NNS

Human beings are familiar with the idea of ‘I’, ‘me’, and ‘ego’. They also have a robust sense of ‘us’ and ‘them’. If my ‘I’ is not cut short it can be expected to last for about seventy years. ‘Us’ can be more or less lengthy depending on its size which can range from family through various levels of community and leading to the brotherhood of an enlightened man who acts, ideally, as the custodian of life on this planet.

In the grander scheme of things an individual human being doesn’t count for much but they can create stories that validate themselves in all manner of strange and hierarchical ways.

Human beings have mindbrains which are capable of seeing patterns and these have changed, often radically, in the last few millions of years. The stories are built on nature (genes), nurture (brainwashing) and serendipity (chance). It is not easy to figure how much of the three sources are involved in creating individual ‘realities’. However, recent  research suggests that blind chance is more potent than was earlier thought.

Ref:  New Scientist. Chance: The science and secrets of luck, randomness and probability (Kindle Locations 8-9). Hodder & Stoughton. Kindle Edition.