Livewired

We all know what a map is. It's a schematic representation of a piece of land in the real world. Every point on a map of the Earth refers to an actual point on the Earth. Below is a rough sketch of the Earth.

As we get to know the Earth a little better, we are better able to orient ourselves with respect to borders, lakes, streets and so on. The map becomes more detailed as we gain more experience.

It turns out, the human brain also has a map of the human body. It looks like this:

If a neuroscientist were to stimulate the area of the brain with an electrode labelled 'tongue', you would feel a sensation on your tongue. Just like a world map, areas on your whole body are represented by spaces on your brain. The reason for this is (roughly speaking) so that your brain knows what is part of you, and what is not part of you. Similar to these maps, your brain makes space (no particular shape, though) for the family and friends we have in our lives, including a life partner, cat, dog or even notorious celebrities or politicians. When you learn a musical instrument, like a guitar, just like a body part, the guitar becomes part of your body. Literally. If this weren't the case, then we would not be able to drive cars, hold a pen or do anything that would extend our bodies into the outside world.

It's a small leap to see why the use of more colourful, descriptive language can also change the maps in your brain. The French and the Italians have an uncanny ability to make incompetence sound sexy and then charge us ordinary citizens a premium for it. I can just imagine 500 years ago an Italian housewife cooking pasta, whereupon the husband wanted to know why the pasta was not properly cooked. "It's Al Dente", the wife replies, meaning pasta that's half cooked. Today we eat Al Dente pasta in fancy restaurants, where they charge an exorbitant amount for it. Or slice things up in unconventional ways (with no additional effort), served in odd-looking plates and described using adjectives resembling the names of ancient Samurai warriors. One possible reason why these names allow restaurants to put a premium on the food they serve is that those extravagant names create a more detailed map of the object (i.e. the food) in your brain than 'ordinary' pasta with plain sauce, just like the more detailed Earth map that has been traversed and cemented in your brain.

Why is this useful?

Your brain is essentially an 'anticipation machine', constantly constructing and re-constructing a mental picture of the outside world, including the presence or absence of body parts, friends, family and partners. When people leave our lives it is not unlike a physical separation - an amputation - of a body part. It takes time for the brain to readjust to the new 'map' of your external world. As time passes, you will adapt to the new map.

An understanding of body maps has vast implications for the field of 'change management', which is often found in the information technology domain. Yet any change requires time to adjust. HR managers of change managers can soften the blow of change by integrating the new and unfamiliar with the old and familiar.

Finally, because our brains constantly anticipate the future, managing expectations - at work and home - becomes essential for maintaining emotional well-being and fostering positive relationships.

Our brains are more alive than we care to imagine. In the words of neuroscientist David Eagleman, our brains are 'livewired', adjusting to change by rewiring themselves every second of every day.

Further Reading

Eagleman, D., 2020. Livewired: The inside story of the ever-changing brain. Canongate Books.