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Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

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Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#61

Post by wildmanx »

pohl wrote: post #44
MontyCarloHall wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pre-internet, it was harder to debunk myths but also harder to spread them. Nowadays, it’s easier to debunk myths but also much easier to spread them. These do not necessarily cancel out; as they say, “the amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude larger than to produce it.” As an extreme example, pre-internet, a conspiracy theory-inclined person might randomly run across a handful of full-b…

Moreover, now it's now easy for adherents to some myths to find each other on the internet. IMO this is not a good tradeoff.

Also feels like they are more common on mainstream-ish TV.

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#62

Post by Akronymus »

riebschlager wrote: post #15
lotophage wrote: post #12

It's amazing to think how common these sorts of myths used to be before the internet. If you heard something like this and wanted to challenge it, you would have to get on the bus and spend a couple of hours at the library and return with some photocopies. Now you can pull up Wikipedia on your phone.

There are plenty of post-internet myths that are humming along just fine. :D It's a crazy phenomenon to watch play out.

> There are plenty of post-internet myths that are humming along just fine. :D

Like bielefeld existing?

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#63

Post by eru »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #23
lotophage wrote: post #12

It's amazing to think how common these sorts of myths used to be before the internet. If you heard something like this and wanted to challenge it, you would have to get on the bus and spend a couple of hours at the library and return with some photocopies. Now you can pull up Wikipedia on your phone.

This myth does not require Wikipedia to dispel, just the knowledge of how to calculate percentages and the knowledge that you need a standard of measurement. (Which none exists for “brain capacity”).

Thinking in evolutionary terms would also make you rather suspicious of this waste.

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#64

Post by eru »

carlmr wrote: post #31
ramraj07 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think anyone except Luc Besson still thinks this is true anymore tho..

I know that reference. When I watched that movie I was just like ugh, and then I continued watching, and it just got worse.

Inception also used that myth, I think, to justify why time runs at different speed in the dream.

(Which makes no sense, when they go multiple layers..)

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#65

Post by goldenkey »

iso1631 wrote: post #56
pdpi wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's not forget the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide. Used as an industrial solvent, its vapours can cause severe burns, yet they put it in food.

Look at everyone who has committed a murder - you'll find they've consumed dihydrogen monoxide all their lives. Now look at those who have never consumed dihydrogen monoxide -- they haven't killed anyone.

I can only cringe so hard from these watered-down jokes. Please, for the life of us, stop!

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#66

Post by wildmanx »

oliveshell wrote: post #54
vageli wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's a bit like saying a piano player will only use 10% of the keys at a time. In a pedantic way, it is close to the truth as most pianists use up to 10 keys at a time (a few more if you count pedals). There are many keys available to the pianist but the pianist remains constrained by their input capacity.

Generally true, but people can surprise you. I remember seeing Ben Folds once slam his forearm on the keyboard as a deliberately dissonant sort of percussive stab… that was 15-20 keys with just one arm!

Check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrQnnhAXLt0 around 3:16. It's not just a percussive stab. It is actually a valid chord (all black keys) in that key.

Re: Ten Percent of the Brain Myth

#69

Post by swayvil »

BrandoElFollito wrote: post #39

This reminds me of the first "scientific myth" I witnessed. It was in the 80's in France where we had a photocopied page with "the most dangerous additives". The worst was E330. 40 years later, I still remember it. My parents had a copy from sime friends and these well educated people (dad is an engineer and mom a lawyer) checked everything against the list. Just because it was "from the Villejuif hospital". It was a…

If you didn't actually make the observation yourself, aren't they all scientific myths?
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