The March to Keep Fear Alive vs. the Rally to Restore Sanity.
“Freedom, Liberty, and Fear” pitted against “A Call to Reasonableness”.
The symbolism is terrific.
Stephen (Amygdala) Colbert represents the antecedent to reason, a base emotional response – fear. When triggered, the fear response is a process that takes milliseconds to make. John (Pre-Frontal Cortex) Stewart represents the analysis of the emotion – a reasoned response. As compared to the Amygdala, it is a process that usually takes seconds to make.
How will people respond to this if they participate in the festivities? Which group will be larger? Will the Amygdala have more supporters due to its millions of years developmental advantage, or, will the Pre-Frontal Cortex with its more advanced, if younger, ability to coordinate concepts with emotions draw the larger crowd?
