Complete this quote: “The culturally modified brain is subject to…”
Posted by Paul Mason on January 3, 2010
How would you complete the following unfinished quote by Norman Doidge?
“The culturally modified brain is subject to…”
Last week’s unfinished quote was inspired by a bonbon joke, this week’s unfinished quote is inspired by a generous gift from some dear friends. This week’s unfinished quote comes from Norman Doidge‘s marvelous book about neuroplasticity, The Brain That Changes Itself, (Scribe, 2007). Greg recommends “Dr. Doidge’s book to the kind of people who don’t necessarily read from first page to last, and mark up their books with a lot of stuff in the margins.” (Now that I have been given a copy of this book, I will no longer have to return to libraries or bookstores to read chapters from this highly readable tome and I can stick my own markers in the margins.)
Doidge writes about how neural plasticity can be a double-edged sword, leading both to increases in functioning and to losses of function in deprived situations. At the end of the book, there is a must-read appendix for all neuroanthropologists called, The Culturally Modified Brain. This week’s unfinished quote comes from this appendix and we are looking to you for your ideas about what you believe the culturally modified brain is subject to.
Doidge has appeared in two of our Wednesday Roundups, #40 & #59.
Please leave a reply below and show us how you would complete this week’s unfinished quote?
“The culturally modified brain is subject to…”



Jacques said
“The culturally modified brain is subject to…further modifications by the methods of persuasion and all forms of brain washing .
Gary said
……..very little
clockworkmischief said
The culturally modified brain is subject to the plastic paradox, which can make us either more flexible or more rigid – a major problem when changing cultures, in a multicultural world.
Anon1 said
… further modifications by exploration, exercising, learning, and creepy experiments.”
Colleen said
The culturally modified brain is subject to…………….debate
Peter said
The culturally modified brain is subject to…
…analysis on the Neuroanthropology blog.
bonvito said
…objectification by culturally-modified researchers.
Janis said
“… just about anything.”
Paul Mason said
My friend Susie believes that “The culturally modified brain is subject to MARKET PERSUASION.”
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