Neurons: the political systems of our body
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A single neuron fires about 200 times per second. It’s fascinating how a cell that can be as thin as one micrometer can fire that many times in a second. Without these neurons, our brain would be a pulpy mass. About twenty million billion bits of information move around our brain every second because of these cells. Neurons are also a bridge between science, art, design, and politics. A neuron can help create different computer programs as well as jewelry. It is intriguing how the networking of these cells is so similar to political systems and their structure.
A neuron can act as a dictatorship when it triggers a set of actions because of an electrical signal also known as an action potential. Our reflexes and involuntary responses like the beating of our hearts are an example of the dictatorial aspect of our neurons. That signal can also take over and affect complicated behaviors. A neuron can also be democratic in that it allows us to make our own choices. The voluntary actions we choose to do are powered by our own thoughts. For instance, when a person thinks of running or walking he/she has full control of the action. Different forms of government can also coexist in the nervous system, like a democracy, dictatorship, and an oligarchy.
Ultimately, the goal of these neurons is to help us give behavioral responses that assist us in becoming more fit for reproduction and survival. Just like a country has a political system that is set up in hopes that it can run the country smoothly and keep the people happy. In a political sense, our neurons run like governmental systems that are near to perfect.
Betselot Dejene