To me, it seems that a lot of it is just butting horns. And the primitive territorial imperative. The primitive brain is still very much active in modern humans.
Solution. Use the human brain to regulate the emotions. Easier said than done for the masses, for a variety of reasons.
It is a problem out there. As I said, do not engage. Low key it. Let it go. Your life takes priority over riding the emotions. West Coast Joe
Great advice WCJ. They say that with age comes wisdom but some people may change their surroundings (partners, friends, careers, housues) but they stay juvenile inside. They say each one of us has a number of different ages: 1) chronological age 2) intellectual age 3) emotional age 4) spirit age.
The notion is that, say one can be 30 years old biologically, 50 years old intellectually, 6 years old emotionally, and 80 years old spiritually. Some people may be young in chronological years but 'old before their time' in terms of their 'spirit', a teenager emotionally, and think learning ended at high school.
Then of course there are posters like you, who are physically 20 years less than their biological age, are bright, mature, and young at heart.
Its said we have three brains 1) our reptilian brain 2) our mammalian mid brain and 3) our new brain. The reptilian brain controls our automated thoughts, physiology and is constantly alert to possible danger and when danger is perceived, it takes over. For human 'predators' they also usually operate from this part of their brain most of the time. I call them 'crocodiles', always looking for weakness, vulnerability, or opportunity.
The mid- brain (mammalian brain) mediates or controls (or is at least supposed to control) our emotions. Emotions 'happen' - they have no brain or time clock (that is why the trauma of PTSD has no notion of time in terms of the traumatic event, as in war) but the mid-brain is there to 'understand' and 'manage' emotions sensibly.
The new brain (cortex) is the part of our brain that is conscious, intentional, rational, and choiceful. It is the cortex you are using now as you read this post. It is the part of us that can be self-aware, reflective, and self-observant. It is the part of our brain that allows us to communicate complex concepts. learn science, etc. and which separates us from other animals.
Now, when Wally looks out on the playing field and its third and less than one, his old reptilian brain kicks in and he senses danger rather than opportunity, his mid-brain doesn't regulate his fear, and he punts the football on the opposition 35 yard line.
Sorry WCJ, but I couldn't resist.