System overload. The human body cannot process the number of stimuli that it encounters second by second. Your body filters certain stimuli out and allows others. Some things we acknowledge on a sub conscious level. These are the things that contribute to “gut feelings”. It is true that one processes more info than they are aware of and so allowing your “gut” to decide things allows a decision that takes conscious and sub conscious data into account. At least this is my theory.
I am also convinced that certain sensory overload can cause death. A loud enough sound could kill someone by messing with heart rhythm. In the bible it says that a mortal human can not witness the glory of God and live. Let’s just assume that glory is super bright light. You look directly at the light and you die. That prolly isn’t the case but for the sake of my argument I like it. Or what about looking at something so repulsive that you want to turn away but you just can’t because it is almost amazing how repulsive it is? That is a near death experience especially if you are engaged in an activity that requires your full attention, or even just most of your attention. You are busy looking at _______ and crash your car.
How about smell? There are times that I have been close to death because of olfactory overload. I have smelled something so horrid, so vile that I could sense my body going into a state of self preservation. My body was going to kill itself to stop the torment. Were it not for my ability to flee I do not think I would have made it.
A combination of pleasing sensory stimulus can cause death too! I have been very close to dying of delight. I was watching the Sabres win in a shootout, on my birthday, with my Sarah and my best friends, while drinking a Blue, eating buffalo chicken tenders, and not doing homework. For a split second I heard my brain tell the rest of my body, “This is it. There will never be a better moment. Let’s just…”. I quickly took action and reminded my body that I had to pee. Death averted.
There are more instances that support my theory. In fact it’s not a theory. It is fact.
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