Use It or Lose It

Jason K here. Sorry for the lapse in blogging… So much has been happening here we haven’t had a chance for even a little chat. Last Tuesday, senior economist and dyslexic Delos Smith stopped by the farm and gave the crew a chance to interview him. He spoke about his discovery of “plus-lexia” and his experiences as a child growing up with dyslexia. Delos discussed his time in school, jokingly saying, “I was never picked on because I was always the biggest and fastest kid in class.” He shared his wisdom on pluralities (different uses and functions of each side of the brain), and how the film industry exists as a left-brain environment in a right-brain world. This means having the ability to see and express the big-picture in a narrow-minded world, and I have definitely come to see that skill in Harvey and the other industry professionals we have worked with so far this summer.

His interview really made me think. How come there are so many medications, supplements, research, and attention to the physical body and not as much for the human mind? Why are their gyms to exercise one’s body, but no mental gyms to work out the mind? I do believe in the phrase “use it or lose it.” I believe it is appropriate in this context because while it is vital to exercise and keep a healthy body, what good is it to forget the key to how it all functions. I think Delos has stumbled onto a life-changing idea.

Perhaps the next stage in evolution lies not within the physical self, but rather in the mental self. There are so many areas of the human brain that have yet to be tapped or begun to be studied. Perhaps the key to unlocking one’s full strength and capacity does not hinge on what kind of workouts we do, how many times we go to the gym, or how much we they can lift, but rather how much of the brain we can use. Is it possible that such super-human traits such as strength, speed, the ability to fly, mind-reading, and transportation are indeed possible with the use of the entire brain? Maybe it’s science-fiction or maybe a future reality; however what is certain is the simple fact that the human brain is capable of so much more than what is already known. Perhaps the future of the human race depends on the mental self.