Altered States
Altered StatesMost americans are not alcoholics. Most of us do not smoke marijuana to get high. LSD trips went out of style along with the flower children of the sixties. Nevertheless, many Americans are walking and driving around with their minds slightly out of kilter. In its attempt to cope with the modern life, the human mind seems to have evolved some defense strategies. Confronted with inventions like the automobile, the television, and the shopping center, for example the mind will slip--al by itself--into an altered state.
First of all, the mind must now cope with the automobile. In the past no human being ever sat for hours at a time, the the same position, staring at endless white lines and matched pairs of small red tail lights. In order to deal with this unnatural situation, the mind goes on automatic pilot. A primative, less-developed region of the brain takes over the actual driving. It tells the foot when to apply pressure to the brake and gad pedal and directs the eyes to stay open. Meanwhile the rest of the brain continues with higher functions. It devises excuses for being late for work. It replays, better than any video system, yesterday's Cowboys game. Or it creates a pleasant imaginary world where its owner wins all arguments, tells hilarious jokes, and attracts the opposite sex like a magnet. By splitting into two halves, the mind deals with the boredom of driving.
The mind has defence not only against the auto but also against television. Since too much staring at flickering images of police officers, detectives, and talk-show hosts can be dangerous to human sanity, the mind...
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