According to Political Columnist David Brooks, “what really matters is how we relate to one another”. The impacts of relationships and emotions on individual behavior are rarely included in political and economic commentary. Yet the ideas that our actions are based in emotion and that we operate as interconnected communities are the basis of David Brooks’ new book, The Social Animal. Brooks recently gave an interview on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered discussing the book and his impetus for writing it. In the interview Brooks describes how current neuro-science points to a view of human nature based not on rational beings operating independently, but rather on complicated and emotional people deeply impacted by social connections and relationships. Brooks argues that an incorrect view of human nature has led to unsuccessful strategies in economics and education.
David Brooks’ comments align with Multiplying Connections’ approach to how people work and learn. We believe that positive relationships are the fundamental building blocks for healthy brain development, the ability to learn, and relate to others, and that children benefit from educational and social service systems that operate out of an awareness of these principles. Our goal is to support systems that serve children and families in making changes in practice and policy to reflect what we now know from research about the importance of of nurturing, caregiving relationships on children. Click on this link to listen to the interview with Brooks.
