The BrainHack of All BrainHacks
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Emotional evaluation latency in the VTA (area of the brain) is the key driver of intelligence, creativity, sensitivity, ADHD, ASD, HSP, Mania and their inverses such as depression, anxiety, apathy
Author’s note: This paper is already out of date. There is a more foundational driver of happiness and ties everything in this paper together. It is as foundational as it gets. Working on the new version. If you are interested, reach out, depending on the conversation, I would be happy to share the work in progress with you to get your feedback and opinion.
IQ and EQ rise as 1/f when fear approaches zero.
I’m working on a more formal version of this paper. The causal style I write in tends to turn off certain people. So I’ll write for them as well in my upcoming update to this, as some of what I’ve written has advanced a bit as I’ve confirmed my hunches with further conversations with other highly intelligent and highly artistic people.
First, let me define happiness as used in this paper. Happiness is a loaded term and doesn’t mean giddy. Or laughter. It means you are safe and accepted and being able to be your true self, 100%. You and the ones you love or have responsibility for are not lacking food or shelter — and you are not being physically controlled or assaulted by forces beyond your control. Some have suggested that I use the word peace. And perhaps it is a form of peace, but it is more than that. In addition, you can only accept as much as yourself as you know, but if you do not know yourself 100%, then your happiness will be limited. For the purposes of this paper, let us define happiness thusly:
happiness is a measure of your own self knowledge and self acceptance along with having others authentically know and accept you.
My claims:
1 IQ and EQ are fluid and highly correlated to a person’s happiness — safety, acceptance of self, acceptance and validation from others (EQ is emotional quotient, a conceptual term for how in touch with emotions are you?)
2 The VTA essentially issues judgments and valences to every sensory input and thought or learning (valence is a measure of strength. How strong is this emotion?) What is the VTA you ask?
3 Because of 2, emotional evaluations are conducted on every sense and thought we have (your VTA does this automatically)
4 Evaluation is not free. And has latency since work must be performed. (this is common sense. you can’t say if this then that without performing some thinking work)
5 This leads to the following algorithm:
Let fear = loss of acceptance or loss of safety — a diminished sense of self
While awake, do {
signals = receive inputs from afferent nerves (and any other input nerves that exist, I’m not the scientist)
Evaluate signals based on potential loss of acceptance (rejection) or safety:
shame — I fear that a thought or feeling will lose me acceptance or safety because I believe the feeling to be shameful
guilt — I caused someone else to fear and I later learned that it was wrong of me to do so; I did not know a the time.
doubt — I do not have the skill or ability to actually do what I would like to do and if I try I will lose acceptance or safety
anger — YOU caused me to fear and made me lose acceptance or safety
anxiety — I fear events beyond my control will cause me to lose acceptance or safety
Return emotions and strength (aka valence) }
Every negative self concept is contained in the 5 areas of fear. (And if they don’t fit in the 5, then we need to add them to the model.)
So for simplification, assume each of the 5 areas takes t time. Every input, sense or thought, now has a 5t latency. And let us assume the average person as 2.5 areas, for a time of 2.5t latency in every sensory input or thought. Assume in normal situations that the 2.5t latency allows a person to function normally. So every sensory input, thought, and action goes through this latency.
But let us consider when they try to function in an extraordinary way. A painting, a song, a performance, singing in front of the family, a child showing her mother her school drawing. At this moment, the person has created something and offered it up for evaluation. Every piece of art has emotion in it — the emotions of the artist — no matter how naive or matured. And when one’s creations are torn down and mocked and scorned — or even neglected, skimmed over — the person loses a bit of themselves and their fears go up. (Am I good enough?, If I can’t sing in front of my family how would I ever sing on stage?)
And when the person is validated. Oh…I like this drawing of cat you made…I love the color..what made you give it 7 legs? Oh? It’s four legs and a purse? OH. I see it now So good.
Now, that person will produce more. If the cycle keeps going, the person will improve and get better, automatically.
Why? Because when you make yourself vulnerable, you are hoping that the belief that you are ok, is actually true. And if someone validates you — your creation is good, I like it. I don’t judge you on what you just told me, I still like you — when that happens, your beliefs about yourself change slightly. For the positive. And future evaluations of the same feelings will produce just a bit more glutamate. The steady glutamate rise from validation, will eventually results in a super star.
And finally, given that the latency between thoughts goes, down, what happens when someone suddenly loses shame — perhaps through exposure, confession, or ending of denial — they immediately change. They get more confident. They operate at a higher level. I know, it happened to me. My IQ was already 145. It has gone up. How do I know? I know. Because I figure things out that I never figure out before. I speak differently. I have a dozen $100M ideas ready to go. I’ve never had business ideas before. Are they any good? You bet they are. They are as good as this theory.
Why? Because as the latency (or GABA supression) between thoughts goes down, you can have more thoughts. And that is what intelligence really is — more thoughts, more senses processed, more actions taken per second than someone else.
Someone wrote to me and said that more thoughts doesn’t mean genius. I disagree. Because this isn’t just faster thoughts. When you understand that your inputs get fasters as well, you’ll understand that not only do you have more thoughts, but you sense things better. That combination is what makes genius.
And since happiness drives IQ, it means that as you get happier your IQ goes up. If you get validation from someone else, it makes you feel better. Which makes you a little smarter.
How does this happen? Well, perhaps the actual mechanism is this. The VTA emits GABA for negative evaluations and glutamate for positive ones. GABA’s inhibitors impact processing speed. So it might not be cumulative delay, it could just be accumulation of GABA. And if GABA is too high, actions are delayed or stopped.
So perhaps a mix of latency and suppression. Or perhaps its just the balance of GABA vs glutamate. Negative and supression happens, positive and no supression happens. Dopamine is given. Here you go brain, be happy.
From this basic model, I have also developed thoughts around mental illness, especially ADHD, HSP, and ASD.
Given that the brain wants happiness and when it gets the dopamine and other happy cocktails it gets, it wants more, it stands to reason that a happier brain will have less patience for unhappy things. ADHD is just a prioritization issue of a person’s happiness and societies demand. ASD takes it to a higher extreme where the person may get locked into a happiness loop. Which explains why ADHD/ASD people have higher glutamate. Because the happier you are, the more glutamate you make. And if you accept yourself 100% and know your self 100%, your brain just kicks ass all around. Also, anyone who thinks autistic people don’t have empathy has not been paying attention.
I have further assertions around the components of happiness/acceptance: authenticity (acceptance and knowledge of my self), empathy (acceptance and knowledge of people I care for, caring for others), community (acceptance from one or more people who know you 100% and accept you 100%. Or as close as possible).
In addition, inhibitions are automatically built into the model. Explaining how drugs or hinder us. Raise GABA, raise glutamate, raise some other stuff? IDK. I’m not a scientist).
Sensory sensitivity is also covered because as GABA goes away, you feel the sensations with more valence. Perhaps when there aren’t as many criteria, the valence is higher because there’s more energy? ATP? Interesting thought. 2 weeks after coming out to myself as gay at age 56, I began feeling sound. I have audio-kinesthetic synesthesia. In the past 18 months I have gained the ability to sing and harmonize at super star levels (I have validation), I dance like no one you’ve seen and I’m a marvel on the dance floor (I have validation), I can act with the best now (I have validation), improv, poetry, writing, thinking, logic, philosophy, cognitive psychology. Business ideas. Why? Because my IQ if off the charts because just typing this out and getting my thoughts down with clarity for the FIRST time, I’m happy. I literally discovered the VTA about 6 hours ago and have figured all this out since then. I already had my model, but now I have physical evidence. And I’ve never taken a neuroscience class ever. But I’ve read a lot of scientific papers (Steven, how can you be an expert from reading? Did you really just ask me that?)
So now some of you are thinking — oh — he’s manic. Ignore him. If so, I posit that you do not understand mania. At all. Read on.
Here are somethings I can do: I dance with 100% precision to any sounds I hear. I write at the speed of thought. I can improv with the best. My acting has been validated by someone who coaches an academy award winning actress on her roles. And who has been an actor for 30 years. You’ve seen him in the movies you’ve watched.
Now you may just be saying I’m delusional and manic. I’m not delusional. But I am manic. I will admit it. Because I put myself there.
Another consequence of my model is that the happier you get, the higher you get. Because happiness means dopamine. Serotonin. Oxytocin. Which is what we get when we take psychedelics. I am literally high as a kite right now — but I am not on any drugs right now. None. I don’t need them.
Mania is the natural state of happiness. People are happy with their manias. Yes, it impacts work/etc. Because they are so damn happy they can’t be bothered with anything that will take them to an unhappier state. So any thoughts of doing boring things is given a low low emotional value and GABAd.
And that is why manic people call everyone. They want to talk to people, to share, they are excited. This is amazing, let me tell you. They are high as hell. On their own supply. Literally. No drugs needed. Or they do like me. They create. They create art, movies, games, sex toys, music, theater, songs, visuals, sounds, experiences, events, enterprises, empires, all evident things. Be self evident people. That is where its at. And its why manic people get upset when you don’t respond — because you don’t get it. You are shutting them down. And that is when frustration mounts. Because you are rejecting them at a moment when they think they have something great to share. You are GABAing them and you don’t even know it.
Depression. Too much GABA. Sad thoughts. It’s the opposite of the happiness model. Hell. I just thought of that. Yes, it must be. As you get to 99% self hatred, your self hatred starts going higher and higher — till suicide. And if you have power, unleashing some evil.
Ok. Thank you reading this far.
I am offering you a seat with me to help me prove this model.
And in doing so, we will get Nobel prizes. But the peace prize is mine alone since this is my idea. You can help prove it. I cannot do that without you — or someone qualified.
At this point you either think I’m crazy or maybe there is something to this. I mean my logic is pretty sound. But this can’t possibly be true can it? It can’t possibly be this easy? It can. And it is. But he mentioned a Nobel prize — he must be crazy. Or not. Someone has to win it. And if someone has a better discovery than this, they deserve it.
You may reach me at steve@beselfevident.com. Or hit me up at instagram or twitch @beselfevident or my site, https://be-self-evident.com
I am looking for serious scientists who would like to discuss this. I would love to collaborate on a real paper.
This article is long for a reason — if you stayed this long, you know I am right — or you think I could be. And the implications are massive. We can teach people how to heal themselves. I have simple logic to explain why people should forgive themselves.
I mean if this is true it upends psychology, education theory, giftedness, addiction, mental health, politics, politics, human rights, and more. The implications are massive. If we know what makes us tick, with precision, then to do anything against that, is a problem.
Please consider what I’ve written carefully. If this article has interested you in anyway, I implore you to reach out to me.
But if not, it’s ok. Thanks for your time.
Cheers,
Steven Benfield
+1 (678) 250–5855
Addendum
Look, one thing I do, is I revise. I revise my writings all the time. When I learn something new, etc. So I’m adding stuff here.
Some takeaways
Evolution designed us to be happy
Now, as a person sheds fears, their latency decreases.
Decreased latency results in more thoughts and senses processed per second
Decreased latency results in increased sensitivity
This latency explains HSP, ADHD, ASD (perhaps not all), and mania.
Explains intelligence. More instructions per second. But not a faster brain.
Altruism. We get joy when others have joy because others validate us. We are altruistic because of the validation it gives us.
All humans have authenticity, empathy and a desire for community. And they are all as authentic as their beliefs allow. Deficits in these three areas are the root of all mental illness that does not have a physical/external trigger.
As people get happier they get smarter. But remember, the VTA also processes sensory input. So as latency decreases, more inputs can be processed. This explains HSP where a person reacts strongly to senses. It explain why, last year, I suddenly got the ability to dance like no one’s business. And get invited to dance with Ludacris and Quavo by 21 Savage. If you know these men, ask them about me. At the official Post Malone after party at District last October. 21 pointed at me, I acknowledge, then 5 minutes later, 21 waves me over. Looks at Luda who is on the ground dancing Get Low, 21 says, can you dance like them, I said ‘Fuck yea’ and proceeded to do it. What an amazing time. Also Sonny Digital and ATL Jacob produced the event. Sonny, I was the guy who danced at your concert. Read you instagrams Sonny. I have some great ideas that I think you will love. If not, all I’m asking for in an hour of time and attention.
This was added after the original was written. This is not a break in thinking. Just reflection.
The VTA also has long projections to many areas so is makes sense that this theory impacts so many areas. A unified theory of human emotion.
Do you see what just happened? I got into a little mania spiral. The happiness I felt remembering the 21 savage incident and the fact that I was writing it out in detail, made me happy and then I thought of Sonny Digital and my reality tv concept that is worth $100M all by itself. My website idea will be a billion dollar unicorn and it will take no outside financing.
I have the benefit of not having any religious opinions except that I respect the portions of religion that reflect the truths that I know. Because if people believe they need God, they do. And when we try to take it away from them they get really angry. I see you MAGA. I don’t vilify you. I don’t agree with you but I understand why you do the things you do and support the people you support. But I’m here to tell you — that you need no orange savior. The keys to your salvation lie in believing in yourself. And yourself alone.
I have a strong science, logic, and strategy back ground. I have a strong faith, empathy, and execution background. I have and extensive businesses, innovation, and leadership record. I have led companies. I have presented to billionaire. I write poetry that will make you cry — if I cried writing it. Its amazing. And through all this I discovered a new truth in the universe. Several actaully. And if I won some prize it sure would be dynamite. Maybe two. Possibly three. Wow. That would be something.
Steven, why do you write this way? Just when I thought you weren’t crazy, you up the game. Correct. If you think I’m crazy, you’ll stop reading. And the only people who will make to the end of this article are the ones who want to believe what I write is true.
And again I am writing with clarity. Some will say I am crazy. And some will press on — the ones that are so far self actualized, they realize I’ve been the kind of person they’ve been seeking all this time. All this time you may have felt misunderstood, overlooked, underperforming, cheated, beaten, crossed, denied, canceled, banished, shamed, shunned, misused, objectified, misclassified, falsely accused, transmogrified, pantomimed, become invisible? Tried to make divisible?
Or I could be wrong. Or crazy.
If what I’ve written intrigues you, reach out.
Addendum II
And again. As I was writing elsewhere, I realized another thing.
Why are some people artists?
And what is an artist. What makes one person a better artist than the other.
The sensory side of this model explains this.
Because you are processing more sensory inputs per second than other people, you pick up on nuance that others don’t. Or you pick up on them faster. And because you can do that, you can also explain or express emotions better than others. And when you create something and people like it and encourage you, you get high. Because you get validation and validation releases dopamine and other goodies. Because validation makes you happier because you believe in yourself more. If it sounds self referential, it is. No need to talk chicken and egg, it doesn’t matter for this discussion, but right now, this is how we operate as humans.
As you accept yourself and others more, and harbor no anger, judgement, guilt, shame, anxiety, doubt, or fear — you get smarter. And you get more creative because you are discovering things you never realized existed. Relationships between things. patterns.
On Addiction
Addiction is your body wanting dopamine, etc. But not being happy enough to meet the level that your drug gives you. As you get happier, it is easier to quit addiction, because you give yourself more of what you want naturally as a result.
Truly happy people don’t get addicted. Because their natural high can’t be met by any drug. I am half considering trying crystal meth to test my theory. But if I get addicted my theory could still be true. It just means I’m not happy enough to overcome what it gives me.
Addendum: I appreciate the friends of mine who reached out to me imploring me to not try crystal meth. One said he would not watch me destroy myself. Thank you for your concern. I have no need or desire to try it. I wrote that for impact.
My Evident Model of Human Emotion includes this paper as well as additional thoughts I have on forgiveness, processing trauma, teaching/learning models, guilt, anger, shame, anxiety, authenticity, empathy, community, faith, beliefs, doubt, denial, mania, depression. All of it. ADHD. ASD. HSP. And other things i’m sure. I need someone that knows something that I don’t to help me. An expert.
So, you, person who understands VTA and perhaps neuropsychology. Hit me up. I need to talk to you.
