Right Brain ? or Left Brain ?

I found a very interesting info about our brains, and how it influences our taste and our view points when we see things.




People’s taste and view points are usually different, so I’m not surprised that people see things totally different from me.

Actually, it’s so unbelievable Ray and I have similar taste for so many things. Maybe that’s one of the reasons, it’s so comfortable to be with him.

Recently, I happened to find a comment which bugged me a little because it was about Johnny’s “ The Swan “ program in Nationals 2006, and comparing with Patrick Chan’s SP for this season in Canadian Nationals.

The comment was this

“ I found the swan is too old for Johnny. He has no creativity, no genius to skate such music. I don't know why he continues, every year, to skate to classical music that he interprets with such an old style (and not old in a good way, for me). Patrick‘s term of creative is brilliant. ”


When I read this comment, honestly, I thought “ Huh ???”

I guess this person truly can not see Johnny’s depth of creativity and imagination, or just post it for purpose to make Johnny fans feel bad. Which if that‘s the case, it’s mean spirited.

However, while many people appreciate Johnny’s beautiful artistry, there are also many people who feel bored.

Since this judging system, figure skating became more and more mathematical sport or math contest , and the difference I found from many skating fans are they are more watching each elements , each part of the program rather than whole picture of the performance.



For technical part, it’s necessary to see each element, but for artistry, I think many people are missing something.

Here is the explanation of the human brain,

“ The left side of the brain processes information in a linear manner. It processes from part to whole. It takes pieces, lines them up, and arranges them in a logical order; then it sees the answer and conclusions.

The right brain however, processes beginning from the whole picture, it sees everything altogether, and then the parts and details, holistically. It starts with the answer. It sees the big picture first, not the details first. “

Here is the explanation of the human brain,

Left Brain functions,

• Uses logic.
• Detail oriented.
• Facts rule.
• Words used to remember things, remember names rather than faces.
• Like making lists and planning.
• Follow rules without questioning them.
• Good at keeping track of time.
• Spelling and mathematical formula easily memorized.
• Listen to what is being said.
• Rarely use gestures when talking.
• Words and language.
• Present and past.
• Math and science.
• Can comprehend.
• Order/pattern perception.
• Knows object name.
• Reality based.
• Forms strategies.
• Practical.
  
  

Safe.
RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

• Uses feeling.
• Sees the "big picture", the “whole picture”
• Imagination rules.
• Uses intuition.
• Images.
• Present and future.
• Philosophy.
• Can "get it" , understands deep meaning.
• Talk with your hands.
• Listen to “how” something is being said (tone of voice), but not always
  “what” is being said.
• Often late, impulsive.
• No sense of time.
• Like to know why you're doing something or what is the reason for rules , why is there a rule for something, why do rules exist (reasons).
• See the whole first, then the details.
• Mind photos' used to remember things, writing things down or illustrating
  them helps you remember.
• Visual, focusing on images, patterns.
• Appreciates.
• Spatial perception.
• Knows object function.
• Fantasy and imagination based.
• Sees possibilities.
• Impetuous, not liking to follow rules.
• Risk taking.
  
  

This is very interesting and I found that for myself, I'm more belong with right brain pattern while watching figure skating, and I found that many people who have different view from me when watching skating programs are more of left brains.

Especially, when I started watching skating, I never watched it by elements to elements.

I just got big Impact from the whole of Johnny’s skating artistry including his expression and emotion.
Maybe that’s why I could care less for how many jumps they fell if a skater’s artistry is well expressed and has emotion with artistic moves.
I have left brain parts, too.

And it’s when I write something and while I’m working. Unconsciously, my brain may be sort this out.

Ray is much more of right brain type. Very. He is an artist. But he does have a realistic part, as well.

I believe that all babies are right brain already developed since they were born. And then while they are grown up, left brain developed.

Sadly, while most grown ups people’s left brain developed, their right brain gradually became dormant, as if disappeared.

Ideally , I think it’s good to have same percentage of both brains working, so that it is more balancing.

I know so many genius artists are amazingly stupid at math or some other subjects such as practical ways of living, and son on.

Also, so many genius math people are stupid at some other subjects, for example, art or philosophy or psychology and so on.
Too much left brain has no creativity, but my impression of Johnny is more of right brain than left brain.

I also found that people who love the new judging system ( skating competitions ) are more of left brain type and while they are watching skating programs, they are not picturing the whole art, they more care for technical parts, elements to elements, and watching skater’s feet, how the edges are, speeds are, etc … based on the judging system.

People who can not see Johnny’s artistry are more of left brain type or wathing his skating using only left brain.

Because they look like they are more calculating and seeing each elements of programs rather than seeing the whole picture.

Not so imaginative to see the depth of programs. They talk more of technical aspect, including skating skills, jumps, spins, footwork, and also when they talk about artistry, how skaters are doing difficult choreographies or not rather than seeing the whole impression of the programs including emotional impression, expression, skater’s whole body movements and how skaters are moving using the choreography with music.

It’s actually almost no meaning to discuss or argue about skating artistry to people who are more of left brain. Because the view is so different.

I really care how skaters are using their whole body, arms, hands, fingers, every detail, facial expression, emotion.

And for Johnny, I think it’s clear, from his personality and how he describes himself, he is more of Right brain type.

There are other parts of his personality, for example, when he writes something, or when talking, that he is very detailed, and in that way he is more of left brain.

Besides art, understanding foreign languages without translating to their own country’s language is also matter of how right brain is working while talking, listening, reading and writing.

Especially for pronunciations, doing smooth conversation, if we are always translating to our own languages every conversation, it won’t go smoothly.


I learned this at one of English language schools in Japan, and while I didn’t notice this point, I could not get English and didn’t improve.

Being like a baby’s brain is the fastest way to get foreign language. Because that’s how we learned our own languages.

Other opinions I’ve read which bugged me often was people who care about“ Masculine skating “ or “ feminine skating “. Masculine artistry or feminine artistry , Masculine programs, feminine programs.

I don’t really get this view.

Maybe it came from their birth place or it might be influenced from how they grew up, and mainly it may come from cultural difference.

And for men, in general, it seems like it is considered that everything masculine they think is good, and feminine is bad.

When I go dancing in a dance studio, the male and female, they all do the same choreography with same moves for stage performances.

When I appreciate paintings , I don’t sort to see and decide which are masculine paintings or feminine paintings.

It looks to me people who care so much about it are actually not seeing art.
Art is art.


There are many kinds of art, and architecture type of art is more of math type of art, nature art such as trees, flowers are more of imagination.

There is also a taste depending on the person but it is not based on the view of masculine or feminine.