Masks, Crutches and Daggers by Ray Armat Ph.D, profound discussions from a scientific, evolutionary perspective. The book examines how natural selection contradicts excess wealth and power. We see the evolutionary path chosen by humans and consequences of this “sky’s the limit” way of life. We’re no longer bound by nature or balance. “Masks” in the book refer to insincerity & layers of deception or “persona” in Jungian psychology. “Masks, Crutches, and Daggers” is eye opening. We are the only species to engage in such a degree of unnecessary imbalance, gluttony and excess; traits often punishable in nature. Originally driven by survival, we de-volved into what Dr. Armat calls a homo economicus brain.
We learn hormonal feedback loops driving addictive behaviour. “Masks, Crutches and Daggers” is most insightful for anyone seeking balance, health and longevity in life. Dr. Armat offers real solutions to our propensity for depression, addiction, anxiety and self deception.
We learn brains retain primitive ‘flight or flight’ mechanisms, driven by hormones & how that affects us in this current world. Group think or herd mentality may have been beneficial to our species at one point but it can also be detrimental. Given the ability for information to spread at an unprecedented rate now, group-think can become a slippery slope when based on fallacy. Real-world and historical examples of scientific fallacy demonstrate widely acceptable medical decisions later can turn harmful. Yet another interesting example is smoking, once condoned by some doctors. Life-altering lobotomies offered as a treatment for mental disorders. The very disorders that we learn are a natural reaction to a toxic soup of hormones negatively affecting perception. There is emphasis on mathematical patterns found in nature, such as tessellations and the Fibonacci sequence and the shocking conclusion is humanity is rejecting nature!
The book nods to extreme cost of technological advances and ways this affects humanity. Lucky for us, advances in science and technology allow us to “cheat” nature by paying for a gastro surgery, replacing old joints, paying a surrogate or investing in IVF, making body alterations etc. The book also examines how our brains have been “re-wired” from foraging-reward now replaced by surges in dopamine around financial gains instead. Messages in this book hit like a ton of bricks: there are ways we are going out of our way to spend untold amounts on technical advancements which fly in the face of natural selection! Hugely recommend this book. A must read!
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