Lhabab Duechen and Election Day

October 31, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

Lhabab Duechen is a Buddhist holiday celebrating one of the four major life events of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The holiday, which falls on Saturday, November 7th this year, marks the day the Buddha returned from heaven where he gave teachings to his mother and others on how to attain enlightenment from the cycles of existence. The day is often marked with festivals in Tibet and Bhutan, and is an important day of meditation practice.

According to the Buddhists, days like Lhabab Duechen are multipliers of positive and negative actions. If you engage in positive actions, the effects of those actions are compounded 100 million times. The same effect is true of negative actions. That is why it is important to be mindful and engage in virtuous activities on such days.

As we approach election day in America on November 3rd, I am moved to remind all my readers of the power of their vote. This is the one day in the secular calendar where our voices are magnified and the direction of our great nation is decided. This year we will choose whether to continue on the path of idealism and exceptionalism or become just another transactional nation filled with cynicism and fear. Your vote (or lack thereof) will decide our course. Make sure your voice is heard.

Happy Lhabab Duechen!

A painting depicting Buddha Shakyamuni’s decent from heaven.

What Part of the Brain Will You Vote With?

October 27, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

The human brain is an amazing thing. It is the tool by which we learn, communicate, and connect with other living things. Over millions of years of evolution, the human brain has developed unique cortical properties for reasoning and decision making.

In evolution, traits are not selected for, they are simply not selected against. For example, ancient humans with poorer hunter/gatherer skills failed to survive or attract mates with the same frequency as those who excelled at those tasks. Those with the poorer skills (smaller brains) were selected against (died or did not mate) favoring those with increased brain volume.

Another key piece of evolution is the idea that systems are modified and built upon rather than replaced. This is especially important in understanding human behavior where there is a conflict between the ancient emotion and instinct driven system (the limbic brain) with the more advanced logic and reason based system (the frontal cortex).

It may not surprise you to know that the connections sending information from the limbic brain to the frontal cortex are more abundant than those traveling in the reverse direction. This explains how quick an emotional response or intuitive impression arises. That’s also why all of us without early meditation training struggle with mindfulness, which is the willful activation of the frontal cortex and active suppression of the limbic brain.

Of course, this is a simplistic explanation of two very complex systems; however, it begs an important question: What part of your brain will you use on election day? Will you vote using reason or emotion? Will you choose blindly by party affiliation or take the time to contemplate the virtues and non-virtues of each measure and candidate? Or, put in evolutionary terms, will we select against our most primal drives and basic instincts or (d)evolve into something more animal than human.

Developing an Ancestor’s Mindset

October 25, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

Be honest. As you toil through you day, how often do you think, “How will my actions impact future generations? Do they create a better tomorrow?”

Few of us willfully choose to do things that will harm future generations. Often these actions are done out of ignorance or a lack of mindfulness. One way to ensure that our actions are always tempered with the needs of succeeding generations is to establish an ancestor’s mindset.

The ancestor’s mindset considers the impact our daily actions have on future generations and favors choices that create a better tomorrow for ourselves and others.

An ancestor’s mindset can be helpful in almost any activity from shopping to voting. For example, when we go to the grocery store we may choose organic or less-refined products to support sustainable agriculture. The ancestor’s mindset may also influence us to shop local to support regional farmers. When we vote, we may consider how the initiatives may benefit future generations. A desire to build a better tomorrow is at the heart of the ancestor’s mindset and becomes an important factor in all decision making.

The opportunities we have today are due to the well-meaning actions of our ancestors of the past. In a time when human activities threaten the world, developing an ancestor’s mindset can help us safeguard the planet for future generations and give them something more prosperous and abundant than we received.

None of us our perfect, but together we can be better…

The Future Requires Human Progress

October 24, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

I began restoring my first classic car at the age of 13. It was an AMC Pacer with a three-on-the-tree (I bet there is some of you who don’t know what that is). Over the years, I have owned many fun (and funny) cars including a DeLorean.

As much as I love classic automobiles, the nostalgia I have for them is just that–nostalgia. The gas burning automobile had a time and place in history, but that time is quickly passing. I imagine people felt similar when they first gave up their horse or carriage for a set of car keys.

Today, when I see people driving large, gas burning automobiles, it makes me sad. I am reminded of the movie Pleasantville where some people who are unable to grow or change remain trapped in a black-and-white life. The truth is that fossil fuel consumption has polluted our world, and we must transition as a society to cleaner renewable energy sources.

Like many Americans, I still drive a gas burning automobile (a VW Jetta to be exact) because of cost. As technologies become cheaper and more efficient, I think those of us in the middle income bracket should make our next car purchase electric.

I do not believe the fossil fuel industry will go away over night. Like the automotive industry, the fossil fuel industry faces a fundamental choice about what they want to become. Will they choose to grow, change, and thrive in the burgeoning new market of renewable energy, or will they continue to resist change and become just another piece of nostalgia like the AMC Pacer.

Why We Should Mourn the Deaths of Tyrants

October 23, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

Tyrants are persons of power who use their influence to spread division, hate, and violence. Tyrants can be leaders, celebrities, or influencers. Many tyrants do not consider themselves tyrannical. They may often see themselves as heroes.

The deaths of tyrants are often celebrated. And why not? Their monstrous acts cause so much suffering. This view, however true, is short sighted.

Think for a moment about the tyrant’s life. Consider all that power, all that fame, all that potential for good. Now consider having all of this and squandering it all for selfish gain. What a great failure! How tragic!

The failure of the tyrant is a lesson for us all. To mourn the death of a tyrant is to mourn the failed promise of great potential lost. Tyrants show us what we ourselves must never become. Their folly is on display for all of us to see. In this way, tyrants are our greatest teachers and worthy of our prayers and compassion.

To conquer tyranny, we must first conquer the tyrant in each of us.

Share the Positive

October 20, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

When I was a teenager in the 1990s, I saw great promise for the internet to be a positive force for good. Through the spread of information, I believed that democratic activists in fledging Eastern European democracies would find a voice and the peoples of authoritarian regimes like China would demand better human rights.

I could not have been more wrong.

Instead of a repository of knowledge, the internet has become a landfill of disinformation. Conspiracy theories spread like wildfire and social media giants are doing very little to stop it. One could argue that disinformation about COVID-19 alone has cost thousands of lives.

You and I may not have the power to block false or misleading content, but we can be part of a better internet.

The content we share, read, and create builds the internet. Moving the focus away from the negative to the positive involves a cognitive shift. It requires an acknowledgement that darkness does exist in the world, but the best way to approach it is with love and compassion and not anger and fear.

The content we consume should challenge us to be better; it should inspire us to change ourselves and be positive examples for others. What we share should offer hope and highlight the values that unite us rather than the differences that divide us. When we create content it should adhere to the following principles: 1) Goodness 2) Truthfulness 3) Openness.

Content that is good does not inspire hate, anger, or division. Content that is true does not blur reality or create an environment of disinformation and conspiracy. Content that is open is without ulterior motive and driven by virtue.

Elevate yourself and the world will follow.

“I don’t know.” The Words of an Expert.

October 18, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

Have you ever met someone who seems to have all the answers. No matter what you ask them, they respond as if they’re an expert.

When I got my degree in neuroscience, I remember feeling like a fraud. My grades were good, but I felt like I had more questions than answers. I remember thinking, ‘Ive spent four years studying this subject and now I’m an expert at what I don’t know.’

Education is humbling. In medical school, I remember my angst at mastering copious amounts of information. At some point, I realized that to memorize all of it would be impractical and impossible. I learned to become a master of my resources. The answer to a question might not always be apparent, but I knew where to find the answer, and I knew what expert resources to consult.

All of us have life wisdom. Our experiences are meaningful and can be used to help others. However, our experiences are not facts, nor are they satisfactory to be a referendum on any topic. Expertise goes beyond personal experience (and a google search). An expert opinion is the careful synthesis of what is known and what is not known. As data changes, the advice changes. Experts don’t always have all the answers, but they have the best idea where to find them.

Trust experts.

Acts of Noble Defiance

October 17, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

Lately, it feels like our environment is filled with acts of defiance. Individuals refuse to wear masks in public despite evidence that it can save lives. Politicians arrogantly defy the will of their constituents through acts of omission and commission. At all levels of government, defiance has replaced compromise and peacemaking. We defy science; we defy reason; we defy fact. This toxic defiance impacts all of our lives, and we are no better for it.

History shows us that not all acts of defiance are wrong. Throughout American history, individuals have stood up against discriminatory policies through peaceful acts of civil disobedience. These activities spread awareness of injustices, shifting public opinion and transforming societies from within.

The question arises, when are acts of defiance noble and when are they not?

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King said that acts of disobedience are noble and moral when one group of people is treated differently from another. Dr. King believed that all acts of civil disobedience should be non-violent and create constructive tension to compel those in power to meaningful negotiation. Thus immoral acts of defiance are all those which are violent and favor one group over another.

This November when we cast our votes, let us not forget the men and women who sacrificed their lives to safeguard this right, and all those whose acts of civil disobedience elevated our union. Let no man or movement divide us; let no ignorance or arrogance blind us; and, let us rise again, a phoenix from its ashes, and rekindle the dream of the city of the hill where everyone is equal.

Imitators vs. Emulators of Good Behavior

October 12, 2020February 9, 2021 / Jame A. Agapoff, MD, MS (she/they) / Leave a comment

After watching the recent presidential debates and first Senate confirmation hearing of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, I am reminded of the difference between imitators vs. emulators of good and virtuous behavior.

Imitators are like imposters. They wear a costume that hides their true self. In this way, the imitator seeks to deceive through their appearance and actions. They are the wolves who wear the flocks of sheep.

Each of us can recognize an imitator. They make us feel slimy. Their smile is not a smile at all, and their touch makes us shiver. We feel invisible tentacles touching us when they speak. Their words are like that of a serpent, seductive and deceiving.

Imitators of good behavior have an agenda. Their goodness has a hook. It requires a conversion. If you don’t bite down and take the imitator’s costume as your own, the good is taken away. Imitators of good behavior have allowed themselves to be conquered by blind faith. They prey on our desperation and need.

Imitators are more concerned with their goal than the path. They believe the ends justify the means. We should do everything in our power not to become imitators of good behavior.

Emulation, on the other hand, is a process of growth and transformation. When one emulates a person or object, they seek to appropriate their very nature. There is no facade to hide behind, no ulterior motive, no hypocrisy, no material gain. Subject becomes object; object becomes self.

Emulators of good behavior are good for the sake of being good. They are the torchbearers of integrity who lead us through example alone. You will know them by their openness and gentleness. Their compassion and fearlessness make them brave and unattached. In this way, they are warriors of virtue.

Emulators are more concerned with the path rather than the goal. They do not believe the ends justify the means. All of us should aspire to be emulators of good behavior.

The Writings of Jame Agapoff

Always. Ever. Dragon.

Month: October 2020