August 30, 2011

What kind of a brain? is designed to implode in the race for new ideas? Not the monkey brain so much. It's those hide-bound humans we have to watch...

(I knew that <:(!) According to this University study (pdf) folks people choke when the new concept emerges... What does this mean for the human race? What does it mean for change we they can believe in mindlessly accept in our their accelerating journey in a hand-basket? It would seem that pragmatic bromides trump bright ideas.

posted by Dan Folkus 13 years ago
  • "For example, subjects had a negative reaction to a running shoe equipped with nanotechnology that adjusted fabric thickness to cool the foot and reduce blisters." I don't know about that. I think if you asked someone, "How would you feel if I could develop a running shoe that adjusted fabric thickness to cool your foot and reduce blisters?", you'd get quite a positive response. It wouldn't be until you suggested this technology would add $100 to the price of the shoe that you'd get some negative response. ....On the other hand, I once worked in an investigational drug study to get potential subjects to participate in a test of a new drug to minimize the damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack. The patients were generally very willing to sign an 'informed consent' document. However, their adult children were often aghast. "How dare you do medical research on sick people!" Well, DUH! How can you study the effect of a drug in reducing heart attack damage on healthy people not having heart attacks?
  • Motivation with dollars promised, or with dollars deducted? Could make a difference.
  • "Results revealed that while people explicitly claimed to desire creative ideas, they actually associated creative ideas with negative words such as "vomit," "poison" and "agony." Clearly the creative ideas were a negative trigger, but could it be that in a test situation like that a subject mainly wants to play it safe, and feels revulsion about anything new? It may then be that creative notions are best considered from the safety of a comfy chair set back safely before a cosy fire?