My QUOTES

THE POWER OF THE MIND (1)

            While embarking on a research one day, I came across a puzzling question that I saw on one of the editions of Awake! (a monthly publication of the Jehovah’s Witnesses). The question bordered on if instincts guide animals, what guides humans? Hmmm!!! Since then, I have been thinking on it. In fact, I didn’t even want to go into the details of their own opinion about the question because I was bent on generating a more satisfying answer myself. Though unconsciously, this question lingered in my mind for years until now that I have been able to unveil a ‘probable’ answer to it and hope to get your own opinion from it.

            As a science educationist, I have come across several aspects of science that have exposed me to life generally. Most animals (and even micro-organisms) have brains just like humans or at least ‘brain-like’ structures yet their functions in the world are minimal even though they are co-sharers of the world with humans. Since there is an underlying commonality (the brain) between the human world and the world of animals, what then is that distinguishing feature that sets one far apart from the other?

            First, let us look at the meaning of the word ‘instinct’. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, instinct means “a natural tendency for people and animals to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training.” Though this definition claims that humans can also be instinctive but we are much aware that animals rely largely on it for survival. On the other hand, the Babylon English Dictionary sees the mind as “brain, human faculty which reasons and judges.” A very close observation of the human brain presents to us a unique feature which is absent in the brains of animals—the mind. The human mind is the distinguishing feature.

            One major function of the mind is THINKING or REASONING. Thinking is part of the human nature. In other words, every individual is expected to think. The world today is product of productive thinking. Individuals have boggled their minds to produce mind-blowing results. Through thinking, scientists, industrialists, economists and great people have made the world a better place for us all. No doubt, everyone to a large extent has experienced one form of the effect of productive thinking or the other. The world is a world of thinkers.

            When I was in the primary school, I remember my teacher once told me that civilisation started in Africa. Yes, Africa! Then, though young, I felt so proud to be African. That feeling registered in my mind that Africans were the first productive thinkers the world ever had. But as time went on, I discovered that though civilisation first started from within us, we are now being termed the Third World. This discovery humbled me and took off that pride I once had but interestingly, it got me into fathoming what went wrong. What was it that took off from our once glorious position in the world stage?

The role of thinking can never be substituted for anything, be it religion, tradition, culture etc. Mental development is the foundation for civilisation and societal development. The journey to success and failure starts from the mind. One of the reasons that I think is responsible for our being dethroned is that we have left our priced quality of productive thinking for something less glorious and other nations cashed in on that and overtook us.

Thoughts are powerful. Thoughts are products of our mind. Frequent use of the mind enhances its effectiveness. Nowadays, wars are no longer won on battlefields but in the minds of the people. The good news is that we (young Africans) still have a wonderful opportunity to turn the table around in our favour.

Americans built America;

Europeans built Europe;

Africans can and should build Africa.

It begins with you.

***Watch out for Part 2***

Written by Godspower Chidiuto Onwudiwe (@gonwudiwe),

Master Degree student,

Faculty of Humanities,

School of Education,

University of Cape Town,

South Africa.