When I was first thinking about setting up the Thinking Meat Project web site, I was talking with my older son about some of the ideas behind the phrase “thinking meat”. I said something about how one of the ways we deal with the indignities and sorrows of being conscious animals is by sharing our experiences, in particular through art. When we learn about other people’s stories and their emotions, we at least know that we’re not alone. “Sharing meat,” Greg said.
This New York Times article by Daniel Goleman talks about the ways that human brains can share mental states and affect each other’s physiology. Goleman sums up the opinion of two researchers in the field thus: “emotional closeness allows the biology of one person to influence that of the other”. Goleman talks about mirror neurons, mood contagion, and how these might be related to the physical health benefits of being happily married and having a circle of good friends. It’s fascinating stuff; I’d like to see more research into the mechanisms involved and the specifics of how health is affected by the emotional climate around us.
