Yeah, reflective consciousness is a boon and a bane, for sure. Anyone remember that classic written by Julian Jayne, THE ORIGIN OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BICAMERAL MIND? If I recall correctly, the author, a Princeton psych. professor (I think, but not well), speculated that humans during the same period of Homer's writings manifested through natural selection the capacity to hear voices external to them--a rudimentary precursor to reflective consciousness. Hence, the origins of religion, commandments, thunder gods, Rush Limbaugh.