Dreamrail

Seven – Americans Are Encouraged to Work With Half Their Brain

What’s that mean? I’m not talking about the old axiom that we only use a small portion of our brains, and most of it goes to waste. That does add in somehow, and it makes my summation even scarier. I’m saying that tasks that used to take all of our attention to accomplish are now being done with us only applying half of our attention. We’re trying to do too many things at once, and it’s not because we’re doing things better; it’s quite the opposite.

The best example I can give is with our driving habits. Every day I see outrageous acts perpetrated on our highways and city streets. The worst thing is that the people don’t even appear to have realized what they’ve done. I have almost never used my horn. I bet I’ve owned cars that I never honked the horn in. Now, I find myself using it at least once a week, if nothing else, then just to wake somebody up.

Have you ever been driving someplace very familiar, say home from work? Now, you’ve gone this route a thousand times, and one day you’re distracted. You find yourself almost home, and realize you can’t remember the past two miles. It scares you a little bit; you sit upright, shake it off, and go on. It’s a funny feeling, but it does happen from time to time to all of us.

Now, you realize at some point that you can bring this memory lapse on. Simply reach over and play with the radio. Do a manual search to find just the right song for your daily commute. Hit the scan button. Not right. Hit it again. OK, have you done this and then you’re not sure that you stopped at that last light. Did you get into the correct lane?

You probably did, but you were only using half your concentration on driving. The radio, however, only requires you to listen. You don’t have to think about what you’re hearing; you don’t have to develop a response.

Imagine if that radio were a cell phone stuck to your ear.

I have recently honked my horn, because some lady was just chatting away and going merrily through a red light. She gave me dirty look, I’m sure she was wondering why I honked. She had no idea what she had done wrong.

Those are the easy ones. You see them running red lights, you see them going out of turn at stop signs, because they haven’t really concentrated on where they fit in the procession. You may give them an extra wide berth as they back out of a parking spot, cell phone held in one hand, wheel with the other, eyes rolled back in their head like a zombie. They back out and everybody around has to remember that part about defensive driving. It was all about this guy.

Well, lately I honk. In response, that guy gives me the finger.

The final subtle point, and the one that I fear relates to other aspects of modern American life is tougher to describe. But, I’ll try.

I see people, equally men and women. This isn’t about women drivers. It’s all drivers, it seems. These particular people have slowed or delayed reactions and movements. They are talking on the cell phone, smoking a cigarette, drinking coffee, and driving. I really think it only takes the first – back to talking on a cell phone while driving.

They turn into a parking lot, and they’re going very slow. It seems forever for them to get off the road. So far, this one doesn’t cause me to honk, but I’m getting there. They almost coast around their turn. I’m waiting for one to stop, and not realize it. These same people are the ones who don’t go when the light turns green. Now, that’s always happened. I’ve done it. I’m talking about people that are on their phones, and their eyes are pointed straight toward the light, it turns, they see it, it doesn’t register. Most of their mind is occupied with the conversation they are having. I do honk at this guy now.

Then, you’re going down the highway portion of the commute. It’s a four lane highway, two going each way. That provides a right lane for those that want to take their time, and a left lane for people more like me. I want to get home before dark.

I pull up behind the guy in the left lane, who is driving along-side the car in the right lane at exactly the same speed. He doesn’t want to pass. Seems like he might try the right lane. He doesn’t notice me. He’s on his phone. I get on his bumper. He speeds up a little. He gets past the car in the right lane, and stays in the left anyway. He’s still on his phone and he’s forgotten about me. I pull into the right lane and pass him, giving him a dirty look as I go by. He has no idea why.

Then there are the people who stay in the left lane because they have to turn left eventually. You know them. That left turn may not be for ten miles, but there is no chance that they’ll drive in the right lane and go through a risky lane change. You know why? I’ll tell you. They have never applied enough of their attention to driving to learn how to use their mirrors, or look back and make a lane change without it being risky. We probably are better off with them not doing it. They don’t know how. They have been allowed to get away without concentrating on driving.

Ok, those are driving examples, but I think it applies to many things today. I think people are working this way. Think about jobs around you that require high detail, and things being done with high accuracy. Is it still happening? Are people remembering to return calls, answer emails? Do you get a response when you ask, ‘did you get my message?’ that looks like they’re not really sure?

Concentration is an art, and we’re not practicing it today like we used to. Start honking your horn.

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# posted by Mike Ripley @ 11:15 PM