Читать книгу Homo narrare. Narrative Intelligence 3.0: Managing Reality and Influencing People - Арсен Аветисов - Страница 12

The issue of conserving energy and using it wisely boils down to the strategy for managing it. The brain is constantly involved in optimizing processes that require energy: thinking, physical activities, reactions, actions, and the functioning of internal organs. Even digesting food requires energy.

Canadian neuropsychologist Donald Hebb demonstrated that when brain neurons activate, they release neurotransmitters. These are absorbed by neighboring cells, transmitting important information. Over time, this synaptic transmission can strengthen, as similar messages travel along the same neural pathways, eventually becoming automatic. Essentially, every experience activates thousands, possibly millions, of neurons. If a task is repeated enough, the brain quickly learns the pattern, automatically activating the same neurons. This is how the brain develops efficiency strategies – relying on pre-formed templates rather than «reinventing the wheel» each time, triggering a conveyor belt of unconscious processes.

People rarely think about the many actions they perform daily, even the simplest ones. Brushing their teeth, brewing coffee, driving a car – these are just a few examples. Over time, the brain builds a massive «library» of such behavioral templates. It’s hard to quantify how much energy was spent optimizing and organizing these seemingly simple yet essential tasks.

Most of these processes are unconscious. Markus Raichle, the pioneer of the brain’s default mode network, explains that the brain is constantly constructing an internal model of the surrounding world. This model works as a forecast, helping the brain predict and prepare for events. As long as predictions hold true, the brain doesn’t engage attention, which is always costly and energy-intensive. However, when something contradicts the prediction, it immediately captures attention. For instance, stepping onto a stopped escalator can cause a sudden jolt. Why? Your brain’s forecast, repeatedly confirmed, assumes the escalator will move, so it compensates for the expected acceleration.

This principle applies universally. In daily life, people rely on existing behavioral programs and are more inclined to adjust them or adopt ready-made templates than to create entirely new ones. The brain follows this energy-saving logic persistently and subtly.

For the brain, its operation resembles a business – a craft of managing limited resources. In its case, the limited resource is energy, which is constantly in demand. While the brain accounts for about 2% of body weight, it consumes a disproportionate amount of energy – approximately 20% of the body’s total. In practical terms, this translates to a power consumption of about 12 watts. Imagine how much power a computer would require if it had the same capabilities as the human brain.

The brain never truly rests, not even during sleep. It uses about 350—400 calories daily, primarily in the form of glucose. Energy consumption peaks around ages 5—6 when the brain can utilize up to 60% of the body’s energy. In adults, the brain’s energy consumption is notably higher in the evening than in the morning. This is because, throughout the day, cells – especially their connections – work harder to transmit signals and consume more energy. Daily impressions are remembered, classified, and cataloged in memory. Events are transformed into experiences, integrated into narrative programs, refined, and used to enhance the worldview. Ultimately, this process reshapes the architecture of neural connections.

While working, the brain can direct blood flow to specific areas where energy demand spikes. This happens when those areas are engaged in solving complex cognitive tasks – problems for which no pre-existing narratives exist in the brain. Examples include learning a new skill, mastering a musical instrument, or studying a language from a completely different linguistic group. Such energy surges also occur when circumstances are constantly changing, such as planning a chess strategy.

Once a skill is developed and practiced, it no longer requires intense effort or concentration, resulting in significantly lower energy consumption. But just how substantial are these energy surges for the brain? And why is the body willing to pay such a high price for the brain’s operation?

This story began long ago. Today, we’ve mostly solved the problem of hunger. But for millions of years, our ancestors faced the constant threat of starvation. Yet, even under these conditions, one-fifth of all consumed energy went to support the brain. Every change requires tremendous energy expenditure. The seemingly simple transformations people dream about as children, imagine as teenagers, and encounter as adults often prove overwhelming. To truly change, one must let go of something, sacrifice something, and rebuild something. The brain knows exactly how much energy that costs. Changing yourself is expensive. It’s easier to rely on what already exists or borrow what the environment offers, then rationalize that this is the better option, even if it isn’t.

Unknowingly, people are cautious and meticulous about embracing new thoughts and ideas. They also handle their imagination and overall mental work sparingly. In a way, we protect our brains by relying more on common sense, habits born of past experience, or the wisdom and lessons passed down by older generations.

Sometimes people genuinely say they’re lazy, content with their status, or satisfied with the way things are. They back this up with plenty of explanations and arguments, focusing on possible difficulties or unsolvable problems. Imaginary obstacles become the perfect excuse for inaction. People aren’t ready to pay the price for change, but they can’t admit this, even to themselves. It’s not that they don’t want change – it’s that their brains resist it. The visual structures in the brain consume so much energy that it’s hard to comprehend. This is one reason why humans, without a pressing need, are reluctant to think deeply or reflect on complex issues.

Depending on people’s willingness to think and act – and their readiness to spend energy – they can be roughly divided into three groups: those who actively shape events, those who observe and understand what’s happening, and those who are constantly surprised by everything around them. If someone is always amazed by what’s going on, you can confidently guess they’re not ready to change anything, even the things that surprise them. Observing requires more energy than simply being surprised, while creating and managing is the most energy-intensive activity of all. But this energy expenditure is precisely what drives development.