August 2, 2011

• Identity

  "We are who we pretend to be, so we must be careful who we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegut

  Mirror Neurons - New York Times

  Mirror Neurons - Wikipedia

  Monkeys/Mirror Neurons, social behaviour - Science

  Perhaps one of the most powerful learning tools that we have is mimicry.  Babies learn behaviour on contact with their parents, learning by absorbing behaviours and actions.  The cognition of the mimicry isn't a logical/conscious one, but rather quite innate and reflexive.  Mirror cells, I think, underlie much of the epiphenomenon of learning by modeling.  It's also part of the role of meditating and imagining success, thus practicing physical activities through "visualization" may also reflect this tendency/ability/aptitude.

  So, it's not surprising that many have concluded, having observed this effect in themselves and in others, that examples are so critical.  Model good behaviour, and people have a template to follow. 

  Vonnegut writes well, and imagines even better.  I think his quote is insightful in that the whole act of mimicry/pretend can be hazardous if what we pretend to be - or aspire to be - is flawed.  It's not so difficult to like certain aspects of a media star or a fictitious character... but emulating the parts that make them attractive may be only partially feasible... a personality is a melange and milieu of currents and countercurrents of learning, genetics and affectation.  Picking up unwanted bits may come part and parcel to admiration.

  In a sense, our imaginary selves are what we aspire to be...  whose image do I want to bear?

  As a Christian, that model is Christ, and the model to which I aspire.

   

   

  • 2:44 pm
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