There is a lot of furor
about the increasing number of crime against women in India which is
multiplying at a worryingly alarming rate. The rage sees no end, especially
when we have women being raped every day, in every city of the country, even
after the highly brutal Nirbhaya rape case and the new laws enforced after it.
She may be gone today, but has awakened the minds of others to help women and
change her plight in our country, a country where we worship women.
But, making that change is
not quite an easy thing to do. There are a lot of things which the authorities
and law enforcement agencies have to do for stopping and eradicating this worst
kind of atrocity which can be inflicted on a woman. While putting in place
proper mechanism for prevention of such a cowardly act is of utmost importance,
but at the same time it is equally important to try and understand why such
an act might be committed in the first place and what education and
awareness needs to be provided to avoid such an untoward and undesirable
occurrence.
For that, let us delve
into the brain of the rapist. Let us understand the scientific and
psychological aspect of the brain and how does the brain actually “fool” the
rapist into executing such a horrific act. Then let us appreciate some simple
measures which any man can take to train their brain in the right manner.
We may
talk a lot about psychological behavior and how it is a very important factor
in determining our success in every facet of life but do we really know how to
develop our “brain psychology” so that it works for our benefit and not
otherwise. I am not a doctor, scientist or psychologist by qualification but a
finance person by occupation and an author by choice. I do think that
understanding human brain psychology is of utmost importance in the finance
world as well as in any field – basically its most important for us humans to
succeed as social animals. Now, what is human psychology, for that we have to
understand our human brain and how it functions because finally we all our
controlled by our brains (conscious and subconscious minds). Dr. Paul MacLean,
a great neurologist and researcher, has brought the concept of “Triune Brain”
or the three layered brain.
The three
major layers or 'brains' were established successively in human evolution. Each
of the three brain layers represents a distinct evolutionary stratum that has
formed upon the older layer before it like an archaeological city. The oldest
layer is the reptilian (non-thinking) brain, the second oldest is the mammalian
(emotional) brain and the most recent is the cerebral (thinking) brain. Each of
the three brains is connected by nerves to the other two. Each brain operates
as its own brain system with distinct capacities for perceiving and responding
to the environment and each can become dominant depending on the circumstances.
The major problem with human psychology and irrational behavior is that the integration
and coordination between the three brains is inadequate, a genetic problem in
our species. This has implications for human development.
Reptilian
Brain or R-complex: The reptilian brain is the
oldest layer - the most 'primitive' of the three brain components and makes up
the entire brain mass in reptiles. The reptilian brain consists largely of
structures. Functions of the reptilian brain are related to physical
survival and body maintenance - digestion, reproduction, circulation,
breathing, stress responses, territorial instincts, social dominance, sexual
behavior, ritualism, social dominance, status maintenance, deception, tendency
to follow precedent, awe for authority, social pecking order behavior,
compulsiveness, deception, prejudice and resistance to change, rigid,
obsessive, compulsive, paranoid etc. The functioning of the reptilian brain is
activated when the organism perceives threat and the needs for survival and
safety predominate. This part of the brain is active, even in deep sleep.
Kindly note, this is the only part of the brain which is NOT in human control –
lot of bad human behavior, wrong decisions and other psychological problems
happen because of the reptilian brain and a not proper functioning mammalian
brain.
Mammalian
Brain or limbic system: The second layer middle part of
the brain occupies the lower fifth of the human brain and developed with the
evolution of mammals. As a brain system, the mammalian brain consists of a
series of brain structures around the brainstem which contains the Reptilian
brain. The mammalian brain functions in primary seat of emotions of fear, joy,
rage, pleasure and pain, attention, and affective (emotion-charged) memories,
what gets your attention, unpredictability, feeding, fighting, fleeing and
memory.
Cerebral
cortex or neo-cortex or rational thinking brain: The
third layer which occupies five sixths of the brain is known the 'neocortex' or
the 'cerebral cortex'. The cerebral brain is the latest evolutionary
development of the brain. The cerebral brain is involved with most mental
activity, including spatial and mathematical thinking, meditating, dreaming,
remembering, processing and decoding of sensory information. The cerebral
brain is divided into left and right hemispheres -left and right brain. The left hemisphere
is linear, rational, and verbal and controls the right side of the body. The
right hemisphere is spatial, abstract, musical and artistic and controls
the left side of the body. For example, generally speaking, highly educated
people like doctors, lawyers, engineers, Chartered Accountants etc have highly
developed “left cerebral brain” while persons involving in creating professions
like actors, singers, painters, musicians, writers etc have more developed
“right cerebral brain”.
The
interaction of the three brain layers forms the biological basis for the
interaction of concepts, emotions and behaviors which make up the learning
process. The reader might think that the cerebral brain dominates the mammalian
and the reptilian brains. However, you will be surprised to learn that the
cerebral brain generally is the weakest of the three and that the mental
functions of the cerebral (thinking) brain can be hijacked by the functions of
the other two brain layers. This is the main reason why totally rational
individuals take totally irrational decisions under specific situations of
life. For example, the reptilian (non thinking) brain runs automatically and
not in our control (because it controls vital survival functions like
breathing, digestion, circulation, reproduction etc) and it is that part of the
brain which immediately starts functioning even without our knowledge. Suppose,
somebody gave you a complex mathematical problem, you will not have a direct
answer, you will have to activate your cerebral (thinking) brain to solve the
equation. On the other hand, the reptilian brain immediately gets activated
even before we realize – suppose you just see picture of say a burger or pizza,
your mouth might immediately water although your cerebral (thinking) brain
knows that there is no such burger or pizza but the reptilian brain had stored
the real burger or pizza picture in its memory which you might have eaten in
the past and associates the photo picture with it. Hence, although we may be
rational human beings and like to use our cerebral (thinking) brain but most of
the times are fooled by the automatic images of the reptilian brain which
“fools” the mammalian (emotional) brain to re-direct the power to it instead of
the cerebral “thinking” brain.
Sex is
one of the things which is controlled by the reptilian brain. God perhaps made
it that way because the continuation of our entire species depends on it. It is
only when two persons are bonded in a physical relationship that the next
generation comes into being. Hence, the physical attraction of sex has to be
very strong. If it were left to the thinking brain than a situation might have
arisen when many people would have opted out of having sex which would then
threaten the very existence of our species. Therefore, the Creator, in His own
wisdom, made sex a part of the very powerful reptilian brain so that it becomes
a very controlling force for any living creature to actually avoid it which
will than insure the very existence of any species.
Also,
there are certain very powerful indigenously manufactured chemicals which the
brain releases during “love making”. They are the pleasure, bonding, calming,
soothing chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, norepinephrine which the
brain releases during sex which makes a person feel happy, pleasurable, excited,
bonded, natural prosaic and makes the memory of that stored in their brain. When
sex is had between husband and wife these chemicals become the “loving four”
chemicals while when sex is had outside that i.e. adultery, porn, rape then
these same chemicals become the “dangerous four”. These are very powerful brain
chemicals and the reason behind most addictions including those related to
drugs, tobacco, porn etc.
Now, let us
understand the functioning of these brain layers, brain chemicals and perhaps the
biggest social menace – sexual abuse and rape. When a male / female observes an
attractive handsome / beautiful person of the opposite sex – the person
unconsciously would get some kind of immediate sexual attraction / arousal.
This is because the reptilian brain which stores the images and pictures and
not in our active control immediately flashes backs some kind of image /
picture of any person of the opposite sex which the person under question might
have seen etc in the past and then he / she relates that picture to the person
whom he/ she is currently viewing which in turn leads to some kind of
excitement / arousal / interest in the person and upto here is natural,
unconscious and uncontrollable. From now onwards what happens within the 3
brains is most important. The picture from the reptilian brain then goes to the
mammalian brain which is the emotional brain which then attaches the joy of
what it had or can experience with the person of the opposite sex in the past
and at the same time it also experiences the fear of doing something wrong etc.
The cerebral (thinking) brain is all the while saying that it should just keep
quite and not proceed any further because it is wrong – however the cerebral
brain is the weakest of the three unless the other two brains have relinquished
their power in its favour. Now, in the majority of us, the mammalian
(emotional) brain will not heed to the reptilian brain and give the power to
the cerebral (thinking) brain and hence the person will sit quietly. However,
in few persons, the mammalian brain will give the power to the reptilian brain
which in turn will lead the person to do some wrong act like rape although his
cerebral brain had been all the while stating that it is wrong. Further, in a
normal person the thinking is in a wide perspective but when he gets sexually
aroused then due to the release of those “natural drugs” like dopamine,
norepinephrine, testosterone, oxytocin and serotonin the thinking becomes
narrowly focused only on the sexual arousal to the exclusion of other thoughts
like social values, Government laws, family, work etc.
So, whatever
is the phase of life, the problem happens with over-active reptilian brain and
a weak mammalian brain. Hence, the key to succeed is to slowdown our reptilian
(non-thinking) brain, have a very strong mammalian (emotional) brain so that it
can re-direct the power to our cerebral (thinking) brain.
These are
some useful tips which will help a person slow down its mammalian brain and
redirect the power to the cerebral (thinking) brain:
- Learn to delay gratification: If
you want to buy a new dress or ornament or any other item don’t just rush
to buy it. Think over it, ponder over it for some time and then take a
rational decision. Also, every morning when we get up, with all the modern
technology and gadgets, its become an addiction that even before brushing
we rush to check our smart phones, tablets etc. Just avoid it. When you
get up, take some fresh air, admire nature, delay the impulses of checking
your emails and messages. These simple acts are actually powerful and will
go a long way in taming the Mammalian brain.
- Control your eating: In
the modern fast food age, eating has also become an addiction. Try to
control your food habits, particularly the intake of sugary and junk food.
This will help you in slowing down your emotional brain and making your
thinking brain stronger.
- Stop watching porn or any
unhealthy sexual behavior: Porn is known to be the drug of
the new generation. It is available almost freely, discretely, easily and
at any point of time. Porn creates a kind of illusion in the brain of the
viewer and releases the same brain chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin,
serotonin and norepinephrine which are released in a healthy sexual
relationship. Consumption of porn is related to altering the reward paths
of the brain. Sooner or later, a porn addict would like to “act out” what
they have been watching on screen. It’s not that all porn addicts are
rapists but all rapists are most probably addicted to porn.
- Practice Breathing: This
is one of the most important aspects which will help a person fight any
addiction – sex, drugs, alcohol, tobacco etc. The only natural act
performed by the reptilian brain which is in some human control is
“breathing”. Yes, breathing is a natural thing required for the survival
of any living organism. However, breathing is the only natural function
which is in some control of humans. Learn to practice breathing. Slightly
imagine the things which makes you addict in your mind (sex, alcohol,
tobacco etc) and then notice your pulse rate going up. Now, immediately
slowly breathe in for 10 seconds, hold your breath for 10 seconds and then
breathe out of 10 seconds. Repeat this for 10 times. Your pulse rate would
have come down. Now, imagine all the good things which will happen if you
leave your addiction like having a nice family, success in career or
studies, respect in society, spiritual progress etc. This exercise will
tame your reptilian brain and teach your emotional brain than whenever there
is any danger situation then it has to redirect the power to your cerebral
or thinking brain.
Men who
fail to win woman’s heart by love, try to forcefully damage her body by rape
but they miserably fail at that also as they are unable to touch her soul. Men
should want to win a woman’s heart by love and not her body by force. Let us
educate and teach men that women are to be loved and not raped.
Psychologists say that more often than not, rape is
less about the sex and more about power. Victims can be old grandmothers, small
children, even people who are physically ugly and not sexually attractive in
any way; they all can be rape victims. Even when an attractive person is raped,
it is still very much linked to power and ego- the rapist, who cannot be with
that person in a normal way, it trying to exert power and have what they want, glorifying
his ego - regardless of the victim's wishes. So, we must ask ourselves this
question: what is the perpetrator feeling powerless about, that they feel the
need to express it in such a violent and hurtful way? There may be many factors
in their life that make them feel powerless: lack of money, not being respected
in society/family, problems at work, not achieving dreams, and so on. That is
of course no excuse for their behaviour, but we should try and get to the root
of the problem and address it there to bring about real change. Just looking at
the symptoms will not relieve the society of any ill; it is the cause that must
be treated.
Very often, people who are angry are hurt somewhere
inside, and the anger is a way of crying out for love. Unfortunately, that very
anger pushes love away from them, and that is a lesson they have to learn in
this life. For example, a child who is constantly screaming and throwing
tantrums is usually just asking for love and attention. However, even a mother
who loves the child greatly, gets tired of incessant screaming. I read
something beautiful recently: A
wise doctor once said: "There is nothing that cannot be treated with care
and love". Someone asked: "What if it does not work?" The doctor
smiled and said, “increase the dose”.
There is a question we as society should ask
ourselves: what is causing so many people to be sexually perverted in our
society? I don't know if Indian society has the guts to face the truth today,
but one day, it will have to. The truth is that sex is a very strong drive. The
lack of joyful sex can literally drive a society mad. In men, the unhappiness
expresses itself as violence and abusive behaviour. In women, it gets expressed
as nagging, and often redirecting the suppressed energy on other things such as
shopping sprees, eating junk or sugar cravings or excessive attention towards
children. There are men and women who are terribly unhappy in life - emotionally,
mentally and sexually. Society is sick, and it needs to admit this before it
can undertake the journey to healing.
Let all
men realize the inner functioning of their brain and what makes them weak
during dangerous situations so that they can take rational positive decisions
and avoid causing substantial damage to the opposite person, to the society,
their families and also to their ownselves.
Live and
let live.
