Just had an annual Halloween visit from that distant relative of mine (see earlier post) who claims to be a descendent of the Great Chief of all Nations. He may be. This time he brought with him three painted pumpkins, one for my wife and I, one for my wife's 99 year old mother, and one for us to give away to anyone of our choice. This year we chose one or our 14 grandchildren. All three of the pumpkins have that same "back from the dentist" full shinny grin. The Chief said the expression represents his feelings about anyone who elects not to try multi-tasking.
Surprised, I replied, "Chief, many people multi-task all of the time...don't they? We talk on the phone while doing all kinds of things. We watch TV while glancing at the newspaper or a magazine. Isn't that multi-tasking?"
"Not really," he said. "We hear of Multi-tasking so often. Computers do it well. But people don't. Actually, people "single-task" in multiple segments, but they don't really multi-task. We can't. We're not wired that way."
The Chief went on to explain to me that based on his observations, people actually shift their brain focus attention between two or more tasks much like a teacher or speaker answers questions from the audience. For example, a speaker might listen to a question from Jack in the audience, then quickly create an answer to respond. Next, the speaker might listen to a question from Mary in the audience, and then go through the same procedure. But the speaker (or questioners) can not listen to two questions at the same time, nor build answers at the same time.
The Chief used another example: A person of normal attention capacity can count how many Buffalo are on one hillside, then pause putting the total thus in memory, and then count how many Buffalo are on another hillside. The person can then bring the two totals back into focus and add them together for the grand total. But a person of normal capacity cannot count the Buffalo on two hillsides at the same time without glancing back and forth between them and recording subtotals along the way. The key here is "glancing back and forth."
The Chief told me that humans are wired in such a way to allow some of the brain's total capacity to be brought forward into an active brain chamber. Whatever that brought-forward percentage might be, it can then focus on whatever the person wishes, but it cannot focus on two or more activities at the same time without shifting its focus between one and the other. It can be aware of other activities, but it cannot specifically focus on more than one at a time. Experiment with the Buffalo example, or questions from the audience, yourself. I think you will find (like the Chief and now me) that while we can not technically multi-task, we can "shift-task."
Now, there is a huge danger in thinking that "shift-tasking" is the same as "multi-tasking." It's not. Shifting brain attention between two or more activities means that each of the activities is alternately functioning in "brainless states."
What this means to us is scary. When you see someone driving while talking on the cell, notice how they drive....much like one who is inebriated. The vehicle slows down and the driver's attention (shifting) appears to be focused primarily on just keeping the car in the road, even if it continues in the fast lane. Brainlessness. Of course if texting is also going on, the shifting attention and resulting driving is much worse. What the drivers are doing is "brain-shifting" using the same brain-shifting technique as described above.
Importantly and the scary part is that the activity from which the brain has just shifted, then has very little or no brain direction. That "shift-tasking" on two or more activities could be a very dangerous way to illustrate brainlessness. Please don't try it on the road. Instead, please pass this along to your loved ones and ask then not to try and prove what brainlessness looks like, especially when driving.
Now there is also good news in the singularity of the brain's specific focus abilities. During those times when things aren't going particularly well, when you may be feeling gloomy, or down, or depressed, your heart, mind and spirit may appear to be right there in the pits with you. Your brain may be supporting your negative thoughts and actually "awful-lizing" on and on, wallowing there in the doldrums with you. Most of us have been there. The good news is the brain cannot focus on gloom at the same time as it focuses on gratitude. It's the same rationale as counting the two Buffalo herds. You can only count one herd at a time. Try it. Go brainless with the negative stuff. Shift your brain to scanning a list in your mind of all you are grateful for. Try it. Keep shifting the brain from the negative tasking to the grateful tasking - over and over as necessary, until you come to your senses -- like you always do.
I am reminded of words from the Great Blog, Phillippians 4:8 (KJV) which says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Check that grin on the pumpkins again. I think the Chief and the Great Blog are both right. Best to all. ~ Page
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