New York Times columnist David Brooks notes in his new book, The Social Animal, that human beings can take in about 12 million pieces of information a minute yet we can only be conscious of about 40. Thus he notes that so much of what we are reacting to is happening on a sub-conscious and emotional level.
Think about how we experience cities every day if only .0000033% of the experience is happening on a conscious level. Even if the conscious stuff is the more privileged in our experience, there is a dimension, a non-rational, emotional dimension, that is hugely important as well. Perhaps it is the timing of Brooks’ book and mine, but I am seeing more evidence that there is an emerging consciousness about the importance of emotional connections in everything from cities to politics to health and wellness. And that, I believe, is a very good thing.
Check out Brooks at TED: