“…brains are social organs and can only really be understood when they’re connected to other brains.” (Dr. Cozolino, p.6)

“…we’re not born with the ability to describe our feelings. We really have to be taught throuh the co-construction of narratives with our family.” (Dr. Cozolino, p.15)

 

In the case of Alexithymia (lexi-feelings, thymia-language), the brain is incapable of putting feelings into thoughts or words, thus the sufferer doesn’t even realize they’re having feelings. Through the therapeutic process the therapist acts as the neurotransmitter, listening to the feelings the right hemisphere is experiencing and then transferring them to the left hemisphere for interpretation. “…putting [their] feelings into words and then feeding those back to the client.” (p.13-15)

 

“…the brain is better understood as a process rather than as an object…more of, I guess, a relationship. It’s affected by a relationship.” (Dr. Buczynski, p.19)

 

“…the types of relationships we engage in actually select which genes are expressed and which genes aren’t.” (Dr. Cozolino, p.19)

 

“…what we think we are, are the stories we tell about ourselves and the stories other people tell about us. So identity itself arises from a group context, and the identity of children really is an emergence from the stories that children and parents tell together.” (Dr. Cozolino, p.21)

 

“Attachment, safety and trust trigger oxytocin release, dopamine release and these sorts of things, biochemicals which enhance neuroplastic processes. So relationships stimulate our brains to gow.” (Dr. Cozolino, p.26)

 

In essence, the brain only functions if it is exposed to other brains. The relationships one builds with other humans allows the brain to grow, change, and mature. Without that interaction it is stagnant. Furthermore, as a child, the brain requires the exchange of narrative to identify and communicate human emotion and a sense of self. Without an ongoing narrative of self, the brain doesn’t develop the ability to transfer the emotions experienced in the right hemisphere to be processed and identified by the left hemisphere. 

 

Healthy brain process:

1. Experience emotional narrative from other brains’ left hemispheres.

2. Have responding emotion in right hemisphere.

3. Transfer emotion to Left hemisphere.

4. Left hemisphere translates emotion into words.

5. Express emotion as narrative.

6. Garner feedback on narrative from other brains.

7. Experience altered narrative in right hemisphere.

8. Repeat

So, what happens if this process is expressed through an artistic medium? What happens if the process is automated using the computer as a surrogate brain? Doesn’t that already exist as a model throughout modern society? Isn’t that the driving force behind artificial intelligence? What happens if there is a disruption in this process? How does that affect the proxy process in another medium? It’s like a giant game of telephone.