Outdated Brain or Timeless Truth?

Let’s talk about something we often hear but rarely question.

Many well-known voices in neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and personal development say this: Our older brain—called the reptilian brain and associated with the subconscious mind—is hardwired for survival. It constantly scans for threats, just as it did when humans lived among predators.

The common idea is that, since we’re no longer running from wild animals, this survival system is outdated. Today, we stress about things like bills and deadlines instead of lions and tigers. And that sounds a bit silly—right?

So the usual conclusion is this: the reptilian brain still runs its ancient programs, even if they no longer apply to modern life. We just need to learn how to manage it.

But let me offer you a different perspective.

Yes, the physical threats of the past may be gone. But in some ways, things have gotten worse, not better.
And no, I don’t believe our subconscious mind is outdated. In fact, it’s still deeply relevant—and you can see its effects all around us, every day.

Let me explain why.

From Wild Beasts to Supermarkets

Yes, the risk of being physically killed by a wild animal has dropped dramatically. In that sense, we’ve won a battle with nature—humans, one of the most disadvantaged species in the wild, used intelligence to adapt and survive.

We don’t have fur to keep us warm. We don’t have claws to catch prey. We don’t have powerful jaws to devour food. We lack the speed of many animals. Our hearing and sense of smell are limited.

And yet—we became the dominant species on Earth. Our mind became our greatest weapon.

We built societies not just for survival, but for comfort.
Through centuries of invention and evolution, we’ve reached astonishing levels of knowledge, science, and art. We have the power to create and destroy, to wage war or negotiate peace.

But what is the price we pay for the level of physical safety we’ve created?
And how much does this deviation from our ancestral life impact our well-being?

Today, the likelihood of a lion attacking us in our sleep is virtually zero.
What’s the modern version of a lion?
What are today’s threats to survival?

In some ways, Earth feels like a miniature version of hell—from a spiritual standpoint.

We still need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat.
But we no longer simply hunt for it. Instead, we grab our wallets (instead of our bows) and head to a modern hunting ground: the supermarket.

Can we get what we want from it? Yes—as long as we have money.

Every item has a price, assigned by the market. In order to access it, we must exchange money equivalent to its perceived value.

In this sense, money has become the modern version of survival.

Money: The New Hunt for Survival

Unless we grow our own food or live off the land (which most of us don’t), we need money.
No money = no food = eventual death.

So yes, we’re no longer running from lions, but our physical survival is now dictated by how much money we have in our pockets.

The less money we believe we need, the safer we feel.
The more money we believe we need, the more exposed and fearful we become—because it means risking the loss of access to the basic things essential not just for survival, but also for social belonging.

Today, the number one priority for most people is to find or generate enough money to survive—and ideally, to thrive.

In subconscious terms, money is one of the most powerful motivators.
And it’s where people face not only challenges but their deepest fears.

Survival of the fittest no longer depends on physical strength or the ability to hunt animals.
It depends on strategies—on being able to offer some form of value in exchange for this modern currency.

Most people trade their time and skills for money.
Others build businesses, offer services, or invent products.

And here’s why I think this is bad news for the human species:
Is this struggle for money really that different from life in the savannah, hunting prey?
Not at all.

We still need something essential to survive—and the system that determines our access to it has simply changed.

Same Fear, New World

So is the subconscious mind outdated or irrelevant?
Absolutely not.

Our survival may not be threatened by predators, but it is threatened by the systems society has created around money.

To the subconscious mind, there’s no difference.
The urgency, the fear, the sense of threat—it’s all still there. Just dressed up differently.

Are you starting to see the picture?

Everything has just become more complex and layered.
Yes, we now have more opportunities. But with them come new forms of stress.

Our visceral sense of safety is now wired around the topic of money.
Along with love and belonging, money is the #1 driver of our primal brain.

The idea that physical survival is no longer relevant is an illusion.
For most people in the world, it’s still the biggest motivator in their daily lives.

So, our reptilian brain still has work to do.
And while physical threats may look different today, the need for survival is still very much alive.