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READING PASSAGE 2
A neuroscientist reveals how to think differently
In the last decade a revolution has occurred In the way that scientists think about the brain.
We now know that the decisions humans make can be traced to the firing patterns of neurons in specific parts
of the brain. These discoveries have led to the field known as neuroeconomics, which studies the brain's
secrets to success in an economic environment that demands innovation and being able to do things differently
from competitors. A brain that can do this is an iconoclastic one. Briefly, an iconoclast is a person who does
something that others say can't be done.
This definition implies that iconoclasts are different from other people, but more precisely, it is their brains that
are different in three distinct ways: perception,
fear response, and social intelligence. Each of these three
functions utilizes a different circuit in the brain. Naysayers might suggest that the brain is irrelevant, that
thinking in an original, even revolutionary, way is more a matter of personality than brain function. But the
field of neuroeconomics was born out of the realization that the physical workings of the brain place
limitations on the way we make decisions. By understanding these constraints,
we begin to understand why
some people march to a different drumbeat.
The first thing to realize is that the brain suffers from limited resources. It has a fixed energy budget, about the
same as a 40 watt light bulb, so it has evolved to work as efficiently as possible. This is where most people are
impeded from being an iconoclast. For example, when confronted with information streaming from the eyes,
the brain will interpret this information in the quickest way possible. Thus it will draw on both past experience
and any other source of information,
such as what other people say, to make sense of what it is seeing. This
happens all the time. The brain takes shortcuts that work so well we are hardly ever aware of them.
We think our perceptions of the world are real, but they are only biological and electrical rumblings.
Perception is not simply a product of what your eyes or ears transmit to your brain. More than the physical
reality of photons or sound waves, perception is a product of the brain.
Perception is central to iconoclasm. Iconoclasts see things differently to other people. Their brains do not fall
into efficiency pitfalls as much as the average person's brain. Iconoclasts, either because they were born that
way or through
learning, have found ways to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people.
Perception is not something that is hardwired into the brain. It is a learned process, which is both a curse and
an opportunity for change. The brain faces the fundamental problem of interpreting physical stimuli from the
senses. Everything the brain sees, hears, or touches has multiple interpretations. The one that is ultimately
chosen is simply the brain's best theory. In technical terms, these conjectures have their basis in the statistical
likelihood of one interpretation over another and are heavily influenced
by past experience and, importantly for
potential iconoclasts, what other people say.
The best way to see things differently to other people is to bombard the brain with things it has never
encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the chains of past experience and forces the
brain to make new judgments. Successful iconoclasts have an extraordinary willingness to be exposed to what
is fresh and different. Observation of iconoclasts shows that they embrace novelty while most people avoid
things that are different.
The problem with novelty, however, is that it tends to trigger the brain's fear system. Fear is
a major
impediment to thinking like an iconoclast and stops the average person in his tracks. There are many types of
fear, but the two that inhibit iconoclastic thinking and people generally find difficult to deal with are fear of
uncertainty and fear of public ridicule. These may seem like trivial phobias. But fear of public speaking, which
everyone must do from time to time, afflicts one-third of the population. This makes it too common to be
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considered a mental disorder. It is simply a
common variant of human nature, one which iconoclasts do not
let inhibit their reactions.
Finally, to be successful iconoclasts, individuals must sell their ideas to other people. This is where social
intelligence comes in. Social intelligence is the ability to understand and manage people in a business setting.
In the last decade there has been an explosion of knowledge about the social brain and how the brain works
when groups coordinate decision making. Neuroscience has revealed which brain circuits are responsible for
functions like understanding what other people think, empathy, fairness, and social identity. These
brain regions play key roles in whether people convince others of their ideas. Perception
is important in social
cognition too. The perception of someone's enthusiasm, or reputation, can make or break a deal. Understanding
how perception becomes intertwined with social decision making shows why successful iconoclasts are so
rare.
Iconoclasts create new opportunities in every area from artistic expression to technology to business. They
supply creativity and innovation not easily accomplished by committees. Rules aren't important to them.
Iconoclasts face alienation and failure, but can also be a major asset to any organization. It is crucial for
success in any field to understand how the iconoclastic mind works.
