Nurture or Nature

A recent British study has found that there is definitive differences in the anatomical structure of the brain that accurately predict a person’s political orientation by how they manage fear. Liberals tend to have larger anterior cingulate cortexes - a region of the brain that monitors uncertainty and conflict and conservatives have larger amydalae which processes emotions related to fear. Researchers believe the physical differences reflect the nature of voters: that liberals tend to be more comfortable with uncertainty while conservatives are more sensitive to fear. By measuring the size of these centres of the brain, they are able to predict political orientation to a 70% accurately.

It is fascinating to learn that many of us are hardwired to base our decisions on fear as it does explain a lot of the inertia that resists any changes that may shift current paradigms. There is much less fear associated with maintaining the status quo as opposed to accepting new ideas or approaches that may facilitate change at a risk.

As long as maintaining our current lifestyle remains the highest priority of our society, we will continue to justify sacrificing the environment for the economy, we will be less tolerant of different cultures, we will advocate reaction over reflection and revenge over reconciliation.

Something that the British study could not ascertain - whether or not our decision making hardwiring was a result of nurture or nature. As a leader I choose nurture because no matter your political leanings, this is the crux of responsibility.

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” - Nathaniel Branden (b.1930)