BY LEULSEGED WORKU
Wondimu Negash is an engineer by profession. He is also a writer of several books in the area of brain related issues. For the last ten years, Engineer Wondimu has conducted research on the area of mental related problems and helping individuals with such problems. Currently, using Brain Sciences for peace, Wondimu is actively engaged in helping people with mental health problems at individual levels as well as at national level.
According to him, all the crises we are creating in our life resulted from the internal thoughts we have for that particular issue. He said, the current political crisis and conflict is a good indication of this. The more we use the irrational mind, the more we create mess in our life and even to our country. The more positive thoughts we have, the more we will develop a positive lifestyle.
An English Psychiatrist Professor Steve Peters has classified human mind into three models. The Chimp paradox which explains human beings are monitored by three minds (Chimp Mind, Human Mind and Computer Mind). In his book, Professor Steve Peters indicated that the three minds seem to be working together but there is several times where they fight with each other to gain control.
According to him, the Human mind is the rational type of mind that is not guided by emotion. It prefers to lead life with reason and logic. The Computer mind that records information starting from childhood supplies information to the Human Mind and the Chimp Mind.
The Chimp Brain is more of an aggressive and primitive animal brain. It is a very powerful emotional engine. We are born with it and its main focus is survival. Nothing else. In order to get what it needs, it would do almost every primitive animalistic behavior. Survival is at the top of its list. Using this primitive character, the Chimp brain jump into conclusions and thinks in black and white, being paranoid and irrational.
According to Professor Steve, the Chimp brain is an emotional being. It thinks for itself and makes its own decision without the need of rational judgment. The Human brain on the other hand has the objective of fulfillment of self-agenda. It enables us to become the person we want to be.
According to Eng. Wondimu, behind every conflict we are experiencing now, there is the irrational brain and false theories that fills our irrational mind. The failure to manage that part of mind will create conflict among us. What is more, the problem associated with conflict is not only limited in times of war. It has a lasting effect on the minds of individuals even in the aftermath of the war.
He said that post war trauma is the other area that needs a coordinated effort of every citizen. In this regard, the psychologists, living in Ethiopia as well as abroad, have a responsibility to help and support individuals with post war traumas.
Post war trauma is a serious problem in countries where their people witnessed the dark side of the conflict and affected by it. Those people who are victims of war or natural disasters will experience traumas. In order to cope up with this problem psychiatrists use several mechanisms. Mediation is one best solution which is advisable to them.
According to him, the issue is not as simple as it seems. It needs coordinated effort from every sector. The media, in this regard, has a key role in shaping the society. What is more, organizing institutions and supporting individual victims of the problem will alleviate the burden.
He also said, as part of the Great Ethiopian Homecoming Challenge designed to draw one Million Diasporas to Ethiopia, the Diasporas have a role in providing financial and professional support.
Controlling the emotional brain–Chimp Mind-is one step towards creating a stable and peaceful society. The more people control that brain, the more they act rational. He said the emotional mind has dominated most African people. That has resulted in conflict and chaos in the continent.
Using this as an opportunity, the West is benefiting from Africa`s conflict. Infrastructural development is good for any society, but it must be supplemented by the internal “Infrastructure” that has a sustainable peace to the society. We must invest in our mind. Even if a given society has an advanced technology but fails to control its emotion, it would be a waste of resources.
He said, we humankind have launched satellites, using the best technologies and we have invented several technologies. But, we still are fighting based on ethnicity.
We, Ethiopians, also have similar experiences. We are able to use several technologies that developed countries are using. However, we are fighting based on ethnicity. The problem associated with “We” and “They” theory has negatively affected our peace. Failure to manage our emotional part of the brain has directly or indirectly affected our peace. Failure to use properly the irrational part of our brain has its role in this regard.
Eng. Wondimu said, politicians and activists are best in using that emotional part of the brain for their own advantages. They deliberately use the irrational brain to stir peace and create ethnic or race walls among people. This enables them to maintain their
power and achieve their goal. It is through this irrational thinking Adolph Hitler manifested animalistic behavior. The same is true of the recent experiences of former American President Trump. In this regard, we need to be cautious when we apply the irrational brain or when there is a pressure from politicians to create differences among us.
The Ethiopian Herald December 26/2021
