4 ms·
One never knows till one is in the moment. I watched a wave grab a child. As it happened we both came back out, but it was neither or both, that's how we're wir
by Syzygies 4y ago
One never knows till one is in the moment. I watched a wave grab a child. As it happened we both came back out, but it was neither or both, that's how we're wired.
As a professor one of my students had a seizure then stopped breathing, during one of my exams. There were fifty students closer to her than me, yet somehow I found myself giving aid, as everyone else either dialed 911 or swooned "there goes my professor!" There was that second where all these thoughts went through my mind, but then she started breathing.
As for false accusations, there's a principle that accusers should understand but don't: NEVER assume you're the craziest person in the room.
- xeromal 4y agoYeah, that instant reaction is very primal(?) for everyone. Everyone has ideas but most of the time your higher level thoughts aren't even operating. It's just instinct. I was on a plane once where a man donned a helmet and knee pads and attempted to open the door to the outside. I'm know that is an impossibility in the air, but instinct says stop it. Several men charged the guy and held him down until the flight touched down but it was interesting to see the reactions from various people.
- psyc 4y agoAs a former outdoorsman I’ve been in situations where I had to rush to a potentially critically injured near-stranger, and other situations where I was startled by a large wild animal, and as far as I can tell it’s the same response. My rational mind simply disengaged like a clutch, and it was barely even informed of what I was doing until minutes later. My memory says my body was moving without my help. I’m usually the one who’s calm and troubleshooting like a robot while others are freaking out, but when the brain decides it’s time for an adrenaline flood I believe that trumps every other thing.