"Use-it-or-lose-it" pruning of brain cells. An on-the-fly brain mechanism for dynamic minds?

Does the pruning of unused synapses happens more often and much faster than has been thought of? Does the phrase 'make-up my mind' is a literal equivalent of a pruning process, the severing of all unused synapses, lightening the burden, getting rid off unnecessary baggage and therefore streamlining the thinking process? Coupled with an equally fast ability to form new synapses? On-the-fly? Thus improving the efficiency of the thought process? The analysis of the problem and the solution used to assist in the making of a decision?

And any difference attributed to individuals, depend upon how fast or how slow that pruning and synapse-forming processes are? Which would determine the levels of efficiency? That probably would entail a better use of neurotransmitter substances or other brain-enhancing chemicals produced by cells, their production directly controlled by the genes in genetic make-up carried by individuals? A quick learner's aptitude based on an ability to create synapses very fast, on-the-fly?

Creativity and other innovative faculties a result of the speed of forming of synapses between disparate locations in the brain? And the oblivion that sets in, on the ways we take, in the course of our lives, a paradigm shift in every level, a literal cutting off of the synapses responsible for the abandoned thought processes? A severe pruning that makes us to totally forget our old ways?

Responsible for the mind we carry day-by-day for our daily needs? And even responsible for the mind we use for gradually longer periods? A survival mechanism and the reason we maintain imperfect consciousnesses?

Consciousness sinister role

Consciousness plays a much bigger and more sinister role, than I would expect or have even contemplated as yet. Because not only from within an individual but from the mirrors of its image in other individuals, a yours/theirs consciousness, is ever ready to praise or mollify you.

It is when you identify yourself, sheepishly follow, with whatever it prescribes for you, hooked hopelessly to whims of yours/theirs consciousness, when everything goes awry. The mirrored consciousness becomes enhanced, blown out of proportion, exaggerated. You usually become trapped, unable to get free, either from its deriding claws, a helpless pawn or a pitiful buffoon from its overindulgent attention, when it places you in a pedestal.

It has been widely accepted that the human individual is a social being, that can not exist by itself. That the human individual thrives among other individuals. That idea brings along a horde of other ideas, which are needless and surplus to requirements and incapacitate our potential. Hinders our efforts to think of ourselves, by ourselves, for ourselves. Our consciousness development is overly influenced. Instead of the individual promoting its singleness, it submits unquestionably to the commands of a pack consciousness, our very own consciousness becoming the overseer.

Social consciousness contents

Julian Jaynes puts as the generating power that created consciousness, the language. That consciousness as we know it has evolved as a result of the evolution of language.

Social consciousness and its contents need be examined as I suspect it plays an important role in shaping the way the individual makes decisions.

Concepts and especially redundant concepts that have developed as consciousness has evolved, determine its contents, the stimuli that consciousness will draw its attention to.

Concepts that do not reflect reality have created a world of their own, and are responsible for the illusions individuals have in deciphering what reality is. As they are not directly related to reality therefore their contents are out of reality, they are unreal, only illusions.

Therefore in order to clear the debris consciousness is riddled with, we should look at language as language is responsible for bringing them in, spawn them, in the first place. And we are talking about the 'problem solving/decision making' consciousness mainly. The language made it and the language controls it. Language is responsible for its drawbacks, flaws as well as its ... advantages.

Freedom of choice translated to freedom to ignore

There are myriad of choices laid out before us and our freedom of choice becomes overwhelmed. It becomes a freedom to ignore than a freedom to choose. The data the world lays in our doorstep are abundant, too many for all to be processed. We need to separate the wheat from the chuff.

Our freedom of choice is largely employed to ignore more than to choose. Alternative viewpoints presented to us and actions suggested are not considered. A rich bank of alternative ways of providing solutions to problems already exists in the world wide web, but we can not do anything but disregard a lot of them primarily because the pressures every day life bestows upon us, are so overwhelming that give us no time to fully explore their significance and applicability. The simplified models, each of us follow, become so overriding that push their directives right in front of us demanding to be chosen. Choices alien to our needs. The pressures to be in tune with others are paramount.

People continuously talk about the freedom of choice and raise that particular quality of mind to heights unparalleled for any of the qualities the human mind possess. They cherish their freedom of will more than it deserves, even when the choices made prove to be detrimental to their lives. It becomes so overriding in providing solutions to problems faced, that ignores all other options presented.

It stems from a general behaviour prevalent in the group each of us belongs to, and as a result the principle of being free to choose become free to choose to ignore. General behaviour based on cultural norms and attitudes that have constantly been an inexhaustible source of powerful suggestions. Suggestions which lead us towards adapting norms in our behaviour as caused by an external source instead of the self. We act how we believe we are supposed to act. Qualities like self-esteem and assertiveness is driving us to succumb to suggestions more easily. As we measure our self-esteem and assertiveness by gauging at the surrounding individuals responses, taking their suggestions as guides in our pursuit of achieving self-esteem and assertivenesses and therefore tend to conform overtly to the views of others without private acceptance or experience. Exhibit behavioral compliance without our acceptance or belief.