I use 100% of my brain!

hot_pastrami · 01-21-2004, 12:49 PM

I am always hearing the myth that "the average person only uses about 11% of the brain." Usually this is in reference to the amazing potential available in utilizing the otherwise idle parts of the brain, which may unlock super-intelligence, psychic powers, etc. Similarly, highly intelligent folks are assumed to use more of their brains... "Steven Hawking must use, like, 20% of his brain!"

Well, it's just plain untrue. But a staggering majority of people believe this myth. Why is that, I wonder? What makes it so universally believable?

Oops, gotta go... 89% of my brain just shut down.

Kitsune · 01-21-2004, 12:55 PM

Maybe because people would like to think they have more brain power than they really experience? My roommate might subscribe to this, as he often appears to attempt to physically "jump start" his brain when he experiences a "tip of the tounge" problem. If he can't think of a word or mispronounces something more than one time, he hits himself in the head hard enough to create a good thunk. As time has gone on, I think this has caused his brain to function worse.

10% isn't half bad, though. If you can still sustain the functions required to live on that, you're doing good.

Happy Monkey · 01-21-2004, 01:53 PM

It is frequently used to justify claims of ESP. The desire to claim paranormal powers often overwhelms scientific evidence.

juju · 01-21-2004, 03:56 PM

I ran across this a while back, and even put two articles about it on my website (here and here). It's just another one of those things that <i>everyone</i> believes, even though a teeny tiny amount of research would prove it completly wrong. Just odd. The ESP comment is dead-on. It's the same reason people are religious: they <b>want</b> to believe they are capable of more, so they give more credit to explanations that are in line with what they want to believe.

It reminds me of how everyone on the planet started insisting that I put mashed up rice cereal into my 4 week old daughter's formula to help her sleep better. Any cursory amount of research would show it to be faulty and potentially bad for them, and yet I cannot seem to meet a person in this region that doesn't believe it.

Why do people believe weird things?

headsplice · 01-21-2004, 03:57 PM

People believe that kind of thing in order to have somehting to believe in. We've taken away all the great myths, so why not have some others?

OnyxCougar · 01-21-2004, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juju

It reminds me of how everyone on the planet started insisting that I put mashed up rice cereal into my 4 week old daughter's formula to help her sleep better. Any cursory amount of research would show it to be faulty and potentially bad for them, and yet I cannot seem to meet a person in this region that doesn't believe it.

Why do people believe weird things?

Maybe because some things happen sometimes that flies in the face of research and common sense.

Mixing that rice cereal up in formula was the ONLY thing that kept Bryan asleep more than 4 hours at a time at night. He was waking up hungry. Put some rice in there in an 8 oz bottle right before bedtime and BAM! Instant 6 - 8 hour nights of sleep.

Researchers say it doesn't work.

But it does. And it does for alot of people. Sometimes those "old wives" knew exactly what they were doing, "science" be damned.

juju · 01-21-2004, 06:00 PM

In the case of everyone I've talked to who refused the pressure from relatives to add rice cereal to formula, their babies started sleeping through the night 1 week after they refused to do it. And the same was the case with me.

The truth is that it's just a coincidence. It's correlational logic to assume that because A happens and then B happens, that B is the cause of A.

Happy Monkey · 01-21-2004, 06:14 PM

Look under Superstition and behavioral psychology. The ability to learn from experience is an amazing attribute, but it has occasional hiccups.

jinx · 01-21-2004, 06:35 PM

Hmmmm...

wolf · 01-22-2004, 12:56 AM

The Wikipedia link sent me surfing around to cross references until I fould this totally wonderful site ...

http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm

El, you are going to DIG this majorly.

xoxoxoBruce · 01-22-2004, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juju
In the case of everyone I've talked to who refused the pressure from relatives to add rice cereal to formula, their babies started sleeping through the night 1 week after they refused to do it. And the same was the case with me.

The truth is that it's just a coincidence. It's correlational logic to assume that because A happens and then B happens, that B is the cause of A.

You've rationalized an explanation that's acceptable to you. That doesn't make it true.

juju · 01-22-2004, 01:41 PM

No, I'm just following the edict that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. And the proof just isn't there, unless you think correlational logic is good.

Beestie · 01-22-2004, 01:47 PM

So wait: if you are using 100% of your brain, and you think of "one more thing", what happens?

Happy Monkey · 01-22-2004, 02:05 PM

You think that much less about everything else, of course!

juju · 01-22-2004, 02:18 PM

Well, it's not all in use at any given time. It's like the muscles in your body -- they're all used relatively frequently, but not necessarily all at once.

01-21-2004, 12:49 PM	#1
hot_pastrami I am meaty Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,119	I use 100% of my brain! I am always hearing the myth that "the average person only uses about 11% of the brain." Usually this is in reference to the amazing potential available in utilizing the otherwise idle parts of the brain, which may unlock super-intelligence, psychic powers, etc. Similarly, highly intelligent folks are assumed to use more of their brains... "Steven Hawking must use, like, 20% of his brain!" Well, it's just plain untrue. But a staggering majority of people believe this myth. Why is that, I wonder? What makes it so universally believable? Oops, gotta go... 89% of my brain just shut down. __________________ Hot Pastrami!

01-21-2004, 01:53 PM	#3
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	It is frequently used to justify claims of ESP. The desire to claim paranormal powers often overwhelms scientific evidence. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

01-21-2004, 03:57 PM	#5
headsplice Relaxed Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 676	People believe that kind of thing in order to have somehting to believe in. We've taken away all the great myths, so why not have some others? __________________ Don't Panic

01-21-2004, 06:00 PM	#7
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	In the case of everyone I've talked to who refused the pressure from relatives to add rice cereal to formula, their babies started sleeping through the night 1 week after they refused to do it. And the same was the case with me. The truth is that it's just a coincidence. It's correlational logic to assume that because A happens and then B happens, that B is the cause of A. Last edited by juju; 01-21-2004 at 06:02 PM.

01-21-2004, 06:14 PM	#8
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	How Superstition Works Look under Superstition and behavioral psychology. The ability to learn from experience is an amazing attribute, but it has occasional hiccups. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

01-21-2004, 12:55 PM	#2
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Maybe because people would like to think they have more brain power than they really experience? My roommate might subscribe to this, as he often appears to attempt to physically "jump start" his brain when he experiences a "tip of the tounge" problem. If he can't think of a word or mispronounces something more than one time, he hits himself in the head hard enough to create a good thunk. As time has gone on, I think this has caused his brain to function worse. 10% isn't half bad, though. If you can still sustain the functions required to live on that, you're doing good.

01-21-2004, 03:56 PM	#4
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	I ran across this a while back, and even put two articles about it on my website (here and here). It's just another one of those things that <i>everyone</i> believes, even though a teeny tiny amount of research would prove it completly wrong. Just odd. The ESP comment is dead-on. It's the same reason people are religious: they <b>want</b> to believe they are capable of more, so they give more credit to explanations that are in line with what they want to believe. It reminds me of how everyone on the planet started insisting that I put mashed up rice cereal into my 4 week old daughter's formula to help her sleep better. Any cursory amount of research would show it to be faulty and potentially bad for them, and yet I cannot seem to meet a person in this region that doesn't believe it. Why do people believe weird things?

01-21-2004, 06:35 PM	#9
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	Hmmmm... __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

01-22-2004, 12:56 AM	#10
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The Wikipedia link sent me surfing around to cross references until I fould this totally wonderful site ... http://www.sacred-texts.com/index.htm El, you are going to DIG this majorly. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-22-2004, 01:41 PM	#12
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	No, I'm just following the edict that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. And the proof just isn't there, unless you think correlational logic is good.

01-22-2004, 01:47 PM	#13
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	So wait: if you are using 100% of your brain, and you think of "one more thing", what happens? __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

01-22-2004, 02:05 PM	#14
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	You think that much less about everything else, of course! __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

01-22-2004, 02:18 PM	#15
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Well, it's not all in use at any given time. It's like the muscles in your body -- they're all used relatively frequently, but not necessarily all at once.

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