Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How To Think Differently (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
Berns position is that an iconoclast sees things differently from the rest of human nature, controls his fear of failure and fear of the unknown, and has enough social savvy to sell his idea to the world. Interesting enough and the discussions of specific iconoclasts was interesting with two notable exceptions- the chapter on financial wizards and the ever so boring chapter on commercial space travel. There were a couple of real tick offs- one where Berns maintains that after the accumulation of a certain amount of riches, the brains of the uberrich do not really want more money. Has he visited the US lately? That almost made me give it one star, really. Then at the end of the book is an appendix with an "iconoclast's pharmacopoeia" in which he (neuroscientist that he may be) lists all the psychoactive drugs that may lead the ordinary Joe to iconoclast status. Of course, he does warn that most of these are extremely dangerous, if not illegal. Why? Is he an idiot? So, although some of the info was mildly interesting, some of the author's opinions (I am sure he would say thay are backed by scientific research) are bunk. I started off interested and ended up ticked off. I found a copy of this book at a local Half-Price Books Store. I can't believe I got it on the cheap, being such a good book. A very important advantage of this book is that it was written by a neuroscientist and not another journalist with some knowledge of the subject. The book deals with iconoclasm and iconoclasts, how to recognize iconoclasts among us and what they're contributing to society at large.I consider myself an iconoclast, but the name was only a feeble opinion that I kept to myself until I started reading this book. Highly recommended for those who feel like outcasts with a unique perspective of the world. In a time when everybody who wants to be noticed calls himself/herself a geek, it is refreshing to find a clear explanation and description of what true innovators are like among us.
What do You think about Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How To Think Differently (2008)?
Interesting, I skipped most of the medical mumbo jumbo and I still found the book quite enjoyable.
—katerina
A study on how and why some people succeed as cultural pioneers and others don't.
—Whiskeyfire
Very intriguing ... it's all in the mind ... all in the mind
—Mizteen15
