Chasing Change in the 21st Century - Exploring the Human Mind

"The chief function of the body is the carry the brain around." - Thomas Edison

The culmination of the structure, the networks, the components, along with the evolutionary adaptations of the human mind over time have allowed mankind to advance their thinking & to curate the social construct that constantly evolves with the innate gift we have all been given - the power of the mind. Not only have these structures, networks & the extent to which they have evolved & developed distinguished us from all other forms of life on earth, but they have forged the notion of the past through itself, giving way for concepts & ideals… better use & understanding of our brain as time has progressed. However, with these distinguished features, society has grown & expanded in all sorts of directions that are often now hard to navigate as an individual. Political, historical, religious & even geographical constraints have each, through their prominence in our lives, created the thinking patterns & skill-sets that have defined each of our perceptions of well-rounded success in the 21st Century differently. In this article, however, I plan on extracting how the different contexts under which we live can coincide with those of others, allowing for a clear, defined & certainly a well-rounded sense of stability & success going forth into the 21st Century. 

Thinking Patterns & Ideas of Success Differ with Context

The 21st Century & the thinking patterns that are associated with it, can be traced to the structures that pose the need for this new & refreshed way of thinking & acting. For this reason, I will be identifying some of these “structures” & the way they have shaped perception & thinking patterns.

Cultural Practices

Harris & Moran argue that culture gives people a sense of stability & understanding of their identity. It dictates who they are, how they behave, & what they should be doing (Harris & Moran, 1996). It would be safe to deduce that cultural practices heavily dictate how one perceives success in their respective environments & therefore the thinking processes that they apply to achieve success in the 21st Century. If we were to view the idea of success in a Western context, we would find that success revolves around the notion of material wealth, social status, in addition to expressing one's identity, realising one's ability & developing the traits that lead to financial stability & social wealth. This would mean that in order to come across & be successful in the Western context, the thinking needed by any one individual would be the ability to collaborate & communicate well. The ability to network with others, to be adaptable, observant, while gaining the ability to think holistically & in a "universal", "broader" sense, are some of the ways that those living under Western influences would attempt to think.

Let's now take a look at how Eastern practices would influence one's thought processes towards success. In Eastern practices, the notion of collectivism is highlighted here. Excellence in & towards particular societies therefore highly determines one's perception of success. In Eastern contexts, this is often considered to be excellence in aspects that can often be gauged at a glance; at a glance of a resume or report card. This, in contrast to Western practices, highlights the importance of technical & applicable skills in the workforce towards success, also bringing to light the sense of critical thinking & creativity that would need to be applied to achieve this perception of success.

African cultures & practices have another idea of success in mind. Success is often seen as one's approach towards situations when encountered, where success is often measured socially, materialistically, educationally & religiously. This ties in to helping the needy, raising children & providing well for them. Also included, are marrying, maintaining wide & friendly relationships, owning basic needs & personal assets, claiming financial independence, all tied to working a stable & secure job whilst following the will of their respective religions. The idea of constant improvement & mobility with a community's best interest at heart highlights the thinking processes of social awareness, empathy, critical thinking, collaboration, communication & even constructive mindfulness.

Religious Beliefs

Religion clearly guides each of their followers towards achieving success as seen in each respective religions' eyes. For many religions, this would be valuing in fulfilling a high-order's will, & using one's innate abilities to contribute towards a communal cause. In other religions, this would be the pursuit of balance, moderation, gratitude, humanity, mindfulness & wisdom. Understanding this, a sense of critical thinking, of the ability to adapt & observe, uplifting others & viewing knowledge holistically & "broadly" is what would most help in achieving these ideas of success throughout religions.

Political, Historical & Economic Influences Determine Ideas of Success

It can be argued that ongoing political activity that directly influences one's life can influence one's perception of success under political circumstances. For example, in authoritative societies, success could be defined as loyalty to a governing body, or even survival. On the other hand, democratic societies could view success as accepting & expressing identity, or by achieving upward mobility within a social or financial class, as this, in a democratic setting, is possible.

Historical influences can drastically shape one's perception of success. In some areas of the world, history aligns with culture & therefore promotes a unified sense of success. However, where nations or areas may have been corroded by past events, success could appear in the form of overcoming these difficulties as a result of these past events. For example, with reference to the Rwandan Genocide, achieving success in present day Rwanda could lie in building accepting communities, overcoming systemic barriers & living in a righteous, non-biased manner. It is important to note, that historical events, like colonisation could result in a "blended" idea of success, where western beliefs merge with local & cultural ones.

Global relations & the roles of particular nations towards the global economy could also influence one's idea of success. For example, China is a leading figure in producing "Green Technology," sustainable & eco-friendly futuristic technology. On the other hand, China has recently sent ripples throughout the world of artificial intelligence with their new model, DeepSeek. Success could come in the form of aiding the economy, living sustainably & even transforming AI in the Chinese context. Success could also be found in the form of pursuing a career that is sustainable & resistant to being taken over by artificial intelligence.

A World Dominated by the West

With all of this in mind, it is important to consider the way in which many function are influenced by western practices & influences. From western colonisation, the industrial revolution, to the media that we consume, modern consumerism, supply & demand & even the music we listen to, we can see that western practices, beliefs & influences have infiltrated into most aspects of one's life, suggesting that common ideas of success can be traced to one's input & contribution towards "western systems", within the own context of their lives, much like the example given in the Chinese context in the paragraph before.

Thinking Patterns & Skillsets For Rounded Success

Having taken all the different influences of success into account, it was suggested that 21st Century skills range from divergent thinking, to social & civic competences (Chalkiadaki, 2018, p.5). Furthermore, these skills can be further categorised into four main groups:

critical thinking, collaboration, communication & creativity.

The Brain & the 21st Century

With particular emphasis on the frontoparietal network of the prefrontal cortex, the brain is further adapted to facilitate communication at Broca's & Wernicke's areas respectively in the frontal & temporal lobes. It was found that the tempo-parietal junction was particularly effective in understanding others' beliefs, intentions, thoughts & differing perspectives, allowing for effective social interactions & collaboration. On the other hand, creativity was linked to the collective interaction between the Default Mode Network, Executive Control Network & white matter, which can all be traced & found within the frontal lobe. From this finding, it can be deduced that in order to create, to collaborate, understand & adapt in the 21st Century, significant critical thinking skills are needed. The ability to think, process & act critically on stimuli from other parts of the brain as stated above, is bound to the extent to which the frontal lobe can facilitate its functions & other information from the brain. With that being said, it is important to note that gray matter facilitates information to be processed in the frontoparietal network, whilst white matter rapidly incorporates information from other parts of the brain.

A simple depiction of the relevant regions of the brain for this article.

Nature & Nurture

While it may seem impossible to increase the gray matter in the frontal lobe, or change the structure & functioning of the brain with higher-order, complex thinking required for the 21st Century, it is argued that genetics do not overpower your environment, nor does your environment overpower your genetics. Instead, it is proposed that genetics work hand-in-hand with the environment & vice versa to determine & develop cognitive abilities. It is suggested that genes & inherited traits can even be muted or even disregarded of with the influence of one's environment, where the environment can also give way to undermined traits, which can lead to even greater growth & discovery. This gives way to a crucial point in this article, that while we may not be able to change our genetics, we can most certainly aim at preserving neural pathways & inherited traits, that with the interaction of one's environment, we can most certainly change the structure of our brains through cumulative actions & ways of thinking through experience. In the remainder of this article, I will be discussing medicinal, lifestyle & other holistic ways to preserve gray & white matter, therefore preserving synapses & current neural pathways. In addition, I will be discussing ways in which one can enhance the performance & development of gray & white matter, particularly in the frontoparietal cortex, to further form the appropriate pathways needed to showcase competency & prowess in the 21st Century.

Probably the most potent & effective example of environmental impact on genetics is the development of depression. With the recurring thought patterns of depression, white matter integrity becomes unstable, neurotransmitter systems are affected, causing the hippocampus to become susceptible to the lack of dopamine & serotonin it receives. This further reduces gray matter, "overly-prunes" synaptic & neural pathways, leading to significantly less varying activity in the brain, as shown above. Retrieved at the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education & Research

Chasing Change in the 21st Century

Typically, it has been noted that younger members of the population are more susceptible to change, learning & therefore cognitive development. Synaptic pruning isn't as drastic as later on in one's life, & it is therefore crucial to "shape" your mind as soon as possible.

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now."

Current medicinal approaches to increasing gray & white matter volumes in the brain are still being explored, with viable methods presenting themselves to patients with psychiatric disorders, such as Major Depressive Disorder & Bipolar Disorder. However, Omega-3 fatty acids have shown some promise in keeping the brain performing optimally. Omega-3 has been found to increase brain blood flow, reducing oxidative stress & regulating proteins in the brain to prevent neurons from dying, supporting healthy amounts of gray & white matter in the brain. Furthermore, aerobic exercise provides neurons with increased blood flow & therefore increased amounts of oxygen & energy to sustain themselves. Getting enough sleep & reducing cortisol levels will also prevent neurons from being destroyed, maintaining the integrity of the gray & white matter. Lastly, do what makes you happy. Do something that pushes you, that excites you & feeds your soul. As shown above, the effect of your environment can cause depression & other problems if unchecked, leading to poorer brain health.

The easiest way to elevate brain performance, particularly in the 21st Century, is to simply keep certain neural pathways from being erased via synaptic pruning. If you monitor your environment carefully, assessing for recurring events where critical thinking, collaboration, creativity & communication is required, you can constantly expose yourself to diverse problems, people, situations & environments, which can promote new & innovative ways of thinking with a multi-faceted "perspective". Moreover, if you can manage to constantly assess for desirable qualities in the environment you find yourself in, using observation, past & present experiences to not "narrow down" your thinking, but rather to broaden it, constantly seeking understanding, if not from yourself, from others & resources, you will certainly be able to shine in the rowdiness of the 21st Century.

The brain is magnificent & evolutionary. In a time that demands so much, it is time to truly tap into & understand the magic of it. It is time to allow ourselves to shine & push society, including ourselves forward into a new era of development & innovation. We can do this by living holistically, by feeding the soul, mind & physical body well, whilst constantly seeking out contrasting environments & experience to broaden & develop countless neural pathways. Your future & the brain does not just have to rely on genetics anymore. With the experience you gain & the way you manipulate it & your reaction to it, you can truly unlock the potential of your mind for the 21st Century.

"Our brains are plastic, and we have the ability to change and shape them throughout our entire lives." - Andrew Huberman

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