Your Primitive Psyche in a Digital Era

Hi there! Welcome to the wild realm of the “primitive psyche”, where our ancestral instincts and ancient wiring are called out to play the modern world.Picture this: buried in the depths of our evolutionary history lies a treasure trove of primal drives and behaviors that have been passed down through the ages. Not only they were transmitted, but generations in a row worked hard to polish these impulses. When I write this I am thinking, for example, of the so-called human gene of aggression — Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA). Imagine the ‘’thrill’’ of discovering that you hail from a long lineage of indomitable warriors, stretching back to the year 1400. They were the best of the best. Of course, you are now a woman and the last two generations have not lived through wars let’s say, but this 600+ years perfected gene is here, and it has been handed down to you as an inheritance.

The primitive psyche is like an ancestral attic full of survival instincts, reproductive impulses, and fight-or-flight responses.In the face of the current digital revolution, which we all are hoping for, or have only chosen to observe, our primitive psyche encounters a new and brave world that unfortunately does not come with frames for primitive existence.If you already consider that this primitivism does not apply to you and me, let’s look objectively at the last 20–30 years.Over two decades have already passed since the mainstream utilization of social networks. During this time, our ancestral tribal instincts collided with an endless stream of tweets, likes, and viral videos. Suddenly, those deep-seated desires for social connection, validation, and novelty found their way into the digital spotlight. Our primitive psyche was at first like a caveman pushed into Times Square, blinking in astonishment, awe, and appreciation of the sensory overload. And of course, in the meantime, many of these cavemen learned how to dominate and even rule the very Digital Times Square.But here’s the thing: the digital landscape as we know it now, is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for our primal appetites. Social media, with its constant notifications and addictive algorithms, preys on our desire for acceptance and belonging (studies can show you which platform satisfies which need). Online shopping fulfills our primal need to gather resources for survival or social status. And let’s not forget about the primal dance of dominance and hierarchy- power, influence, and social status. 

Of course, the examples can go on.It’s like our ancestors’ survival toolkit and psyches got a digital playground…but unfortunately not the much-needed upgrade.Another aspect is that our primitive psyche is not equipped to handle the overwhelming amount of information, constant social comparison, the need or pressure to be ‘’socially relevant’’, and relentless FOMO. In the midst of this digital turmoil, a big part of our psyche called our ‘’sense of identity’’ becomes also… a virtual playground. We clean up personas online, combining elements of our true selves with the versions we want the world to see. It’s like we’re channeling our inner shapeshifter, turning into idealized versions of ourselves behind our pixelated screens. We take that in our real lives afterward. And even we think we over-smart the system because we use our digital ideal as a benchmark for becoming, we are still in a big trap. The biggest one: we create our ideal persona accordingly to the masses; The masses we transformed into witnesses of our existence. And psychologists would easily explain this need for having witnesses to our existence, as a coping mechanism for the most primordial anguish of all: The Fear of Death/The Fear of Non-existence. If you want to precisely understand, look up ‘’Terror Management Theory’’(TMT).So, how primitive do you feel now?But ok, enough with the negativity. Is said one gets a sore throat after being negative for longer than 3 minutes. Let’s flip the side!Let’s shift gears and go on a noble quest! And fear not, brave primitive-psyched traveler! We can still navigate with great finesse on the edge of this wild frontier. First of all, embrace your inner caveman, I will mine, and now venture with me from another perspective into a New Era everyone started to call The Digital Age.See there!? The wonders of cognitive reprogramming!When we say cognitive reprogramming, we say ‘’time’’. And when we refer to the entire humanity we say ‘’a lot of time’’. 

The evolution of the human psyche occurred over long periods - thousands or even millions of years- and was influenced by numerous complex factors. It is also such a gradual and ongoing process that is challenging to observe and predict with precision. But maybe… Just as a skilled programmer debugs a faulty program, we can identify the glitches in our psyches? And rewire them with new, ‘’free-primitive’’ beliefs? Maybe in a world on the cusp of a new digital revolution, humanity stands now at the crossroads of its own potential. So, again just maybe, it’s time to upgrade our psyche and leave behind and for real, the relics of the old.

The concept of “free-primitive” beliefs is not commonly used. It suggests the idea of replacing outdated or primitive beliefs that may no longer serve us well with new, more advanced, and beneficial ones.When we are considering the full potential of humanity, there are several overarching psyche territories that can be upgraded. The extent to which you will perceive the following as already-familiar, naive, unproductive, or self-exposing, will reveal something about your current level of primitiveness. 

So, let’s give it a shot:Unity and global cooperation: Embracing the belief that humanity is interconnected. Recognizing that honest collaboration and cooperation can lead to shared progress and a better future for all. This happens already at a declarative level, but the practices still lack working together across nations, cultures, and… ideologies. This can prove crucial for addressing existing global challenges and preventing new ones.

Sustainable development: Upgrading the belief that humanity has a responsibility to protect and preserve the environment for current and future generations. And also emphasizing that sustainable practices can! balance economic development with environmental conservation and social well-being. If you feel that you are going to snort with laughter or on the contrary, you honestly want to believe me, but do not understand how this could ever be possible, it means that some 15-year-old news has not reached you. Not just news, but (mmm, how nice that sounds) a government measure. In 2008, Ecuador reached a significant stage of transcending a primitive psyche if you ask me. It became the first country in the world to grant constitutional rights to… Nature. This revolutionary decision was made by invoking the concept of Pachamama, the Kichwa deity of Mother Earth. Hallucinating right? Now, we could make many jokes and word games using “primitive” in this context, but from my side, all of them would be so honorable for South Americans.By transforming nature as a subject of inherent rights, Ecuador has embraced a biocentric perspective that challenges the dominant modernist view of nature as a resource for human exploitation. This signifies a potentially transformative shift in the relationship between humans and nature, extending as far as the boundaries of the legal system. But what I see above all is a psyche shift from ‘’resource acquisition instinct’’ to something else.

Empathy and compassion: The shift to empathy is also crucial. It allows us to free ourselves from two ancient programs: fear and dominance. They may be one and the same but let’s keep them both distinct for this text. Cultivating a belief in the power of empathy and compassion towards others can be achieved through again, some naive processes, such as honest self-reflection in which we examine our biases and behaviors, education that broadens our perspectives, and active practice in daily interactions.

Innovation and creativity: Artificial Intelligence (AI) serves as a pertinent example of how the prospect of innovating our lives can evoke both excitement and fear. While AI has the potential to revolutionize various sectors and enhance human lives in unprecedented ways, it has also sparked concerns about job displacement and technological “extinction.” However, by embracing the mindset of innovation and creativity, we can shape the trajectory and harness the potential of technology for societal benefit. We succeeded in all these the past years since we made technology part of our lives, and I think we will from now on too. In general, by valuing a culture that fosters curiosity and critical thinking, individuals can simply empower themselves to explore uncharted territories, question the status quo, and seek innovative solutions to pressing issues.

Well-being and holistic development: Prioritizing that well-being encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects, can support the overall flourishing of individuals and society. A valuable insight into the importance of mental and emotional well-being comes from psychologist Guy Winch- in his book ‘’Emotional First Aid’’. He uses the analogy between the hygiene of our physical bodies in the last century and the hygiene of our psyches today. He says that simple hygiene practices such as regular hand washing, and sanitation were not widely recognized nor prioritized in the past. Over time, as the understanding of the impact of hygiene on physical health grew, it became ingrained in society’s norms and massive transformations took place both in the life expectancy of humanity and in the quality of life that people have in their own bodies. Similarly, in the down of our New Era, there is a growing awareness of the importance of mental and emotional well-being to overall happiness. The expected impacts of ‘’being well’’ also promise massive transformations at the level of humanity.So here it is! It is true that I started by talking about social media platforms, with their constant notifications, addictive algorithms, and some other proofs of our so present but unadmitted primordial needs. However, as we delved deeper into the complexity of the human psyche, we found not only that we as humans have the power to transcend our primitive instincts, but we also found that these upgrades are already visible and already present, in our societies and in the values of the new humanity.

In this tightrope walk, in order to upgrade our primitive psyche in the New Digital Era, all we have to do is to embrace discernment, practice mindful (digital) consumption, harness the power of technology for positive change, and prioritize self-care. Armed with these so…so soft appliances, maybe we can dance along with finesse, evolving and upgrading and! our psyche in the process.