The Narrowing Effect. When the brain perceives a competitive threat (like a dropping rank), it enters a state of "Cognitive Tunneling." Your visual and mental field narrows to focus solely on the self-preservation metric. High cortisol levels literally inhibit the "mirror neuron" system, making it biologically harder to notice Lena’s "flat, tired" voice. You aren't being selfish; you are being throttled. The Alignment Override is a manual reset to widen your lens.

Cognitive Tunneling. When you are deep in a "deployment" or complex task, your brain is in a state of high cognitive load. An interruption isn't just a noise; it is an assault on your working memory (RAM). Your brain’s "Task-Positive Network" (TPN) is in a knife-fight with the "Default Mode Network" (DMN), which handles social connection. Because the TPN is dominant, it perceives a loved one as a "system error." The Save State is a deliberate act to clear the cache so you can switch networks without crashing.