We tend to think of perception as a kind of snapshot. Something appears. We register it. Then we move on.

But if you actually pay attention ,that’s not what it feels like at all.

In this episode, we explore the psychology of flow as it occurs in everyday perception.

With Season 2, we begin a new series entitled "The Unbalanced Brain". In this series we explore how perception, cognition, and culture shape the way we experience the world.

In episode 1 of this series, we explore the idea of "flow" as a new means of analyzing and evaluating music. Is the music "in flow"?

Watch the Flow Machine in action with Mozart:

https://youtu.be/0-nNV6DBde0?si=W98ThlU5vpfVAOpa

Across the series, James investigates why Western society feels increasingly fragmented and disoriented, why so many of us sense an inner imbalance, and how ancient cognitive patterns continue to influence our politics, religion, art, and collective psyche.

With immersive audio, thoughtful commentary, and a tone that feels equal parts accessible and profound, Our Country Has Become Brain Damaged tackles questions like:

• Are our cultural crises the result of natural cognitive evolution… or deliberate manipulation?
  

• How do the left and right hemispheres shape civilizations?
  

• Can creativity, intuition, and spiritual consciousness help restore our collective center?

• Why does the modern world feel more anxious, distracted, and divided than ever?

  
  

This is a show for anyone who’s ever wondered why society feels off-kilter — and what it might take to rebalance the world from the inside out.

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Episode Summary: This episode opens with a big question: Why does America feel so fragmented and disoriented? James and his co-host explore two possibilities — natural cognitive drift vs. deliberate manipulation. They unpack the left/right brain divide, educational shifts, cultural suppression of creativity, and the ruling-class incentive to maintain a left-hemisphere society. The episode ends with a call to rediscover right-brain realms: creativity, intuition, and consciousness.