Before Michael Burnham
was a commander,
no less in Star Fleet,
she was a little girl.
A little girl who had ostensibly
lost both her parents
in a Klingon raid…
a little girl who was adopted
by Spock’s parents,
Sarek and Amanda.
As if surviving
the Klingon raid
was not enough trauma,
the poor girl found herself…
the target of Vulcan terrorists
known as
the Logic Extremists.
Like most children
little Michael felt responsible
for her parents’ safety,
which fed into her survivor’s guilt.
In light of the Logic Extremists
she felt her presence
in Sarek and Amanda’s household
put their family in harm’s way.
So she ran off
into the Vulcan wilderness
where she was promptly…
chased down by a great beasty
determined to make of her
a delicious meal.
Let’s explore this
from the perspective
of neuroscience,
and Taoism, and Star Wars.
Our brain-stem
is all about personal survival
and is quite willing to put others at risk
in the hopes of furthering its life.
In the Tao Te Ching
this is known as Yang,
or Toxic Masculinity.
And in the Star Wars galaxy
this could be attributed
to the influence
of the dark side.
All healthy mammals
have a fully functional
mid-brain…
replete with mirror neurons,
and an anterior gyrate
comprising our empathy center.
In the Tao Te Ching
this is known as Yin
or Healing Femininity.
And in the Star Wars galaxy
this is personified
by the light side of the force.
It is this empathy center
that would cause young Michael
to shudder at the thought
of endangering her foster family.
But it is also the same
neurological component
that would influence…
the Vulcan ambassador
and his family
to protect this young refugee
at any cost.
For evolution has selected
to wire our reward center
to our empathy center…
thus ensuring that love
is the key to fulfilment.
The defining emotion
of our brain-stem’s
Toxic Masculinity
is fear.
Likewise, the defining emotion
of our mid-brain’s
Healing Femininity
is love.
Two millennia ago
an insightful Jew wrote,
“…perfect love drives out fear.”
If our country is to survive,
no less thrive,
we must forsake ruthless fear
and embrace selfless love.
It is what Sarek did,
it is what Qui Gon Jinn did,
it is the key to true greatness.
But love can neither be commanded
nor legislated.
It must be inspired.
We could become the men and women,
who’s love burns so pure
and so bright…
that it wakes up
the rest of humanity
from its fevered delirium
of competition and cruelty.
Let us conclude
with a simple
call to action
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