Sorry to have to duck out of the post-screening circle at the Pt. Reyes Dance Palace this evening. Congratulations to you and Sally for creating a brilliant documentary on our global environmental challenge. I will say you have hit the nail squarely on the head with respect to the current situation and the systemic problems making a positive natural resolution so difficult (even possible?).

I mentioned very briefly a couple of observations separately to you and Sally and I’ll take this opportunity to try and fill in the gaps. With respect to the etiology of the human brain and the source of our seeming propensity to self destruct, I mentioned the anthropologist Dr. Stanley Ambrose. I heard him interviewed on KPFA last Winter where he suggested that homo sapiens suffered an extraordinary traumatic event some 70,000 years ago with the Mt. Tubo explosive eruption, a six year volcanic winter and ensuing 1000 year glacial period . If I understood him correctly on KPFA, he contends that before this event, even though man had developed a neocortex, or thinking brain, man lived in harmony with nature and other living creatures….in other words the brain of early man was not wired for what I will call pathological behavior. However, the difficulties and emotional traumas faced during six years of volcanic winter and the following 1000 years of cold resulted in a change from passive local foraging primate troops to aggressive (and occasionally pathological) primate tribes ….see first abstract at . And so, the psychological origins of the “modern brain” in fact come from a peaceful and passive limbic/neocortex network that experienced and dealt with a traumatic survival event, for which the species has never received psychotherapy (say untreated PTSD). So, one could say, the species development is handicapped by this hereditary emotional disfunction. Now you won’t find anything written by Dr. Ambose on this hypothesis because, I suspect, in his circles, this would be a very unpopular opinion/position on the basic nature of the homo sapien brain (we’re very attached to being superior and perfect : explores the role of compassion for future generations. Compassion is learned…..we are not born with it….we must see it modeled in other’s behaviors and we must experiment and practice it over and over to learn it ourselves….as children, as adolescents, and as adults of all ages. What a wonderful opportunity you present to pracice our compassion by connecting with the natural world and those around us and let go of the grasping, material world.

Now I mentioned to Sally that I’ve spent the past seven years since the Columbine High tradgedy exploring measures in public education to prevent destructive behaviors, enhance the learning environment and promote children’s mental health. The one consistent theme through all the research is healthy connection…between students, between students and teachers and staff, between the staff them selves and perceived attachment to the school. For example, here’s the Minnesota study results . In your film, your repeated statement to connect is fully supported by the research and I applaude your efforts in getting this message across to your audience.

Its getting late so I’ll close by sharing my feelings in our virtual West Marin circle…..two feelings at the same time…one, sadness for the situation we’re in and second, hope…..for the wonderful message you’ve presented in your film…..to abandon the false stories of our times and connect…..connect with nature and connect with everyone around us…and change our behaviors from consumption and from conscription to a materialistc society to conservation and renovation of the natural world.

Best wishes for the successful promotion of your very special film.

Namaste,
Dave

I spent a couple hours this morning googling Dr. Ambrose in search of something published that documented his KPFA interview……nada…and so sadly my earlier comment “Now you won’t find anything written by Dr. Ambose on this hypothesis (transition from a mental perspective of attachment/connection to nature pre Mt. Tubo eruption to modern man’s “modern brain” and dissassociation/detachment post Mt. Tubo) because, I suspect, in his anthropologic circles, this would be a very unpopular opinion/position on the basic nature of the homo sapien brain.” stands :

Good to meet you in Marin. Thanks for the further explanation, and for the heads up about not finding anything written from Ambrose. It seems that others are talking about this, and so there may be stuff out there describing the event, at the very least. Fascinating stuff.