Much of the brain’s structure and wiring is nearly identical to that of early Homo sapiens 100,000+ years ago. Key parts:

• Limbic system (emotion, memory, motivation)

• Amygdala (fear, threat detection)

• Hippocampus (memory formation and retrieval)

• Brainstem (survival functions — heart rate, breathing, etc.)

These systems evolved to help us survive in small groups, in physically dangerous environments, with immediate needs. They’re reflexive, emotional, and fast — and still drive a large portion of our behavior today.

Even now, your brain:

• Flags social slights as physical danger

• Defaults to habit under pressure

• Is more reactive than reflective unless trained otherwise