Like many of you, I was appalled and shocked to learn of the bombings at the Boston Marathon this past week. It is often a grim testament to humanity that a few people will choose to create social mayhem and elevate our fears at events such as these. Despite the ensuing horror and death that sadly take place during terrorist attacks, whether it’s in Boston or Baghdad, what always endures is the human spirit. While it’s often easy to be overwhelmed with a sense of futility and hopelessness about humanity in the wake of such horror, I can tell you there is indeed hope for humanity! The day after the Boston tragedy, I was giving a talk for students at my university on healing strategies we can use to help us cope in times of trauma. The first thing I mentioned was that humans are by nature a species grounded in compassion, kindness, and empathy. This is the reason why I often say, “It’s inevitable that the best of humanity will always emerge in the face of human horror.” This is precisely what we witnessed in Boston where humanity’s greater good prevailed in a time of darkness.
Humans are not driven by violent, aggressive, and selfish behavior. If that were true, it wouldn’t account for why hordes of bystanders, risking their own life, at the scene of the Boston tragedy immediately rushed out to help their fellow humans in need of medical attention. How else can you account for racers after having finished running a grueling 26 mile marathon, overcame fatigue and ran an extra two miles to donate blood at local hospitals! Contrary to what we are led to believe from our news and media outlets, humans are a powerfully compassionate and empathetic species. This often-ignored notion actually has a biological basis. All the studies coming out of neuroscience in the past few years suggest that the human brain is basically wired for compassion, empathy, and altruism and not for aggression, hatred, and self-interest. It is this very fact of the human condition that causes us to remain hopeful and for our greater humanity to endure in times of despair, as was the case in Boston.
There have been two startling discoveries about the human brain made in the past decade with regard to human behavior and compassion that directly apply in our capacity to cope with tragedy. The first is a term known as the empathic response, an evolutionary survival mechanism built into the human brain, which likely enabled humans to cooperate and survive in a harsh and hostile world. The other groundbreaking discovery is that the human brain possesses mirror neurons, which accounts for the reason why many of us will always rush to the aid of someone in danger or rejoice in hearing the wonderful news of others.
In essence, our brains are biologically wired to empathize and respond to both the suffering and joy of our fellow humans. For example, when you see a complete stranger fall down and cry out in pain, the same part of your brain fires as if you’re the one who fell and is in pain! Similarly, if you see a person laughing, the same part of your brain responsible for laughter lights up. Our brains mirror the experiences and feelings of others. In fact, it’s not just humans that possess this amazing ability. According to recent studies in neuroscience, the only other animals that have mirror neurons are our primate cousins, elephants, dolphins, and dogs! Additionally, it’s our empathic response, deeply seated in our biology, which accounts for the human capacity to feel compassion and makes us intrinsically averse to see others suffer or to inflict intentional harm to others.
You may be wondering, if all human brains have an empathic response and mirror neurons, why do some people harm, terrorize, and inflict pain onto others? Scans into the brains of criminals, violent people, and psychopaths indicate their brains might have underdeveloped mirror neurons and a low empathic response than in the brains of healthy humans. The bottom line is that mirror neurons can be developed in the brain, meaning that compassion and empathy are human qualities that can be acquired and cultivated in all of us!
In the university courses I teach on neuroscience and religion, I always remind my students that no child is ever born to be a racist, no person is ever born to hate. Anger, hatred, homophobia, racism, greed, and self-interest are qualities the human brain acquires that are taught to us by our society, media, family, and environment. All the research in neuroscience begins to point to one inevitable conclusion. In the same way that children can be taught to be violent, hateful, vindictive, selfish, and cruel, we can also teach our children compassion, empathy, love, and kindness. In light of the tragedy in Boston or similar events that happen around the world, one thing is for sure, every conscious choice of compassion can far outweigh any random act of cruelty and violence.
In the face of despair and hopelessness, human compassion always appears to be the solution. In fact, further research into the brain suggests that compassion and empathy are the two most powerful of emotions that help us cope in times of tragedy. When you act out of kindness and compassion, a part of your brain known as the pre-frontal cortex becomes more active. According to current theories of the brain, this region is responsible for our compassion, empathy, and moral behavior. Furthermore, the brain produces the chemical, oxytocin, whose levels directly correlate to one’s capacity to extend compassion and empathy. When scientists administered greater levels of oxytocin to human test subjects, there was an increased level of feeling joy, love, trust, and generosity toward strangers. Perhaps the best news about oxytocin is that it has been shown to lower stress, anxiety, and panic; boost the immune system; and foster the feelings of human connection and tolerance to others. One of the most effective ways to increase levels of oxytocin in the human body is through touch and social bonding. Hugging your children, cuddling with your loved one, and playing with your pet are just some of the simple and easy ways to boost oxytocin levels and, in turn, heal the stress and anxiety that ensue from tragedy.
What all the research in neuroscience is suggesting is that the simplest and most effective way to cope with feelings of despair, panic, fear, and hopelessness in the face of tragedy is to practice compassion and kindness to others! It can be as easy as smiling at a stranger, saying an affirming word to a homeless person, or letting the car on the highway merge in front of you. These are all everyday simple and selfless acts you can do that eventually build compassion circuits in your brain. More importantly, they do the same for the other person who was the object of your actions. Ultimately, it all begins with you! Despite what you might believe, your every thought and action truly make a tremendous difference in the world. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world!”
To enjoy more videos, articles, and links on how we humans and our brains use compassion to cope with tragedy, check out the "COMPASSION & COPING WITH TRAGEDY" issue of the Dr. Jay Kumar newsletter. http://conta.cc/Zc6mx3
Dr. Jay Kumar
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