The Domination of the Left-brain Hemisphere over the Right-brain Hemisphere
Having explored different aspects of The Journey of Separation, let’s now have a look at our brains. Research shows that a heightened left-brained hemispheric way of attending has occurred in tandem with a separation from nature, a prioritization of the masculine over feminine and the outer over the inner.
Neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist has extensively explored left-brain hemisphere dominance in our Western culture. The left-hemisphere of the brain, according to McGilchrist’s and other neuroscientists’ findings, focuses on the parts of the problem by decontextualizing, narrowing down, and abstracting the problem in a closed system. This of course, helps us analyze and find a solution to the problem at hand. However, only a solution in the context of an isolated closed system, not in a living, emergent, complex system — like a business environment. By the same theory, the right-hemisphere of the brain focuses on the whole of the problem by broadening perspective, forming connections, and viewing the problem within an open system; we seek context, think creatively (out of the box) and develop greater understanding. It is both with the knowledge of the parts (left-hemisphere) and wisdom of the whole (right-hemisphere) that we need to solve today’s problems.
The qualities of the left-hemisphere have enabled us to form a civilization based on advanced technology, rationality, mechanistic sequencing, and control. This way of process over our world, which is alluring and comforting, yet it reduces down our capacity to perceive nuances, relationship dynamics, subjective feelings, and the bigger picture. That is to say, it shuts us off from the realness of life.
Left-hemisphere management and monitoring approaches have helped us to analyze, quantify and control to great effect. There is no denying that. Yet it has come to dominate too much of our societal and organizational design. This imbalance in our brains goes hand-in-hand with the imbalance of our human-nature relation.
Although (scientifically speaking) you can’t really talk about a ‘separation’ of the two brain hemispheres, the Journey of Separation does reveal a trend of rising ‘domination’ of left over right hemisphere — just like we have seen with the three other areas of human-nature, masculine-feminine and inner-outer.
- Giles Hutchins and Laura Storm
Get your copy here.
