anyone, anymore.

Imagine the disastrous outcomes of not listening in all walks of one's life. Parenting, teaching, learning, spousal, business, social and all other emotional conflicts are rooted in 'not listening' effectively.

Normalizing this brazen incompetence by blaming it on a generational trend is an unforgivable criminal act of promoting this socio-psychological pandemic.

'Active-listening' is the only way one can nourish and possess a free-mind. All human progress either individually or in groups is possible only through the discipline of 'active-listening.'

IRRATIONAL SENSATIONALISM

Social media trends are systematically destroying the free-mind by driving and promoting extreme views from social, economic and political spectrum. Moderation, reason, reception and intellect is ignored, chided and downgraded.

Irrational sensationalism is the order of the day. One has to be on either side of the extreme to be heard, liked, followed and shared by many.

Millions of screen scratching activists feel that they have transformed the world for good with their angry rants and outlandish junk, every day.

In the relentless quest for identity, recognition and popularity, millions of young people are falling into a bottomless pit, a new psychological disorder called 'social media validity syndrome.'

'Caged-mind' is the eventual outcome of individuals seeking identity, recognition and popularity by conforming to social media trends. The beliefs they forcefully propagate are mostly not their own.

The compulsive conformity to an extreme or a popular view is destroying all possibility of developing a free-mind. The intellect is OUT, and the irrational sensationalism is IN.

If moronic statements like 'all of us are fools,' 'nobody cares,' 'leadership is hypocrisy,' 'I am all sexes, put together,' 'Intelligence is woke,' 'nerds are losers' and many other such deviant statements draw claps, whistles, likes and shares in real and virtual life in the world we live in today.

What kind of a society are we building? Free or caged? How can human progress be possible, with gutter level of irrational sensationalism, being mainstreamed?

There are many other factors at play for the last few decades, which are steadily and systematically diminishing the free-mind of human enterprise.

It is extremely essential to be vigilant and make course correction before the human species falls into social chaos, intellectual bankruptcy and full-blown cognitive incapability.

(The author is a Harvard Business School certified Strategist and a Global expert in Emotional Intelligence)