HUH, WHAT?

The first step towards changing mental channels is to engage the mind. To engage is "to attract and hold the attention of, to win over or attract and/or to draw into, to involve." Not surprisingly, the definition of entertainment contains the phrase, "to hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting." As I will discuss later, our brains have limited resources for attention. Capturing attention is clearly necessary If we are going to entertain or enrapture. But engagement is a rather fragile thing. While it is very easy to capture the mind’s attention at a very low level, higher functions easily break the hold. For instance, during a dull spot in a film you’ve probably thought something like, "Did I leave my keys in the car?" or, more likely, "Wow, this is a boring movie! Would someone please blow up a car?" Fortunately, there are ways to engage the brain at the higher, cognitive level, but for now, let’s check out the unguarded back entrance to attention, Reflex engagement.

Reflex engagement acts at absolutely the most primitive level of the brain. It is totally hardwired. Here we are no different than our primitive ancestors. We are just like any other mammal. At this level, our brains devote attention to whatever is even momentarily novel in the environment, especially motion. For instance, you couldn’t help yourself from looking at "Why are you looking at this?," Why? Because humans are such easy prey.