Comprehending the Context of the Current Climate
Part Two: Evaluating the US Election through Neuroscience Lens
Context of People’s Current Life Experience
Let’s start by looking at the current state of people prior to this election. A variety of challenging factors precipitated this year’s election and its outcome.
We’ve had a tough four years, coming out of a global pandemic that was not only a health challenge but also incredibly politically polarizing and divisive. Most certainly, the pandemic, as a completely unprecedented experience, triggered our fear and survival responses.
Then, we experienced extremely high inflation and a serious housing shortage. During this time, despite receiving some relief to endure the pandemic, businesses prioritized passing earnings to shareholders rather than their employees.
People struggled to get pay increases and many were laid off from roles they held pre-pandemic. With high prices, it became even more difficult, and many individuals were forced to work multiple jobs and pick up “side hustles” just to get by.
For the average American, the primary focus has been just surviving these past four years, figuring out how to work enough jobs to make enough money to support their families.
As a result, people were already in a survival and struggling state before politics were even fully at play. The near-constant stress pushed tons of people into burnout and exhaustion. Stuck in survival, people were already at max capacity, unable to take on more in their lives.
Diving Deeper into the Challenges
As I researched this topic, I realized the challenges I remembered (were top of mind) barely scratched the surface on what people have been experiencing in recent years. Let’s look at some of the challenges people have experienced in recent years that have been impacting people’s bodies.
1. Health and Well-Being
COVID-19 Pandemic: Health crises, long-term effects of the virus, mental health struggles, and loss of loved ones.
Mental Health Crisis: Rising anxiety, depression, burnout, and loneliness due to social isolation and uncertainty.
Chronic Stress & Burnout: Exacerbated by remote work, economic uncertainty, and caregiving responsibilities.
Health Inequalities: Disparities in access to healthcare and vaccines globally.
2. Economic Challenges
Inflation & Cost of Living: Increased prices for essentials like housing, food, and healthcare.
Economic Inequality: Growing wage gaps, lack of upward mobility, and wealth concentration.
Job Instability: Layoffs, shifts in industries due to automation and globalization.
Gig Economy Stress: Financial insecurity and lack of benefits for gig and freelance workers.
3. Social & Political Issues
Polarization & Division: Widening divides in politics, ideologies, and cultural values.
Racial & Social Justice Movements: Calls for equity and systemic change amidst ongoing discrimination.
Misinformation & Fake News: Erosion of trust in institutions and media due to widespread misinformation.
Global Conflicts & Migration: Wars (e.g., Ukraine), refugee crises, and displacement affecting millions.
4. Environmental Challenges
Climate Change: Natural disasters, extreme weather, wildfires, and rising sea levels.
Environmental Anxiety: Stress and fear about the planet's future and the perceived inaction of leaders.
Loss of Biodiversity: Threats to ecosystems and species extinction impacting global balance.
5. Technological Shifts
Rapid Technological Advancements: Struggles to keep up with AI, automation, and digitalization.
Cybersecurity Threats: Data breaches, identity theft, and digital fraud.
Social Media Impact: Increased comparison, addiction, and misinformation fueling mental health issues.
6. Personal & Family Challenges
Work-Life Balance: Struggles with blurred boundaries in remote/hybrid work setups.
Caregiving Responsibilities: Growing needs to care for aging parents or dependents.
Educational Challenges: Disruptions in schooling during the pandemic, widening education gaps.
7. Global Events & Uncertainty
Post-Pandemic Recovery: Adapting to a new normal in health, work, and social interactions.
Economic Recessions: Impacts of downturns on financial stability and future planning.
Geopolitical Tensions: Strains between major nations impacting global markets and security.
8. Identity & Purpose
Existential Anxiety: People questioning their purpose and place in the world amidst rapid changes.
Generational Tensions: Diverging values and expectations between older and younger generations.
Loss of Community: Decline in traditional support systems and social networks.
How many of the above can you relate to?
People Are Barely Surviving, Not Even Close to Thriving
The combination of these factors caused many people to be operating consistently in a biological state of survival.
Impact of Survival State on Politics
As a reminder, when we are in a survival state, we are focused on how best to survive (stay alive). This means we prioritize conserving resources and avoiding threats or potential pain.
It also means we are not operating in a state conducive to learning, expanding, and growing new neural pathways. Our higher intelligences are essentially shut down when we are in a survival state.
Heightened Emotional Responses
When we are in a survival state, people are more likely to prioritize immediate safety and security over long-term consequences. (Essentially, our body is thinking “If we don’t survive the predator, it doesn’t matter much if we have food or resources tomorrow, right?”)
As a result, people are more likely to support candidates, policies, or messages that promise protection, stability, or quick solutions to perceived threats. These are going to help me “right now” which is what the body is looking for more than what will help me “long-term.”
Reduced Logical Thinking
When you’re in a survival state, you don’t have time or the mental capacity to “research” or dig into the issues around policy. You can’t possibly make sense of all the complex language and nuance around these various policies and proposals. (Even as an attorney, it often takes me significant time to read cases or review laws/policy documents to understand what they mean and their implications).
In a survival state, our higher-level cognitive functions are shut down in favor of our instinctive and reactive decision-making. That means people are more susceptible to emotional appeals, fear-based messaging, or simplified slogans rather than critically analyzing policies or platforms.
Amplified Group Identity & Fear of the “Other”
The brain’s instinct is to identify and avoid potential threats which may cause people to heighten their focus on and distrust of unfamiliar people or groups.
Our gut intelligence is responsible for our core identity, action, and self-preservation. When my safety is threatened, I naturally want to ensure survival and will turn to those who are most like me.
This means people are more likely to be fearful of those who are “different” and prefer those who look or seem more similar to themselves. It can lead to an “us vs. them” narrative and preference for the leader they identify with most.
I will also want to turn towards and embrace my “tribe” with greater loyalty to ensure I am safe from external threats. I will likely align myself more strongly with a group I feel it’s important to be identified with.
Resistance to change
When we are in a survival state, the body is not interested in change.
Change is perceived as risky because it will require additional resources and creates uncertainty. As a result, people who are operating in a survival state are more likely to want to keep things the same or return to a time when things felt safer or less disruptive.
Polarization
When our bodies and brains are stressed, they will simplify complex situations into binary choices such as good vs. bad, ally vs. enemy, and right vs. wrong.
We don’t have capacity for more complexity because our body thinks it needs all its resources to survive. As a result, this leads to more separation and distrust of differing perspectives. It also reduces our willingness to see and be open to compromise or consider different or more nuanced perspectives.
Preference for Strong Leadership
In times of perceived danger, people will often gravitate toward leaders who appear decisive, confident, and authoritative.
Despite the known risks of dictatorship, this type of command leadership feels safer and becomes more appealing. We can clearly see how the current climate and people being in a survival state would have influenced their ability to make decisions and how those decisions get made.
Given that most people don’t have the time or capacity to fully understand the issues themselves, they primarily rely upon the insight and information of others to guide them.
Furthermore, they will typically choose one or a few issues that are most important to them and then make their decision on that basis. Essentially, they attempt to simplify their decision by narrowing it down to the one issue that matters the most to them.
Conclusion
As we’ve explored, the past few years have pushed many people into survival mode, shaping not only how we live but also how we engage with politics and society. Understanding these dynamics helps us see the underlying forces driving decision-making and division, as well as the opportunities to create change and move toward thriving.
This is just the beginning of the conversation. In the next parts of this series, we’ll dive into 'Deciding Who to Trust' and 'Explaining the Election Outcome' to uncover how these patterns influence leadership and society. Subscribe now and stay tuned as we continue to explore these critical and timely issues.