Image: Moms Clean Air Force

Human brain is indeed one of the most amazing and ineffable matter, that has long troubled every human ever existed in the earth. It is the same brain that made few of the then known fools as the wisest men to walk on Earth and it is also the same brain that led many of the civilized and educated humans into the deep, dark and abstract labyrinth of mental disorders and even further into the ultimate grave. A very recent study by the researchers showed that our brain functions in 11 dimensions but those researchers too must have been mingled with the unanswered questions of how it works. Speaking shamelessly to the dismay of brains, of the present 21^st century, we humans, even though have realized its vastness and importance and its unmatchable capabilities, we are on the constant verge of polluting our brain. “Polluting The Brain!” Yes, the topic may sound a bit absurd like the ghastly absurdness of the functioning power of our brain, but indeed, it’s the same brain that is commanding the inner self of us and as a result, we are polluting it either knowingly or unknowingly in a sly manner that even the brain of ourselves is unable to recognize the intangible webs sprung by itself. If classified in a fashioned manner, then there are few head spinning factors, which along with the long array of time have been constantly deteriorating the functioning of our brain due to the pollution created by them. We shall now discuss these topics, mainly classified into two groups and find out how these irresistible factors are responsible at their own level to create the unswappable pollution that is accelerating among the every last neuron, our brain consists.

Pollution by Education

Pollution by education, “What a rubbish?” This is the general argument held by the educated humans who have already had their brains polluted by the same education, which once trained their brain to grow more efficient (or more pollutant). Our education system is indubitably based on the concept of “Teach, then judge the students by their marks.” A few number of advanced education programs and institutions may say, "Teach, then judge the students by how practical they are.” And a few number of strict and disciplined education system may hold the fallacy of, "Teach and make your student more competent.” Competent in the sense of present day competitions for every places and phase of life. These education systems do not instantly pollute the brains but sow the seeds of pollution that germinate and later grows out exponentially with time. For these, we can take a look at this simple and childish example. In our early school days, we are taught that soaps are better than detergents because soaps are biodegradable whereas detergents are not. The same education later inspires us to wash clothes by detergents as clothes become clean and shiny without a single piece of stain, and more popularly, it saves our time. Hence, the education system has already created a confusion among us whether to choose the soap or detergent. A battle between Angel and Devil rages inside us with angel saying, "Use soap, take time and save the environment.” Meanwhile, the devil interrupts with his remarkably mollifying words, "Use detergent. Save time and effort. Just sit and relax mate. You are not the only person on the planet to use this.” History has the legacy that the devil’s power is always superior at first. Hence, it sows the seeds of pollution, which later grows bigger and inspires us to destroy woods and make technologically convenient washing machines saving our precious time. With the rapid progress in technology, there are many countless examples that are shadowed in the shade of education and are constantly polluting our brain and even the environment in bonus.

Polluting by Religion and Culture

It is another factor to which many brains shall blindly believe and the few shall have their mouth wide open and even get their eyes popped out. Our religion and culture make a profound impact on our brain from our very dawn. It is the religion that creates and shapes the culture, which along the sands of time give birth to many other norms and values, and again with the flow of time reshapes our way of living. So the question arises, "How can religion pollute our brain?” and the answer lies crystal clear in their philosophy that even though we have noticed in our day-to-day life many times but are ignoring or are forced to ignore them by the misconception sowed by it inside our brain. Every religion considers theirs as the most superior and scientific of all. They have portrayed a picture of heaven and hell. If we follow their religion, then we shall rest in heaven and if we don’t, we shall be condemned to hell. So the term religion not only pollutes the brain but even terrorize it by their philosophy with their inner voice threatening us, "How would you prefer to live after death-cool and calm in paradise or burn in hell?” Obviously, everyone loves to stay in the cool and cozy environment. We aren’t given any third or extra choices. So we are forced to pollute our brain by ourselves knowing that there is nonsense in such words. On coming to the culture shaped by the religion we follow, the pollution increases rapidly. In many cultures under the umbrella of religion, wines and liquors are the common offering made to the god and are taken as blessings. Hence, we drink and enjoy and later on read the lines in our books, digital medias or in advertisements, "Drinking liquor is injurious to health.” Again, the confusion arises within us, "Who’s the fraud here- We, The wine, God or those cautious lines warning  us for our health.” We are bounded by our religion and cultures and are forbidden to commit sin. But if anyone does it, then the same cultures and religion provide a way or a loophole to erase those sins or pacify ourselves by various ways provided by our holy books hence polluting our brain. Religion and cultures too have countless faults within their philosophy which are constantly polluting our brain. The above examples are just to say. Our inner virtues are shaped by religion and culture, even knowingly it contributes to the pollution of our brain.

Conclusion

Human beings are social animals so definitely society plays a crucial role in nurturing the human mind. It is the society that implements the pollution created by both education, and the religions and cultures.  We are experiencing the sky-rocketing change in technology as the gift of education, as well as the fragments of society created in the name of religion. Yes! Like everything, they both have positive and negative aspects where the positive aspects lead to the development of entire society and human mind whereas the negative aspects bear the seeds of pollution. So, how much do we pollute our brain? It solely rests upon the deeds and works done by we-ourselves. Like once Friedrich Nietzsche said, "One is pregnant with only one’s own child.” We are also solely responsible for the things we do ranging from the education through which we are guided, the technology to which we are accustomed to and the cultural doctrines we follow. Most of the other abstract pollutants fall under the branches of this two catagory. The philosophers say, "The mind is the wonderful servant but a terrible master.” It’s we who harvest our brain, which in hand-in-hand paves our way for the coming days. So it is also our duty to make our brain free from pollution as well as pollutants so that we can make a better world, and push the human civilization to the next level. Probably the thing we missed to include is that writing too lengthy articles also contributes in polluting the brain as the authors themselves wants to extend more further with their ever generating ideas in their polluted brain, and the readers too feel lazy to read and become pollution free.

References:

1. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900. (2006). Thus spoke Zarathustra: a book for all and none. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. Cavities Provide a Cliques of Neurons Bound into Missing Link between Structure and Function; Michael W. Reimann, Max Nolte, Katharine Turner Rodrigo Perin, Paweł Dłotko, Ran Levi, Kathryn Hess and Henry Markram: Frontiers In Computational Neuroscience., 12 June 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fncom.2017.00048
3. Russell, Bertrand,: The Harm That Good Men Do 

The article is co-authored by Nikita Parajuli and Arjun Dahal, both undergraduate students of Physics at Tri-Chandra Campus.