Introduction:

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"It is said that when it comes to living,
  there is no getting out alive." - Anonymous

"But we'll try." - Resilience

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While Resilience is not strictly a cognitive or neurophysiological manifestation, Resilience does occur within the cognitive dimension. If Persistence is a Fundamental Rule, one may find Resilience (the drive to continue existing) all throughout the various manifestations of All That Is that still ARE. From the simplest "unit" of whatever it is that "Reality" Is all the way through the most complex arrangements that Reality has become organized. Including "cognition."

Important → It is within Cognition that "The Me" manifests itself. ← Important

How one perceives their world governs how they will respond to it. Our comprehension and interaction with all that we "believe" to be Real is our manifestation of "The Me". Our "Me".

While the other sections have focused on Resilience from ...

• the most basic Fundamental Rule(s) or Prerequisite(s) that All That Is derives from,
  
  
• evolutionary perspectives which ensures that Life persists via a Lineage that changes and maintains synergy with the environment,
  
  
• instinctive drives to preserve the "Identity of Me, We, Us", composed of the Individual AND everything that Individual has a relationship with (e.g. people, pets, home locations, music, etc.)

... this section is going to focus on the Resilience harbored by "The Me" that is the component "Me" of The Individual.

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Scientists learn about traits and their mechanisms of action (MOA) by studying differences. In genetics, gene changes (leading to structural, regulatory, and development changes) are studied.

When differences in traits (phenotypes) are found, various experimental methodologies and analyses are used to determine the genes involved.

Knowledge of gene changes and structure are indispensable in coming to an understanding of how the traits are formed ... if the system is simple enough.

Most aren't simple enough. Especially as it relates to Human Behavior.

An alternate way of studying aspects of neurophysiology in order to get insights into "how it all works" is to find examples of damage or loss, and correlate that knowledge with the phenotype differences that are observed between to otherwise similar individuals.

5' from termination ... No idea.

With regard to gaining insights into the MOAs generating the "Cognitive Me," one type of damage or loss that has yielded a lot of information are Individuals who have experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI.)

When the brain is injured, cognitive function is often impaired. Thus, "The Me" has been impaired relative to what is was when functioning more normally before the injury. For someone with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or degradation, their comprehension of and relationship with Reality is impaired.

Immediately after a significant TBI, rational cognitive function and the ability to recall or form new memories goes offline. If the loss is severe enough, pure behavioral instinct is all that is left to manifest itself. Those who care for patients with head injuries see this daily. How much healing CAN take place depends on the extent of "irreversible" damage that has been sustained.

Working with and studying individuals who have suffered TBIs enables one to gain insights into the MOAs generating both instinctual and learned behaviors, reactions, and perceptions.

ConserveLiberty refers to this journey of cognitive healing (both physically and psychologically) as "Refinding Me."

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A little more for your "Me" to think about regarding "The Me":

• The Me always develops within the context of "relationship." An interesting model for understanding the development of The Me is to look at how cognitive healing unfolds (if it can unfold) within the context of a relationship between a therapist and the folks who have had a TBI.
  
  
  All things on earth point home in old October;
  sailors to sea, travellers to walls and fences,
  hunters to field and hollow
  and the long voice of the hounds,
  the lover to the love he has forsaken.
  - Thomas Wolfe, 1900 - 1938
• Home - The Me has "a place" where it is most comfortable. Most resonant. It tolerates a vast number of "places", but there is often one where it is most comfortable, where it is most drawn to. ConserveLiberty refers to this "place" as Home. The Cognitive Home.
  
  
• Other examples of "Me a little different than normally experienced" can be observed when the The Me has developed and adapted under circumstances that are not usually experienced. For example:
  
  
  • Humans being raised by non-humans (Feral children).
    • An example - raised by monkeys.
    
    
  • People who have developed and matured within in a twinned situation (maternal or paternal). Those are interesting because the entire time their Cognitive Me was initiating (in the womb) they were sharing the womb with another rather than experiencing it as a single individual.
    
    And, of course, maternal twins are as close to clones as humans ever come. They both start off with identical genetic information. As they mature, because of the way development works, their genetic identity will diverge slightly from one another. (the explanation for this is beyond the scope of this chapter. However, recall the Fundamental Rule - variation.)
    
    
  • Conjoined twins. They are never alone, always together. Do they develop as two Cognitive Mes, or as a single Cognitive We? Or both? What has been found: "It all depends."

In this section, we will focus on the healing experienced by TBI patients with their therapists, and what that may indicate regarding The Me, how The Me evolves, adapts, and changes ... and what aspects stay the same.

At the end, we will give examples of the variations observed as a result of fascinating experiences of other Individuals and their Mes.

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Cognitive Healing, and The Cognitive Me (Identity):

Gage's mouth was open, his skull "hinged"
open as the iron passed through

The Individual Me is the Cognitive Me.

The Cognitive Me is a manifestation of all of our filters as they act together in tapestry with one another. The Cognitive Me becomes familiar with itself as "me". And each Cognitive Me is different because each of us is made differently with regards to the filters that make up our tapestry.

Phineas P. Gage (1823 - 1860) - perhaps the most famous personality change recorded in written history after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Or not.

Interesting Facts regarding Cognitive Healing:

• Check out Sophia Nine's thoughts with David concerning the rehabilitation experiences with those who have had TBIs.
  
  
  
  Ricochet of the brain within the skull
  generates the coup-contrecoup injury
• Cognitive and physiological changes due to TBI may not show up quickly. They may take time to appear due to changes that occur over time as the body responds to the injury.
  
  
• Living with Brain Injury
  
  
• The severity of TBI varies, as does the status of the victim both before and after the incident generating the TBI.
  
  For patients with TBIs leading to a significant cognitive reboot, and who are going to rehab enough that communicative interactions become possible and improvement realized ... it is as if one starts again from an infant stage, and then slowly progresses through improving degrees of rehabilitation.
  
  
• Child-like behavior - the reversion to child-similar behavior (e.g. verbosity, focus on self, etc.,) while the "Me" is reigniting (during Reboot)
  • Regression. Phenotypic behavior due to loss of function of one or more "cognitive subroutines."
    
    
  • Possible instinctual defensive reaction of The Me intended to focus on protection, healing, and promotion of development. (Much like someone injured with a sprain focuses on the injury with the intention of protecting, promoting, and enabling the healing process.)
    
    
  • Some may reach an "adult" level of return of cognitive function. Others may not progress beyond an adolescent or child-like phase. In any case, progress that happens occurs over a shorter time frame than the maturation of a child into adult in a typically normal and healthy situation. They may cover a "5 year" span of maturation in a matter of weeks or months, depending on the particulars of the injury.
  
  
  
• The Me is always adapting and evolving throughout life. Many aspects are grounded in the genetically determined filters (instincts) that we all inherit - each Tapestry unique overall. Today's "New Me" derives from yesterday's "Old Me." Thus, usually, the New Me is actually the New Old Me. A behavioral lineage of Mes all through our lives, one gradual step at a time.
  
  That said, it can be difficult to discern which changes in "The Me" are ones that may have occurred normally as one ages and matures, and which changes are strictly due to the injury.
  
  
• People who were generally more adaptive, curious, creative, or driven than others before their TBIs tend to progress faster and reach a higher level of maturation during their rehabilitation efforts than those who are either less adaptive or who simply "take whatever comes their way."
  
  
• In order to heal significantly ... it is the Compromised Cognitive Me that first must embrace that it needs to work through its cognitive portion of the healing!
  
  Check out David Apollo's experience with his cognitive rehabilitation therapist.
  
  
• Speech (cognitive) rehab specialists are considered important due to the expertise they have to offer, and the good ones do bring a lot of effective expertise to the table. However, perhaps more significant, the most important asset the rehab specialist is establishing with "The Me" is Relationship. "The Me" develops within the context of Relationship. The "Relationship Me" is created between the Me of the TBI patient and the Me of the specialist. The We between the two manifests itself.
  
  It is not the Rehab Specialist that heals. It is The We that catalyzes the healing that the Compromised Cognitive Me will undergo. If it can. (I say.)
  
  
• The relationship formed between the TBI rehab specialist and the healing TBI victim is very important. A "bond" is formed based on trust and the appeal of being with each other.
  
  
  
  Thus, the Limbic System comes into play. The Reward System. Habituation is formed - the "looking forward to next time."
  
  The repeating visits generate a repeating harmonic event so long as the relationship based on trust and shared appeal is maintained.
  
  This is perhaps similar to the positive, motivating impact of certain types of music and rhythm on behavior, mood, devotion and commitment.
  
  It may also be similar to the impact of a maternal experience with a caring mother, or the impact of a paternal experience with a motivating father coaching for confidence, strength, and self reliance.
  
  
• Sophia Nine is committed to communicating "I care" to all those she works with and finds that essential. In reality (I say), the implication of "I care" is, "You are welcome." That "You Are Welcome" is established is of primary importance to the type of relationship that is established.
  
  Why? Because with whom and where we are welcome is where our "Home" is. The "Cognitive Home." How awesome is it when we feel that "The Cognitive Me is Home?" The Cognitive Home is where harmony is.
  
  Recall the saying, "Home is where the heart is." The Cognitive Home is strongest when it is Home. "I care" takes The Me closer to home.
  
  
  
• Related to the notion of Home or The Cognitive Home is the dimension of Music. Music interacts with most of us at our Core. Note how different cultures and generations have their own "favorite" or "preferred" music genres. They keep those, once acquired, for their lifetimes.
  
  An effectively positive component in the cognitive healing process for those who have suffered TBI is music, and the practice of Music Therapy has been slowly developing to aid the "Cognitive Me back Home."
  • Top 12 Brain-Based Reasons Why Music as Therapy Works
  • Music-Based Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Others may be added later.
  
  
• It is commonly observed that people who have suffered brain injuries are often not aware of their deficits. This is often interpreted to mean that "the unaware" are deficient in their own self awareness. They are unable to comprehend that they are not "normal."
  
  
  
  I suggest an alternate interpretation:
  
  "The Me" judges itself to be "normal."
  
  Everything it perceives it perceives to be truly occurring, especially when The Me believes it is awake. The Me may even believe that what it is perceiving during dreaming is actually Real at the time. What The Me believes is happening is not an unusual expectation, unless it sees something unexpected.
  
  Thus, cognitively clever people may believe that their insights and perspectives are something that any "normal" person would perceive and conclude as well. Those less cognitively advanced may not believe that what they are perceiving and interpreting would be judged as unusually incorrect.
  
  Thus, the "smart" person (A) seeing someone (B) not "get" what they (A) "get" may consider that that person (B) is "dull" rather than that they (A) are "smart." And the "dull" person (B) seeing someone (A) "get" things that are not at all clear to them (B) may consider that that person (A) is "smart" rather than that they (B) are "deficient."
  
  In both cases, the observer believes that they are "normal," and that the person they are observing is either "smart" or "dull." In other words, the people not aware of their deficits are behaving "normally." Yet, they may not be perceiving accurately.
  
  Another example of filter perception asymmetries.
  
  ConserveLiberty asserts that personality filter perception asymmetries exist, but has not gathered existing research data (or generated its own data) to test those assertions. Asymmetries in other perception areas have been validated, however. For example:
  • The what and why of perceptual asymmetries in the visual domain
  
  When "The Me" has suffered a TBI, it may often not be aware of it's deficits. It is a challenge for the rehab specialist to make them aware of what may not be obvious to them.
  
  
• Often, those who confront their TBI injuries with persistent and devoted effort for improvement and healing are regarded as resilient. Especially if they do better than expected (or feared.) ConserveLiberty suggests the reader keep a few things in mind:
  
  
  • The Resilient never quit. They may or may not succeed, or win, or even remain alive. However, they never quit. Quitting (seriously) never occurs them. "Never quitting" isn't even a rational decision. It's "instinctual."
    
    
  • The Me is instinctively Resilient. If it is not resilient, then it does not persist, and there is no further Me in the present tense to talk about.
    
    
  • If there are Mes that are observed after TBIs or other degenerative brain injury (significant Alzheimer's, stroke, etc.,) that appear to be no longer resilient, that is because the brain deficits have eroded the physiological foundation for the Resilient Instinct (the Resilience Tapestry).
  
  
• Finally, while folks often focus on various cognitive deficits that can result from a TBI, it is probably more accurate to focus on "differences." Why? Oftentimes, the changes experienced can objectively be regarded as "deficits". However, many times the changes can objectively be regarded as "assets," "improvements," and "advancements."
  
  Take your pick. Perhaps a person has become more insightful, more caring, better at math, better at art or music. It happens.
  
  A knock upside the head can have unexpected consequences! Resilience!!

Done with TBI.

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Reproduction Outcome Variation - It is The Living Lineage that is Resilient. Let's consider a few facts, leading us to some interesting consequences:

• Individuals are the stepping stones that The Lineage uses to move forward "one step at a time".
  
  
• The Cognitive Me is possessed by The Individual.
  
  
• The Individual declares it is "me."
  
  
• The reproduction of Individuals (The Me) can (and does) result in different outcomes, leading to differing manifestations of The Me:
  • Usually - Independently conceived and born siblings, raised in the same "family."
    
    
    
  • More rarely - Twins, triplets, etc.,
    • Fraternal (often "closer" than single birth siblings are. More "We" there when together.)
    • Maternal (true clones. Ditto.)
    
    
  • Most rarely - Conjoined twins - Is the perceived multiple "Me" actually a single "We"?
    • Chang and Eng Bunker - the original "Siamese" twins. More on the Bunkers.
      
      
    • Millie and Christine McKoy. ← The "We" thought of themselves as "Me".
      
      
    • Giacomo and Giovanni Battista Tocci.
      
      
    • Daisy and Violet Hilton.
      
      
      
      Abby and Brittany Hensel: The Conjoined Teachers!
    • Ronnie and Donnie Galyon.
      
      
    • Lori and George Schappell. Born as conjoined girls, one declared herself transgender, and renamed herself George.
      
      
    • Abby and Brittany Hensel.
      
      
    • Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova.

In summary:

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The Me, in all of its manifestations, from the Cognitive Me to the Relationship We. is Resilient.

The Me moves forward. Think about it. Cognitively. Yea, You.

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Consider thoughtfully.