I'm looking for thoughtful replies NOT what comes across as smart ass / flippant. We're only given 1 brain and many screw it up with drugs, alcohol etc. making them a liability not only for them selves personally but for society. Hopefully you have more respect for yourself than that.

@Earthling50 Sounds like you're ill informed about marijuana. Many people, including myself, with PTSD/anxiety/depression smoke it for therapeutic reasons. Aside from living my life how I live, the only thing I do extra for my condition is smoke weed. A bowl before bed every night is all I do. If I don't smoke for 3-4 days, my depression starts to take effect. If you are afraid of getting an answer that doesn't confirm your bias, next time don't ask.

@FatherOfNyx you gave me no background so I thank you now for this extra info and ... I wish you the very best!

@Earthling50 Yeah, I wasn't trying to be a dick or anything.. lol, I just thought it was somewhat common knowledge that weed is used by many with PTSD and the like. There is also growing data suggesting that shrooms are good for PTSD and depression. While I don't think I'll ever try it as schizophrenia runs in my family, there are studies that claim one trip on magic mushrooms can help alleviate symptoms of PTSD/depression for weeks or even months. Aside from those 2 drugs, I wouldn't recommend drugs or alcohol for PTSD. A good indicator or whether a drug is good for you or not is how long it stays in your system. Traces of weed and shrooms can be found in your body up to 90 days since the last use. Other drugs and alcohol are typically flushed within 3 days because they're not that good for your body.

@Earthling50 I would also love to have some deep brain stimulation done, but I don't really see doctors outside of an ER trip..and no doctor would be like "sure, let's drill some holes in your skull and shock your brain" without first going through all the other crap like pills and therapy.

@FatherOfNyx any surgery is risky but drilling into the head is something I would really be scared of. I was just snooping the net and came across this ... [cheatsheet.com]

Evolution is interesting for sure and you can go back as far as the big bang or even the supernovae that was responsible for giving rise to the heavy elements that make up our bodies and our world; the universe for that matter.
I find brain evolution is interesting too ... I like the Triune Brain/Limbic System Model that describes our brain as originally nothing more than a reptilian system built for survival out of which emerged a limbic brain in charge of emotions, and finally the neocortex, in charge of abstract, rational thinking. I wonder what will evolved (or devolve) next?
It's nice you take time to hike in the woods and mountains; peace is happiness

You sound as though you are in the medical field; you have a real appreciation of protecting the brain. Do you do brain exercises? Is so, what kind?

@Earthling50 I do serious emotional work...with people! I study and monitor my feelings and thinking against reality...which is hard work! Because you must strip yourself down past what is comfortable! And, I challenge all my fears! I eat lightly and only things I like, mostly fruits and vegetables, although I eat meat when I am in the mood! I do lots of physical things for excerise! Do I do these things like a religion...NO! That is just where I place my focus. Once after I was sent for physical therapy, after having difficulty walking and pain, I was advised to join a fitness center, which I did. I worked the weights and in about 6 months I noticed a obvious shift in my brain! I had a better over all feeling of ‘well-being’. So I do think being physical helps our brain...maybe more than most people think!

@Freedompath you're right about joining a gym; it has huge benefits for not only the body but the brain; an instant uplift. Eating lighter too ... what a difference it makes.

Yes, absolutely. There is so much "CRAP" on TV that's it's not worth it. It's a man-made "Artificial" American propaganda (self-worship). 50 years ago, there were no color TVs and 100 years ago there were only a few radios. 150 years ago there was no refrigerator/freezer. And we have survived for millions of years. So yes, aboslutely, we have the RIGHT to protect our brains from dog feces.

I'm not saying to stick your head in the sand. I'm a news junkie; read about 10 papers a day; I like to know what's going on in the world. And what I see is a sorry state of affairs; war, domestic violence, depression, suicide, murders, drug, alcohol and porn addiction etc etc. Low life takes a toll not only on a person's life but that of society; it downgrades it; infuses it with a bad vibe; a poison of sorts and of course our tax dollars are funneled cleaning up the mess helping people who have made bad choices.

@rayfunrelax and what makes you think our brains were not just filled with different shit then? Like Blacks and Natives being sub human, and women being stupid property?
The world is full of BS and always has been.
To avoid it all you need to be a hermit.

@Davesnothere Depends on your definition of shit. I think it's good to have discipline and not blindly follow the crowds and wasting your life in front of a propaganda machine. You acknowledged that you are a news junkie and all the news is bad, so would you watch it ? Are you a masochist (LOL) ? Now if by watching the news you could somehow make the world a better place, then that would be useful and I would support that.

@davesnothere listening to the news often sucks; keeps me up at night but I do ito stay informed to make the world a better place as much as I can; I’ve been an activist for years organizing rallies, meeting with government, writing letters- you name it.

@rayfunrelax sorry but you conflated me with someone else. I did not claim to be a news junkie (nor am I, that was Earthling)

Of course we can use discernment to filter our input, but there are some things in life from which we cannot and perhaps ought not to try and shield ourselves from.

Should we try and shield our brains from uncomfortable political opinions because they might stress us out and thereby let such a political viewpoint go unchallanged?

I think my issue with this lies in something I call Siddhartha complex, from the novel. Wherein the parent (or self) imposes some kind of restriction on the child in the idea they are protecting it from harm. In Siddhartha they "protected" him from seeing death, disease and blindness, then when he did see them he was so shocked he let home and Family and became the bhudda. He was shocked that his loved ones COULD ignore human plight like that under the guise of protection.

I you or I are so concerned about TV, or policies, or anything that we think we need to hide from it, my instinct is opposite. I think we should rise up and end that if it is so dangerous, not try to protect our own brains at the expense of all our neighbors brains.

@Davesnothere Yes I agree. I watched videos of inside USA poultry-livestock concentration torture factories many decades ago. It was extremely stressful for me. I changed my diet and lost my belief (religion). Changing my diet helped me lower my weight and get fit. My perspective on patriotism, religion, culture tradition and humanity has since changed. It's good to not be fooled by the system and not follow the crowds. It's easy to get fooled but no one likes to admit that they are a fool.

One of the best mental exercises going

misanthrope ...that's a new one I haven't heard before but after looking it up, I'm leaning in that direction. the human race is too often inhumane.

*For those who don't know what 'misanthrope' means ...its a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.