Stinkin’ Thinkin’ is the Root of All Evil

Stinkin’ Thinkin’ is the Root of All Evil

By Samuel Orrin Sewell

Those of you who have read other chapters of this book are well aware of the scientifically established principles that our thinking patterns become our emotional patterns. On further examination of the scientific evidence we discover more significant, troublesome consequences to stinkin’ thinkin’.

The first person to explain the pathological consequences of stinkin’ thinkin’ was H. Emilie Cady. H. Emilie Cady (July 12, 1848 – January 3, 1941) was an American physician and her 1896 book Lessons in Truth is a widely read book that has sold over 1.6 million copies since its first publication, and has been translated into eleven languages and braille. Lessons in Truth is still published today. Cady noticed that people who were responsive to medical solutions to their physiological problems frequently had those problems return to their body or other observable pathologies also appeared. She did significant research and creative thinking about this observable phenomenon and concluded that her patients were creating physical symptoms with their pathological thinking. Stinkin’ thinkin’ creates more problems than uncomfortable emotions: it also make you physically sick.

1. problematic as uncomfortable emotional and physical symptoms might be there is more disturbing information. Here is an analogy that will help explain these other complications. If a person were to walk across an open pasture for the first time the grass would be difficult to pass through. If you follow the same path again and again the grass gets trampled down and your walk would become more passable. If you continue to use this path eventually it will be the most likely way you will try to cross the pasture. This is exactly what happens with repetitive thinking. Every time a thought is repeated that pathway in the brain becomes “facilitated”. Eventually a habit is established and possibly even becomes an obsession. Emilie Cady named this process “crystallization of thought.” Modern brain science calls this neuroplasticity which is the ability of the brain to establish or reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to cognition, learning or experience.

Emotions are also a prerequisite for pathological behavior. There are all types of pathological behavior associated with stinkin’ thinkin’. Not all Muslims cut off heads – just those Muslims who have habitual obsessive stinkin’ thinkin’. All black people do not shoot each other, commit crimes and become addicted – only those black people with stinkin’ thinkin’. The white people who are racist are not reacting to skin color – it has to do with their internal stinkin’ thinkin’. Abusive bosses, dysfunctional employees and incompetent professionals are the result of stinkin thinkin. The people with whom you have difficult human relationship problems have stinkin’ thinkin’ and maybe you do as well. Everything from terrorism to racism to divorce is the result of pathological cognition. That is why I think that stinkin’ thinkin’ is the root of all evil.

While neuroplasticity may be the function of the human brain that causes these problems it is also the obvious solution to stinkin’ thinkin’. Our brains will accept alternative thought patterns and make us happy, healthy and whole. If we focus on healthy thinking those neuron pathways will grow and the stinkin thinkin will atrophy from lack of use. Neuroplasticity offers hope to everyone and is the solution to most of the evil that infects our species.