Not so long ago, I got a new smartphone that was hugely popular. I was somewhat surprised at how comfortable it was to use. Communication tools are evolving so quickly, I can hardly keep up.
Communication options have increased with great speed; the tools are becoming faster and easier to use. The speed of information processing has also increased. Especially in the web 2.0 era, communication tools have evolved to become more accessible, user-friendly, and interactive. Anyone can easily produce and share information. Now we can have video conferences with people anywhere on the globe, which seems amazing compared to what existed only ten years ago.
As I applaud the creativity of the human brain that develops new technology at an extraordinary speed, I would also like to ask whether our own ability to communicate and process information has kept up with the pace of the technology we use. Are we also developing the communication and information-processing abilities of our brains?
In our information-focused society, access to information and the ability to use information tools are becoming increasingly standardized. With so much advanced mobile technology, you can easily find the information you need whenever and wherever you want. This influx of information makes our lives increasingly complex and, along with other unexpected factors, makes it more difficult to make predictions and decisions. So our society now places a high value on managing information effectively and using it to make good decisions with speed and accuracy. This management ability demands a versatile, creative, and integrated brain–a brain that doesn’t only take in information passively but proactively assesses and chooses among all that’s available. It then goes beyond using information creating new information.
But what measure or standard do you use to evaluate information most productively? How can you enhance the information-processing ability of your brain? Having values that support your brain’s abilities is most important. Those values, which indicate which information is important, helpful, and relevant, come from your conscience.
By listening to your conscience, you have access to a standard of values that enable you to do the best information processing. Values derived from outside sources, such as a desire for power and influence or a desire to benefit only specific groups of people, do not allow your brain to evaluate information as clearly. The wide eyes of your conscience balances the scales of judgment, allowing you to accurately weigh all information that comes your way. Your conscience is the ultimate information-processing function of your brain. It should be the boss of your brain.
In order to cultivate an ability to listen to your conscience and see with a wider and deeper perspective, you can use tools such as Brain Education and your understanding of your Brain Operating System (BOS). These tools give you concrete exercises that make your brain more aware, flexible, and integrated. I believe that awakening the conscience through BOS and enhancing the information processing ability is the shortcut to the evolution of human consciousness.
At present, humanity is still processing information from a self-centered perspective rather than the all-inclusive perspective of conscience. This is the root of many of humanity’s problems. Rather than an individual or group focused on pursuing personal gain, those that are committed to living from their conscience should be in control of how society processes information. Only humans who have recovered their conscience can produce and choose information with truth and sincerity and really make the best decisions for society.