SEC17/W2 | While making decisions, what do you prefer to follow: heart or mind?

Humans are often faced with situations where they must make the best decision as quickly as possible. As a husband, father, consultant, and ordinary member of society, I frequently encounter such situations. I have even experienced life-and-death scenarios not just once or twice but several times. Tough choices have become a part of my daily life, and I feel this will always be my "destiny" indefinitely.

_{In every decision I make, there's always a fierce battle between reason and emotion. Often, this struggle leads to sheer indecision. If it comes down to that, I will always rely on my "last resort," which is INSTINCT. Image source here}

"Instinct is a marvelous thing. It can neither be explained nor ignored." - Agatha Christie on The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Psychologically, instinct, or intuition is an inherent drive that arises within the psyche to follow a particular tendency of the soul present from birth. Instinct represents a pattern of behavior and response to specific stimuli that is inherited through generations (phylogenetic) rather than learned. It is an involuntary reaction to stimuli that operates without conscious thought

Sigmund Freud categorized instincts into two types: life instinct and death instinct. He stated that the Life Instinct is a drive that ensures survival and reproduction, such as hunger, thirst, and sex (well, now we know why life instinct is represented by the god Eros). This life instinct is what has propelled human civilization to develop to this day.

Meanwhile, the Death Instinct (represented by Thanatos) encompasses expressions of aggression, anger, and violence. Someone driven by the death instinct may engage in self-harm, risky behavior, or violence toward others. Of course, on this occasion, I will not discuss the death instinct because I am talking about humans, and humans are primates with the highest survival rate to the best of my observation and knowledge. If you encounter another primate with a higher survival rate than humans, feel free to share your opinion in the comment section.

"Trust your instincts, and make judgements on what your heart tells you. The heart will not betray you." - David Gemmell

_{Honestly, up to this day, I haven't found the clearest understanding of what instinct truly means. Especially regarding this contest, is instinct more closely related to logical brain or emotions? Or is instinct a combination of "mind" and "heart"? Pffftt idk yet. Image source here}

What I know is that all responses produced by instinct are the result of chemical reactions in our brains. It could be located in the limbic system, brainstem, or maybe the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Because all the articles I've read contain anatomical terms I mentioned earlier. Perhaps among the Steemian friends who delve into the fields of medicine or psychology, I would be very ready to listen to your long lecture along with my friend @wakeupkitty.

There are several instincts that I possess and can explain. One of the most common is Fight or Flight. Back then, our ancestors had to confront situations where they faced large animals that could devour them in an instant. The survival instinct helped them decide whether to confront the threat before them or flee. Our ancestors hadn't learned SWOT analysis in those times, so it was impossible for them to make mathematical calculations about the risks and opportunities they might face if they fought or fled. This instinct is what always saves me when facing wild animals in the forest, and it's this instinct that helps me activate my survival skills in "on" mode.

If you think the Fight or Flight response has died in this age where we feel like all the instincts passed down by our ancestors have vanished due to the presence of technology, you're completely wrong! Without realizing it, many important decisions we make are based on this response. Just think about when you face an angry boss, a nagging wife, or accidentally bump into another vehicle on the road. Do you confront them or avoid them? It depends on the stress you experience when making the decision.

_{The second instinct I acquired came after the birth of my first daughter. Yes, the instinct I'm referring to is parental instinct. When I first held my 1st born, some force compelled me to think, "I would risk my life for this little human being." Looking back, recalling that experience feels a bit funny. But as time passes, my princesses grow up, and the love I feel as a parent only intensifies day by day. Yes, I'm still willing to die for them. Image source here}

Perhaps only those two types of instincts are what I can discuss in this post. Maybe I will write about other points on another occasion, because there are still many types of instincts that humans possess inherited from our ancestors even without our awareness. What's certain is that decisions based on instinct do not deny logic and conscience at all. Rather, decisions made based on instinct have gone through many abstract considerations, including considerations of reason and heart.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my post

Have a great day

El-Nailul