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Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
Iconoclasts have that knack for overturning conventional wisdom and achieving the apparently impossible. Though crucial to the success of an organisation, true iconoclasts are few and far between. This text explores what makes these great innovators tick and offers tools to unleash our own potential.
250 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
125 people are currently reading
3120 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Berns
10 books92 followersProfessor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University and Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology.
* Ph.D. University of California, Davis, 1990
* M.D. University of California, San Diego, 1994
* Ph.D. University of California, Davis, 1990
* M.D. University of California, San Diego, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 31, 2012
This book was disappointing. There were definitely good elements, but it starts off poorly and — crucially — never quite figured out what it was about.
The first problem regards the title:
Right there on the cover, the author provides the definition as "A person who does something that others say can't be done." Somewhat related to the first 'official' definition, yes, but a bit of a stretch; the sense there is closer to a political or philosophical extremist than to an innovative genius. Certainly the original coinage depicting the Byzantine emperor Leo III wasn't about innovation so much as reactionary religio-politics. But Berns doesn't even stick to his stated usage, either. In the opening chapters he catalogs a number of very successful folks — and at least one "failure" — and collects them all under the "iconoclast" umbrella. His steadfast desire to focus on the thread of similarity and ignore the manifold differences is quite disconcerting. When I was doing the academic thing many years ago, one of the lessons I learned is that if people aren't careful to use words consistently then discussions and debates can be so ambiguous that they become useless. I vaguely recall that someone once tallied the different ways economists use the word "capital" and it was in the dozens. The overuse isn't quite so extreme here, but it is quite blatant and leaves an attentive reader suspicious and incredulous.
Early on, Berns emphatically states that special skills in visualization — the ability to see what others don't perceive — is the sine qua non of iconoclasm. Or is he conflating this with imagination? Because he also asserts that "imagination comes from the visual system." Only to then provide many examples of the imaginative component of iconoclasm that have nothing to do with visual perception. For example, Ray Kroc, the kind-of founder of McDonald's -- nothing visual about his innovation.
The dictionary definition uses the word "overthrows", and the idea of someone that explores new territory is an important part of what the book covers -- for instance, on page 170, he describes someone as "a pioneer (i.e., an iconoclast)". But at other times the meaning shifts towards "genius".
Oddly, this might be a nice companion book with Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers , although Gladwell doesn't need the companionship they way Berns does. Both deal with exceptionalism. Gladwell makes a very strong case that outliers are that way due to extremes of upbringing and culture; Berns is trying to convince us that these people are neurologically distinct as well: they actually think differently in fundamental and measurable ways. Are these ways teachable? The book's subtitle implies they are, but the book never really explores self-improvement.
Except, oddly, in the surprising and interesting appendix: "The Iconoclast's Pharmacopoeia". Here, Berns examines a number of drugs and how they affect the brain and the neurochemical pathways involved in perception and innovation. This reminded me of the excellent Buzzed : both provided detailed information about drugs without preaching, and both force an honest thinker towards the conclusion that drug policy is absurdly paternalistic and misguided.
Berns is at his best when he drifts away from his iconoclasm hobbyhorse. Late in the book he discusses the results of clinical research exploring how social conditions can actually change basic perception, and it is quite compelling. One research area explained involves how the brain strives for efficiency; if our peers have reached a consensus that something is "A", then it is more efficient for our brain to tell us the same than for it to permit us to waste time and energy thinking that it might be "B". The result is that what people actually perceive can change. If all of your friends agree how delicious that wine is before you taste it... well, your brain might be wired so it actually does taste better. This kind of research into how perceptions may be subject to non-perceptual cognitive influences has fascinating implications, from how advertising works to the reliability of court testimony. I would have been happier reading a whole book about those kind of discoveries, without all the poorly thought-out stuff on what makes an innovator, er, genius, er... pioneer, er, ... iconoclast.
The first problem regards the title:
i·con·o·clast (ī-kŏn'ə-klăst')Neither of those two definitions jibes with how Berns uses the word.
n.
1. One who attacks and seeks to overthrow
traditional or popular ideas or institutions.
2. One who destroys sacred religious images.
Right there on the cover, the author provides the definition as "A person who does something that others say can't be done." Somewhat related to the first 'official' definition, yes, but a bit of a stretch; the sense there is closer to a political or philosophical extremist than to an innovative genius. Certainly the original coinage depicting the Byzantine emperor Leo III wasn't about innovation so much as reactionary religio-politics. But Berns doesn't even stick to his stated usage, either. In the opening chapters he catalogs a number of very successful folks — and at least one "failure" — and collects them all under the "iconoclast" umbrella. His steadfast desire to focus on the thread of similarity and ignore the manifold differences is quite disconcerting. When I was doing the academic thing many years ago, one of the lessons I learned is that if people aren't careful to use words consistently then discussions and debates can be so ambiguous that they become useless. I vaguely recall that someone once tallied the different ways economists use the word "capital" and it was in the dozens. The overuse isn't quite so extreme here, but it is quite blatant and leaves an attentive reader suspicious and incredulous.
Early on, Berns emphatically states that special skills in visualization — the ability to see what others don't perceive — is the sine qua non of iconoclasm. Or is he conflating this with imagination? Because he also asserts that "imagination comes from the visual system." Only to then provide many examples of the imaginative component of iconoclasm that have nothing to do with visual perception. For example, Ray Kroc, the kind-of founder of McDonald's -- nothing visual about his innovation.
The dictionary definition uses the word "overthrows", and the idea of someone that explores new territory is an important part of what the book covers -- for instance, on page 170, he describes someone as "a pioneer (i.e., an iconoclast)". But at other times the meaning shifts towards "genius".
Oddly, this might be a nice companion book with Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers , although Gladwell doesn't need the companionship they way Berns does. Both deal with exceptionalism. Gladwell makes a very strong case that outliers are that way due to extremes of upbringing and culture; Berns is trying to convince us that these people are neurologically distinct as well: they actually think differently in fundamental and measurable ways. Are these ways teachable? The book's subtitle implies they are, but the book never really explores self-improvement.
Except, oddly, in the surprising and interesting appendix: "The Iconoclast's Pharmacopoeia". Here, Berns examines a number of drugs and how they affect the brain and the neurochemical pathways involved in perception and innovation. This reminded me of the excellent Buzzed : both provided detailed information about drugs without preaching, and both force an honest thinker towards the conclusion that drug policy is absurdly paternalistic and misguided.
Berns is at his best when he drifts away from his iconoclasm hobbyhorse. Late in the book he discusses the results of clinical research exploring how social conditions can actually change basic perception, and it is quite compelling. One research area explained involves how the brain strives for efficiency; if our peers have reached a consensus that something is "A", then it is more efficient for our brain to tell us the same than for it to permit us to waste time and energy thinking that it might be "B". The result is that what people actually perceive can change. If all of your friends agree how delicious that wine is before you taste it... well, your brain might be wired so it actually does taste better. This kind of research into how perceptions may be subject to non-perceptual cognitive influences has fascinating implications, from how advertising works to the reliability of court testimony. I would have been happier reading a whole book about those kind of discoveries, without all the poorly thought-out stuff on what makes an innovator, er, genius, er... pioneer, er, ... iconoclast.
August 19, 2022
"How you perceive something 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 lies at the heart of iconoclasm.
Iconoclasts see things differently than other people. Literally. They see things differently because their brains do not fall into efficiency traps as much as the average person’s brain. Iconoclasts, either because they were born that way or because they learned how to do it, have found ways to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people."
Iconoclast was an interesting read. As the book's subtitle intimates; this is a largely science-driven book.
Author Gregory S. Berns is an American neuroeconomist, neuroscientist, professor of psychiatry, psychologist and writer. He lives with his family in Atlanta, Georgia, US.
Gregory Berns:
Berns opens the book with a decent intro. Game-changing FM radio inventor Howard Armstrong is talked about. The author also drops the quote at the start of this review.
Berns has a decent writing style, and the writing in the book bounces between historical case studies and modern science. I generally like books formatted in this manner, and I felt that this formatting worked here, too.
Whether you call the people talked about by Berns in the opening quote iconoclasts, contrarians, heterodox thinkers, or people who "think outside the box," they all have the desire to overturn dogmas, and reshape the way things are. He says:
Invention and innovation are never achieved by following the status quo. These changes are brought forward by people who think and see the world differently from most. Berns expands further:
Given mankind's inborn pro-social wiring and confirmation bias, true iconoclasts are indeed a rare breed in most societies. Even more so in societies that are collectivist in nature, rather than individualistic. So, knowing that, how can one learn to think differently? Berns sums it up nicely with this quote:
In this quote, Berns talks about leveraging the power of familiarity for the iconoclast's visions to gain traction in some interesting writing:
Some more of what is covered in these pages by Berns includes:
• Neurotransmitters; dopamine.
• Branch Rickey—The Iconoclast Who Hired Jackie Robinson
• Kary Mullis and the invention of the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR.
• Fear and stress; cognitive reframing.
• Richard Feynman.
• The aforementioned human pro-social wiring. Solomon Asche's famous conformity experiments.
• The stock markets; the St. Petersburg paradox. Contrarian investor David Dreman.
• Henry Ford; The Model A and Model T.
• Vincent van Gogh vs. Pablo Picasso.
• Social psychologist Stanley Milgram; his obedience, and "6 degrees of separation" experiments .
• Ray Croc and MacDonald's.
• Rocketry; new technologies, Burt Rutan. Associated risks.
• Arthur Jones and the Nautilus Machine.
• Steve Jobs: The Iconoclastic Icon
• An interesting Appendix titled: Drugs That Change Perception
***********************
I did enjoy this book, although I felt the writing was a bit dry at times...
I would still recommend it to anyone interested.
3.5 stars.
Iconoclasts see things differently than other people. Literally. They see things differently because their brains do not fall into efficiency traps as much as the average person’s brain. Iconoclasts, either because they were born that way or because they learned how to do it, have found ways to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people."
Iconoclast was an interesting read. As the book's subtitle intimates; this is a largely science-driven book.
Author Gregory S. Berns is an American neuroeconomist, neuroscientist, professor of psychiatry, psychologist and writer. He lives with his family in Atlanta, Georgia, US.
Gregory Berns:
Berns opens the book with a decent intro. Game-changing FM radio inventor Howard Armstrong is talked about. The author also drops the quote at the start of this review.
Berns has a decent writing style, and the writing in the book bounces between historical case studies and modern science. I generally like books formatted in this manner, and I felt that this formatting worked here, too.
Whether you call the people talked about by Berns in the opening quote iconoclasts, contrarians, heterodox thinkers, or people who "think outside the box," they all have the desire to overturn dogmas, and reshape the way things are. He says:
"Iconoclasts have existed throughout history. A name was given to this type of person when Leo III, emperor of Constantinople, destroyed the golden icon of Christ over his palace gates in AD 725. Leo’s act of defiance against the church was to consolidate his power, but the word iconoclast, which means literally “destroyer of icons,” stuck. In the same vein, the modern iconoclast, whether consciously or not, acknowledges the fact that creation is also an act of destruction. To create something new, you also have to tear down conventional ways of thinking. But whether someone is successful in this enterprise depends largely on the three key circuits in the brain."
Invention and innovation are never achieved by following the status quo. These changes are brought forward by people who think and see the world differently from most. Berns expands further:
"To see things differently than other people, the most effective solution is to bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the shackles of past experience and forces the brain to make new judgments. As we shall see in the following chapters, there are many ways to accomplish this. Iconoclasts, at least successful ones, have a preternatural affinity for new experiences. Where most people shy away from things that are different, the iconoclast embraces novelty."
Given mankind's inborn pro-social wiring and confirmation bias, true iconoclasts are indeed a rare breed in most societies. Even more so in societies that are collectivist in nature, rather than individualistic. So, knowing that, how can one learn to think differently? Berns sums it up nicely with this quote:
"The relationship between perception, insight, and imagination goes well beyond basic psychology or historical debates. To recap the neuroscience view, imagination comes from using the same neural circuits used to perceive natural objects. In this way, imagination is like reverse perception. Perception, however, is constrained by the categories that an individual brings to the table. Although categories may not be absolute, they are learned from past experience, and because of this relationship, experience shapes both perception and imagination.
In order to think creatively, and imagine possibilities that only iconoclasts do, one must break out of the cycle of experience-dependent categorization—or what Mark Twain called “education.” For most people, this does not come naturally. Often the harder one tries to think differently, the more rigid the categories become. There is a better way, a path that jolts the brain out of preconceived notions of what it is seeing: bombard the brain with new experiences. Only then will it be forced out of efficiency mode and reconfigure its neural networks."
In this quote, Berns talks about leveraging the power of familiarity for the iconoclast's visions to gain traction in some interesting writing:
"The goal is keep people’s amygdalae from firing. In addition to responding to fearful situations, the amygdala has a hair trigger for anything unfamiliar. Iconoclasts, by definition, are foreign to most people, and anything that seems new or different will tend to set off the amygdala in most people. This is not a good situation. When the amygdala fires, it activates the arousal system of the body. The end result is that people will avoid the unfamiliar.
The key to taming other people’s amygdalae lies in familiarity. The successful iconoclast creates an aura of familiarity to keep the amygdalae of his target audience in check. When Ray Kroc created Ronald McDonald as a connector to children, he banked on the familiarity of clowns to kids. Without this familiarity, it would have been absurd to market hamburgers to children with no disposable income. Arnold Schwarzenegger accomplished the same feat. Having already created connections with millions of people through movie roles, he banked on his familiarity to become governor of California."
Some more of what is covered in these pages by Berns includes:
• Neurotransmitters; dopamine.
• Branch Rickey—The Iconoclast Who Hired Jackie Robinson
• Kary Mullis and the invention of the polymerase chain reaction, or PCR.
• Fear and stress; cognitive reframing.
• Richard Feynman.
• The aforementioned human pro-social wiring. Solomon Asche's famous conformity experiments.
• The stock markets; the St. Petersburg paradox. Contrarian investor David Dreman.
• Henry Ford; The Model A and Model T.
• Vincent van Gogh vs. Pablo Picasso.
• Social psychologist Stanley Milgram; his obedience, and "6 degrees of separation" experiments .
• Ray Croc and MacDonald's.
• Rocketry; new technologies, Burt Rutan. Associated risks.
• Arthur Jones and the Nautilus Machine.
• Steve Jobs: The Iconoclastic Icon
• An interesting Appendix titled: Drugs That Change Perception
***********************
I did enjoy this book, although I felt the writing was a bit dry at times...
I would still recommend it to anyone interested.
3.5 stars.
November 28, 2008
"Iconoclast" is that true rarity: a book I start recommending to friends before I have even finished reading it.
Berns uses his background in neuroscience to first show the physiological differences in brain structure between iconoclasts (original thinkers, if you will) and those who tend to "go with the crowd." Citations include controlled studies, MRI data, etc. Once he demonstrates the differences, he share examples of iconoclastic thought in everything from hamburgers to aerospace.
The main focus, though, is how to train your brain away from the fear-based mentality that prevents you from exercising your full potential in everything from public speaking to science. The applications for this technique are broad, in everything from education to business.
As one who has never been afraid to speak my mind, I could not understand those who went along "with the gang" even when they disagreed. Thanks to Berns' book, I have a far greater understanding.
Berns uses his background in neuroscience to first show the physiological differences in brain structure between iconoclasts (original thinkers, if you will) and those who tend to "go with the crowd." Citations include controlled studies, MRI data, etc. Once he demonstrates the differences, he share examples of iconoclastic thought in everything from hamburgers to aerospace.
The main focus, though, is how to train your brain away from the fear-based mentality that prevents you from exercising your full potential in everything from public speaking to science. The applications for this technique are broad, in everything from education to business.
As one who has never been afraid to speak my mind, I could not understand those who went along "with the gang" even when they disagreed. Thanks to Berns' book, I have a far greater understanding.
June 25, 2010
About half this book is anecdote and the other half is scientific study. The author tries to bridge the gap between the world of a neurologist and the world of a businessman. He succeeds to a large degree, which is impressive. Still, there's a lot of science one must wade through to "get it" about Iconoclast. In the end, if you're into psychology and what makes a person think original thoughts, this book scores high marks. If you're looking to "up" your own originality, the author tries to coach you into becoming a self-made iconoclast, but I doubt he makes a whole lot of headway. The reader's left feeling: "This book's a science book trying to be self-help."
I read the whole book, which is a good indicator that it was delivering value all the way through. Would I recommend it to a friend? I can't think of any friends who'd be likely to get as much from it as I did (given that I find the science of human decision-making more interesting than the average bloke.)
I read the whole book, which is a good indicator that it was delivering value all the way through. Would I recommend it to a friend? I can't think of any friends who'd be likely to get as much from it as I did (given that I find the science of human decision-making more interesting than the average bloke.)
December 10, 2008
I was already somewhat familiar with several of the exemplars discussed in this book but not with others. They include Solomon Asch, Warren Buffett, Nolan Bushnell, Dale Chihuly, Ray Croc, Walt Disney, David Dreman, Richard Feynman, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King, Jr., Paul Lauterbur, Jim Lavoi, Stanley Milgram, Florence Nightingale, Branch Rickey, Burt Rutan, and Jonas Salk. According to Berns, these iconoclasts possess a brain that differs from other people's in three functions (i.e. perception, fear response, and social intelligence) and the circuits that implement them. Keep in mind, however, as noted earlier: "It is an exceedingly rare individual who possesses all three of these traits." Howard Armstrong, for example, was "the most iconoclastic and influential engineer of radio" whose inventions include FM. "But what is most interesting about Armstrong is the extent of his iconoclasm," so extreme that it "advanced radio technology but cost him his life." Berns's discussion of Armstrong (Pages 1-4, 9-10, 129, 131, and 151) explains why his story "is a cautionary tale" to those about to challenge conventional wisdom.
Berns makes an important distinction. "The iconoclast doesn't literally see things differently than other people. More precisely, he [begin italics] perceives [end italics] things differently. There are several different routes to forcing the brain out of its lazy mode of perception, but the theme linking these methods depends on the element of surprise. The brain must be provided with something that it has never processed before to force it out of predictable perceptions. When Chihuly lost an eye, his brain was forced to reinterpret visual stimuli in a new way." In this context, I am reminded that only after Sophocles' Oedipus gouged out his eyes and Shakespeare's Earl of Gloucester wandered sightless on the moors did these two tragic figures perceive the realities that, previously, their vision had denied or did not see.
This is not an "easy read." On the contrary, before beginning to compose my review, I re-read the book with special attention to the dozens of passages I had highlighted. To his great credit, and to the extent possible, Berns presents scientific material in layman's terms for those such as I who have little (if any) prior knowledge about neuroscience and especially about what the brain is, what it does, why people can perceive the same objects so differently, how and why people can respond so differently to fear, and why there are such significant differences between and among people in terms of their social skills. Because iconoclasts perceive the world differently, they have a different context in which to formulate their mindsets and world views, determine preferences, select objectives, and mobilize resources (including collaborators) when pursuing those objectives. Unlike Alcibiades'seamen who seem to be nothing more than drunken vandals, the contemporary iconoclasts of greatest interest to Berns are those who are visionaries, builders, and in some instances revolutionaries. His frequent use of the word "epiphany" is apt. Several of those whom he discusses experienced a "shock of recognition" that revealed both a profound insight and a compelling vision. Disney's epiphany occurred when images of a static cartoon projected on a movie screen changed his "categorization of drawing from one of static cartoons to that of moving ones - drawings that told stories in a narrative sense."
June 14, 2009
A curious book that ultimately feels cobbled together from several different perspectives. The basic idea, that iconoclasts who change the world have to succeed on three fronts, is good stuff and incontrovertible. They have to see things differently, overcome the fear of changing things, and have the social intelligence to make others come along to their way of seeing. But after that, there's a long section on the space flight program and race, and another long section on mind-altering drugs that both feel irrelevant and added on to pad the book out to full length.
December 6, 2012
Great book on how to think differently. In essence, our brain has equivalent energy of a 60 watt bulb. We create mental habits and take shortcuts to conserve energy. The only way break out of this is by creating new stimulus through new experiences, interactions, etc. New ideas typically come as a result of our bringing together two different ideas. There....I just saved you 300 pages of reading!
August 9, 2017
Very good book - worth reading
Too long in my opinion - Could have easily been half the pages.
Interesting last chapter - enhancing iconoclastic traits through careful use of chemical supplements.
Too long in my opinion - Could have easily been half the pages.
Interesting last chapter - enhancing iconoclastic traits through careful use of chemical supplements.
June 10, 2023
I liked reading the book. Not much new insights on what but has some interesting hypotheses on why and how. I did not like most of the sprinkled ppl examples. Somewhat forced. Would prefer fewer but deeper case studies that are better validated. Stocks/Finance section need not exist. The last chapter on pharmacopia, was unexpected, but pretty interesting.
- Armstrong, Sarnoff and RCA. AM -> FM case. HT to Marconi.
- Iconoclast brain: 1. Perception; 2. Fear Response; 3. Social Intelligence
- Vision. Eye to brain. Signals to back of brain. Why we see stars when t at the back of head. Seeing vs. Interpreting. Brain compensates.
- MRI story: 1940, nuclear magnetic resonance, atoms vibrate under magnetic field, chemists use. 1970, Lauterbur thought you can detect cancer tissue, you can build imaging. Paper rejected :) -> 2003 Nobel Price.
- Visual nature of their eureka moments.
- More Brain Vision: Brain categorizes "what" to simplify processing. special area for human faces,
- Key Takeaway: Iconoclastic Moments: Epiphanies rarely happen in familiar surroundings! Not from simply staring at the problem and thinking harder. This is because of brain categorization. Unfamiliarity causes brain to not fit in an existing category and create new ones. Obv brain tries to limit this and default to categorization for energy eff. This is why so many breakthrus happen in bars, restaurants, traveling, meeting new ppl.
- Brain all about conserving energy. P0 is efficiency.
- Human reaction time ~200ms.
- Imagination comes from the same visual system. Perception and imagination use the same system.
- Creativity decreases as age++
- Florence Nightingale. Nurse. Found out it was hygiene disease killing the most soldiers. Made a first polar plot.
- Experience modifies neurons for efficient processing. Repetition suppression. Sharpening hypothesis: fewer sme neurons start doing the task.
- Learning types
- 1. pavlov: classical conditioning/associative learning
- 2. ??
- Visual System - Imagery - Imagination
- Efficiency principle => Lazy imagery of common pathways, need to work much harder on uncommon pathways. i.e., beach sunset vs. Pluto sunset.
- Fear: stress response from evolution. Amygdala (almond sized).
- Neural stress response: Sympathetic nervous system: fast response, hearbeat, etc. (e.g., epinefrine shot); parasympathetic: slow response.
- Hormonal stress response: Cortisol (medical equivalent cortisone; ci: how about corticosteroids?). Stress => hypothalamus releases CRH => Pituitary releases ACTH => Adrenal glands release Cortisol.
- Neural response almost instantaneous, hormonal response mins to hours.
- Handle Stress Response: We do better w our big prefrontal cortex. Can inhibit amygdala. Strategies: Cognitive Reappraisal, Practice, replace chronic stressor w short-term/well defined/timeboxed stressors (e.g., social anxiety). Repeat Exposure to stressor may cause prefrontal cortex to inhibit fear.
- Elsberg paradox. 2 urns, each have black & white balls. 1st one 50-50 distribution. 2nd one unknown distribution. Which urn would you pick from to pick a white ball? ... How about a black ball?
- Fear alters perception. We are wired to conform. If n people say A, we are inclined to do so. Breaking conformity: you need one dissenter, one more like-minded to break unanimity.
- Social Intelligence: Familiarity + Reputation. Picasso vs. Van Gogh.
- Familiarity: brain can detect song from 2-5 notes; we pick stocks with familiarity/locality; we invest in familiar; familiarity quiets amygdala.
- Reputation: Fairness. Unfairness activates disgust center. The "ultimatom" game, we give up free reward to punish the unfair person.
- Space flight, propulsion to increase velocity, throw fuel in -y to accelarate in +y, multistage to orbit. Burt Rutan to make the final vehicle lighter, less energy to push up speed. Space flight folks: John Carmack, Elon, Branson+Rutan, Bezos.
- iconoclast pride: nonconformity + see things differently.
- Innovation
- 5 attributes: Advantage, compatible, complexity, triable, visible results
- Adoption vs. time: S curve
- Bell curve for distribution of adopters type: pioneers-->laggards
- Integrate the bell curve => S curve
- Hmm. this is somewhat trivial when you think. Bell curve is the PDF of probabilty{adoption time}, S curve is the CDF, integrating over the pdf.
- Dopamine correlates w novelty seeking. Dopamine peaks at adolescence. Innovation/Creativity peaks before 30.
- Drugs
- LSD changes perception by binding to some seratonin receptors
- Fear inhibitors: Awesome/Awful => adenalyne (epinefrin) => constrict blood vessels -> BP++, heartbeat++, allow more oxygen, shut down GI, arousal.
- Two contrasting adrenalin receptors: alpha & beta. Beta blockers block beta effects: high BP, physical manifestations of anxiety. Ex: performance anxiety => beta blockers.
- Antidepressants: SSRI blockers block seratonin transporters. Leave more seratonin around i think. maybe Reduce risk aversion, anxiety.
- Sedatives/Alcohol: Benzos indisciminately inhibit brain. amygdala => inhibit anxiety, other places => reduce motor funcn etc.
- Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamine, Ritalin, Adderall. effect dopamine and norepinefrin. Increased alertness, concentrate. Reduce appetite. Impulsiveness, risk taking. L-DOPA, caffeine. Nicotine can be stimulant (newbie) or sedative (smoker).
- Antipsychotics: Block dopamine d2 receptor. Some block seratonin receptors. Decrease exploratory behavior, impair cognitive.
- hormones: Neurotransmitters (eg dopamine, seratonine) released betw neurons and stay in brain. Hormones secreted by organs, released to bloodstream.
- steroids:
- cortisol/hydrocortisone: stress hormone, increases glucose in blood, reduces cell glucose intake, inhibits immune system, anti-inflammatory. Synthetic cortisol: prednisone, more potent than cortisol, changes in mood, may increase arousal, concentration. Osteoporosis, moon face etc.
- testosterone: declines after 25, may increase bravery, reduce empathy.
- Oxytocin: released during labor. animals: reduce fear and aggressive behavior. humans: increase social intelligence, read others, empathy, trust, decrease fear.
- Summary: SSRIs, beta blockers help w perf anxiety; benzos may do the same but addictive; stay away from stimulants - addiction, impulsive; hallucinogens help perception/ creativity; oxytocin for social intelligence.
- Armstrong, Sarnoff and RCA. AM -> FM case. HT to Marconi.
- Iconoclast brain: 1. Perception; 2. Fear Response; 3. Social Intelligence
- Vision. Eye to brain. Signals to back of brain. Why we see stars when t at the back of head. Seeing vs. Interpreting. Brain compensates.
- MRI story: 1940, nuclear magnetic resonance, atoms vibrate under magnetic field, chemists use. 1970, Lauterbur thought you can detect cancer tissue, you can build imaging. Paper rejected :) -> 2003 Nobel Price.
- Visual nature of their eureka moments.
- More Brain Vision: Brain categorizes "what" to simplify processing. special area for human faces,
- Key Takeaway: Iconoclastic Moments: Epiphanies rarely happen in familiar surroundings! Not from simply staring at the problem and thinking harder. This is because of brain categorization. Unfamiliarity causes brain to not fit in an existing category and create new ones. Obv brain tries to limit this and default to categorization for energy eff. This is why so many breakthrus happen in bars, restaurants, traveling, meeting new ppl.
- Brain all about conserving energy. P0 is efficiency.
- Human reaction time ~200ms.
- Imagination comes from the same visual system. Perception and imagination use the same system.
- Creativity decreases as age++
- Florence Nightingale. Nurse. Found out it was hygiene disease killing the most soldiers. Made a first polar plot.
- Experience modifies neurons for efficient processing. Repetition suppression. Sharpening hypothesis: fewer sme neurons start doing the task.
- Learning types
- 1. pavlov: classical conditioning/associative learning
- 2. ??
- Visual System - Imagery - Imagination
- Efficiency principle => Lazy imagery of common pathways, need to work much harder on uncommon pathways. i.e., beach sunset vs. Pluto sunset.
- Fear: stress response from evolution. Amygdala (almond sized).
- Neural stress response: Sympathetic nervous system: fast response, hearbeat, etc. (e.g., epinefrine shot); parasympathetic: slow response.
- Hormonal stress response: Cortisol (medical equivalent cortisone; ci: how about corticosteroids?). Stress => hypothalamus releases CRH => Pituitary releases ACTH => Adrenal glands release Cortisol.
- Neural response almost instantaneous, hormonal response mins to hours.
- Handle Stress Response: We do better w our big prefrontal cortex. Can inhibit amygdala. Strategies: Cognitive Reappraisal, Practice, replace chronic stressor w short-term/well defined/timeboxed stressors (e.g., social anxiety). Repeat Exposure to stressor may cause prefrontal cortex to inhibit fear.
- Elsberg paradox. 2 urns, each have black & white balls. 1st one 50-50 distribution. 2nd one unknown distribution. Which urn would you pick from to pick a white ball? ... How about a black ball?
- Fear alters perception. We are wired to conform. If n people say A, we are inclined to do so. Breaking conformity: you need one dissenter, one more like-minded to break unanimity.
- Social Intelligence: Familiarity + Reputation. Picasso vs. Van Gogh.
- Familiarity: brain can detect song from 2-5 notes; we pick stocks with familiarity/locality; we invest in familiar; familiarity quiets amygdala.
- Reputation: Fairness. Unfairness activates disgust center. The "ultimatom" game, we give up free reward to punish the unfair person.
- Space flight, propulsion to increase velocity, throw fuel in -y to accelarate in +y, multistage to orbit. Burt Rutan to make the final vehicle lighter, less energy to push up speed. Space flight folks: John Carmack, Elon, Branson+Rutan, Bezos.
- iconoclast pride: nonconformity + see things differently.
- Innovation
- 5 attributes: Advantage, compatible, complexity, triable, visible results
- Adoption vs. time: S curve
- Bell curve for distribution of adopters type: pioneers-->laggards
- Integrate the bell curve => S curve
- Hmm. this is somewhat trivial when you think. Bell curve is the PDF of probabilty{adoption time}, S curve is the CDF, integrating over the pdf.
- Dopamine correlates w novelty seeking. Dopamine peaks at adolescence. Innovation/Creativity peaks before 30.
- Drugs
- LSD changes perception by binding to some seratonin receptors
- Fear inhibitors: Awesome/Awful => adenalyne (epinefrin) => constrict blood vessels -> BP++, heartbeat++, allow more oxygen, shut down GI, arousal.
- Two contrasting adrenalin receptors: alpha & beta. Beta blockers block beta effects: high BP, physical manifestations of anxiety. Ex: performance anxiety => beta blockers.
- Antidepressants: SSRI blockers block seratonin transporters. Leave more seratonin around i think. maybe Reduce risk aversion, anxiety.
- Sedatives/Alcohol: Benzos indisciminately inhibit brain. amygdala => inhibit anxiety, other places => reduce motor funcn etc.
- Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamine, Ritalin, Adderall. effect dopamine and norepinefrin. Increased alertness, concentrate. Reduce appetite. Impulsiveness, risk taking. L-DOPA, caffeine. Nicotine can be stimulant (newbie) or sedative (smoker).
- Antipsychotics: Block dopamine d2 receptor. Some block seratonin receptors. Decrease exploratory behavior, impair cognitive.
- hormones: Neurotransmitters (eg dopamine, seratonine) released betw neurons and stay in brain. Hormones secreted by organs, released to bloodstream.
- steroids:
- cortisol/hydrocortisone: stress hormone, increases glucose in blood, reduces cell glucose intake, inhibits immune system, anti-inflammatory. Synthetic cortisol: prednisone, more potent than cortisol, changes in mood, may increase arousal, concentration. Osteoporosis, moon face etc.
- testosterone: declines after 25, may increase bravery, reduce empathy.
- Oxytocin: released during labor. animals: reduce fear and aggressive behavior. humans: increase social intelligence, read others, empathy, trust, decrease fear.
- Summary: SSRIs, beta blockers help w perf anxiety; benzos may do the same but addictive; stay away from stimulants - addiction, impulsive; hallucinogens help perception/ creativity; oxytocin for social intelligence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2009
Not a bad book per se, but I just had trouble getting into it. The way it's organized is very choppy and at some point the book seemed to ramble on when it should have ended. It took its three premises: being able to perceive differently, avoid fear, and appeal to the public and rambled on. Some parts were interesting, while others were poorly explained (we get a full break down on cell bio, but are expected to know what "g force" is in physics). Some of the iconoclast stories were intriguing, while others seemed like a stretch or were too short to capture attention. It was OK, but could have used better editing.
March 7, 2013
Easy-to-read book from a neuroscientist that argues how people can think differently and help their brains overcome our natural and learned behaviors that prevent innovation. The book includes many accessible case studies and examples from business and popular culture. Berns argues that to think differently we have to overcome 3 mental barriers: perception, courage and social skills. The arguments here show us how to avoid some of the pitfalls we might find. PS - There's also a great Appendix that includes "non-medical advice" about psychoactive drugs that can alter the brain's functioning - hilarious for a business press book!!
July 3, 2016
Interesting concepts presented in the most boring fashion possible, by a neuroscientist who is trying, for some reason, to communicate with Wall Street in the literary equivalent of Morse code. It reads like a business pitch, complete with a cringe-inducing tendency to ride the term "Iconoclast" like a boardroom buzzword.
The take-home is that iconoclasts are like geniuses, only not that smart.
Skip it.
The take-home is that iconoclasts are like geniuses, only not that smart.
Skip it.
November 28, 2011
Interesting information presented in an accessible way. The business angle (i.e., the mini business case studies) seem forced.
March 7, 2018
anecdotal evidence of a "new" theory, which was actually posited by Russian Formalists (Eccentrism, ostranenie) a century ago
September 21, 2021
This was an unusual book that tries to examine what makes the small number of people able to think differently than the crowd and to use that perception to become a mostly financial success story. The 3 main ideas are a difference in perception, reduced fear of risk and exceptional social skills. Bern gives many examples of individuals succeeding in these 3 areas, but I kept having the feeling that maybe they weren't always people to admire and model oneself after. The book became less interesting as time went on and ended strangely. Bern gave us a pharmacology short course, suggesting that drugs are the way to become an iconoclast (and by inference to succeed) but that he didn't really recommend them for this, especially since many were illegal and/or addictive. It felt very out of place as if this was the quick fix self help to make your dreams come true.
October 18, 2018
Interesting read. It was written a little while ago, but the information is still current enough. It took a while to get used to the author's writing style and I'm not sure how much I'll honestly be able to use what I read in this book. There were a few sections though that made it worth the effort to get through this book. I wouldn't bother picking this one up unless you have a specific interest in the topic. I found it underwhelming.
January 6, 2021
Discussion of chemicals, hormones, etc. action to enhance brain.
Some discussion of experiments or studies of choices we make.
Iconoclast literally "destroyer of icons"
The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes - Marcel Proust.
We can't see what we don't know how to look for.
Some discussion of experiments or studies of choices we make.
Iconoclast literally "destroyer of icons"
The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes - Marcel Proust.
We can't see what we don't know how to look for.
March 31, 2019
Draws on many of the best known social psychology studies, however applies a different lens to most of their analysis. The biggest takeaway for me was the chapter on innovation & marketing innovation.
January 20, 2018
It's been a while since I read it but as I recall I enjoyed it.
February 9, 2018
Not what I was expecting. Dull at times. Had a hard time keeping my interest.
August 20, 2019
Newt Bar is one of the most flexible thinkers of our generation. He needs to write more books
April 16, 2020
A very good book detailing the neuroscience behind creativity and creative people who are innovators.
August 28, 2020
Required reading for school
September 12, 2020
Very Good
Read
March 12, 2023excellent insight into how our mind works. Immensely practical for understanding day to day interactions.
December 27, 2014
Livro interessante este Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, de Gregory Berns, investigador no campo da neuroeconomia, em que o autor utiliza as investigações na neurociência para explicar o comportamento daquilo a que ele chama de pessoas iconoclastas. Ora, um iconoclasta, para o autor, é uma pessoa que faz coisas que outros dizem que não podem ser feitas, por outras palavras, alguém que por algum motivo consegue inovar nalgum campo da actividade humana, nomeadamente, e confiando nos exemplos do autor, nas áreas do empreendedorismo, da tecnologia e arte.
Nesta receita Gregory Berns identifica três características para se ser um iconoclasta. Um iconoclasta (1) vê de maneira diferente, (2) lida com o medo, e possui (3) inteligência social. A partir daqui, Burns aproveita para explicar como o cérebro funciona e de como é que, sabendo esta receita e esta informação, se pode utilizar para pensar de maneira diferente.
Na base desta investigação e livro está um modelo do cérebro chamado modelo do darwinismo neuronal, que defende que o cérebro evoluiu, e continua a evoluir, através de princípios de competição e de adaptação. Nesta visão, a energia é uma variável imprescindível e preciosa, o que significa que o cérebro é regido pelo princípio da eficiência energética. Esta eficiência tem um preço, na medida em que o cérebro na prática toma atalhos sempre que pode.
É neste cenário que se pretende saber como é que um cérebro de um iconoclasta funciona e toma decisões, e expondo essa actividade e como é que esta está relacionada com padrões de disparo de neurónios em partes específicas no cérebro. A partir daqui podemos perceber que a diferença entre o cérebro de um iconoclasta e de uma qualquer outra pessoa está na capacidade de o iconoclasta ver coisas claramente pelo que são conseguindo imaginar outros cenários e não é influenciada pelas opiniões de outras pessoas, navegando a complicada teia social até as outras pessoas conseguirem ver o que ele vê.
Crítica:
Primeiro, em livros como este, é difícil perceber aonde começa e acaba o cérebro e onde começa e acaba a mente. Porquê esta minha dúvida? Bem, é necessário ter muito cuidado em entender livros que aleguem advir da área da investigação em neurociência, pois esta posição assume inevitavelmente um determinado tipo de visão fisicalista, onde a causalidade do comportamento é actividade física neuronal. Por isso se especificarmos esta actividade saberemos realmente como modificar o comportamento.
Por isso ficamos presos a esta posição em que se tenta extrapolar de determinados comportamentos a sua respectiva modelação neuronal, e a capacidade de modelação neuronal e respectiva modificação de comportamentos torna-se assim possível através da capacidade de intervencionarmos a modelação neuronal.
O autor assume esta posição no capítulo “The Iconoclast’s pharmacopoeia”, onde defende que, sendo o cérebro um órgão biofísico, operando de acordo com conhecidas reacção químicas e biológicas, este funcionamento pode ser alterado, pelo menos temporariamente, pela ingestão de drogas. E donde vem esta posição em relação às drogas por parte do autor? Porque, como nos indica Berns no mesmo capítulo, é da natureza humana querer melhorar-se, mas isso é um trabalho muito duro. Neste sentido, talvez seja mais fácil ingerir um comprimido de modo a permitir uma pessoa fazer coisas que de outra maneira não faria.
Ora, o design da mente (de uma mente que permite ver diferentemente e não ter medo e ser extrovertido) neste livro é baseado em fármacos, e são estes fármacos que vão modificar o comportamento, ie, para desenharmos uma mente melhor temos de ‘afinar farmacologicamente’ o cérebro. É extremamente perigosa esta posição, e deve levantar suspeitas.
Segundo, o termo iconoclasta, no meu ponto de vista, é mal apropriado para a matéria que trata o livro. A iconoclasia tem uma profundidade semântica muito maior do que simplesmente a adscrição sinonímica ao termo ‘inovação’, nomeadamente inovação tecnológica. A iconoclasia tem a sua origem num domínio místico que se impõe separadamente daquilo que possa ser qualquer variação social. Eu percebo que por iconoclasta, Berns, esteja a falar de personalidades como Steve Jobs ou Walt Disney (entre muitos outros que o autor relata), isto é, personalidades que envolveram um certo olhar mítico para as suas próprias personae. Mas isto são ídolos num sentido clássico. E um iconoclasta, um verdadeiro iconoclasta, destrói ídolos.
E em terceiro lugar, este é um livro cujo target é claramente os empreendededores. Nada de mal em relação a isso, sou todo a favor deste tipo de edições. Mas mesmo neste campo, o livro não acrescenta, no meu ponto de vista, nada mais do que já aparece em muita literatura baseada na temática do sucesso empresarial. Apenas vagueia um pouco mais nalgumas descrições de factos neurológicos, mas não se torna inovador per se.
Contudo, não deixa de ser um livro interessante para se ler, principalmente para pessoas dentro do seu target. Dou-lhe 3 estrelas.
Nesta receita Gregory Berns identifica três características para se ser um iconoclasta. Um iconoclasta (1) vê de maneira diferente, (2) lida com o medo, e possui (3) inteligência social. A partir daqui, Burns aproveita para explicar como o cérebro funciona e de como é que, sabendo esta receita e esta informação, se pode utilizar para pensar de maneira diferente.
Na base desta investigação e livro está um modelo do cérebro chamado modelo do darwinismo neuronal, que defende que o cérebro evoluiu, e continua a evoluir, através de princípios de competição e de adaptação. Nesta visão, a energia é uma variável imprescindível e preciosa, o que significa que o cérebro é regido pelo princípio da eficiência energética. Esta eficiência tem um preço, na medida em que o cérebro na prática toma atalhos sempre que pode.
É neste cenário que se pretende saber como é que um cérebro de um iconoclasta funciona e toma decisões, e expondo essa actividade e como é que esta está relacionada com padrões de disparo de neurónios em partes específicas no cérebro. A partir daqui podemos perceber que a diferença entre o cérebro de um iconoclasta e de uma qualquer outra pessoa está na capacidade de o iconoclasta ver coisas claramente pelo que são conseguindo imaginar outros cenários e não é influenciada pelas opiniões de outras pessoas, navegando a complicada teia social até as outras pessoas conseguirem ver o que ele vê.
Crítica:
Primeiro, em livros como este, é difícil perceber aonde começa e acaba o cérebro e onde começa e acaba a mente. Porquê esta minha dúvida? Bem, é necessário ter muito cuidado em entender livros que aleguem advir da área da investigação em neurociência, pois esta posição assume inevitavelmente um determinado tipo de visão fisicalista, onde a causalidade do comportamento é actividade física neuronal. Por isso se especificarmos esta actividade saberemos realmente como modificar o comportamento.
Por isso ficamos presos a esta posição em que se tenta extrapolar de determinados comportamentos a sua respectiva modelação neuronal, e a capacidade de modelação neuronal e respectiva modificação de comportamentos torna-se assim possível através da capacidade de intervencionarmos a modelação neuronal.
O autor assume esta posição no capítulo “The Iconoclast’s pharmacopoeia”, onde defende que, sendo o cérebro um órgão biofísico, operando de acordo com conhecidas reacção químicas e biológicas, este funcionamento pode ser alterado, pelo menos temporariamente, pela ingestão de drogas. E donde vem esta posição em relação às drogas por parte do autor? Porque, como nos indica Berns no mesmo capítulo, é da natureza humana querer melhorar-se, mas isso é um trabalho muito duro. Neste sentido, talvez seja mais fácil ingerir um comprimido de modo a permitir uma pessoa fazer coisas que de outra maneira não faria.
Ora, o design da mente (de uma mente que permite ver diferentemente e não ter medo e ser extrovertido) neste livro é baseado em fármacos, e são estes fármacos que vão modificar o comportamento, ie, para desenharmos uma mente melhor temos de ‘afinar farmacologicamente’ o cérebro. É extremamente perigosa esta posição, e deve levantar suspeitas.
Segundo, o termo iconoclasta, no meu ponto de vista, é mal apropriado para a matéria que trata o livro. A iconoclasia tem uma profundidade semântica muito maior do que simplesmente a adscrição sinonímica ao termo ‘inovação’, nomeadamente inovação tecnológica. A iconoclasia tem a sua origem num domínio místico que se impõe separadamente daquilo que possa ser qualquer variação social. Eu percebo que por iconoclasta, Berns, esteja a falar de personalidades como Steve Jobs ou Walt Disney (entre muitos outros que o autor relata), isto é, personalidades que envolveram um certo olhar mítico para as suas próprias personae. Mas isto são ídolos num sentido clássico. E um iconoclasta, um verdadeiro iconoclasta, destrói ídolos.
E em terceiro lugar, este é um livro cujo target é claramente os empreendededores. Nada de mal em relação a isso, sou todo a favor deste tipo de edições. Mas mesmo neste campo, o livro não acrescenta, no meu ponto de vista, nada mais do que já aparece em muita literatura baseada na temática do sucesso empresarial. Apenas vagueia um pouco mais nalgumas descrições de factos neurológicos, mas não se torna inovador per se.
Contudo, não deixa de ser um livro interessante para se ler, principalmente para pessoas dentro do seu target. Dou-lhe 3 estrelas.
March 28, 2021
I really liked the scientific side of it especially the experiments and the findings, although some of the case studies are a bit too lengthy and not that intriguing. Overall, it's amazing how well Gregory Berns did in making it somewhat easy to grasp, particularly for someone like me who doesn't really have a background in the field of neuroeconomics.
July 20, 2010
This book provided some really interesting insights into how the brain works, and what _can_ differentiate the brain of an iconoclast from mere mortals. To be sure, this is less of a "how to" book than an explanation with some science to back it up, though you can certainly glean some useful suggestions and principles on how an individual or group can attempt to be aware of, occasionally break away from, or maybe even counteract the automatic groupthink that we've evolved to use as a practical shortcut, even though it doesn't always serve us well.
The writing is decent, though I tired of the pedantic summary at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book. Easy enough to skip over. I was also jolted a bit by the Appendix, which seems disconnected from the rest of the content (yes, perhaps that's why it's the appendix). It discusses the potential of various drugs/hormones that may help one to think/act more like an iconoclast. It's not bad info, and it's actually a fair assessment of each, but it really seemed out of place in this book - as if the writer really wanted to enable people to try those substances which he suggests hold promise and have acceptable risks.
Overall, worth the read to better understand the mechanics behind how and why we think the way we do - a subject I find endlessly fascinating!
The writing is decent, though I tired of the pedantic summary at the end of each chapter and at the end of the book. Easy enough to skip over. I was also jolted a bit by the Appendix, which seems disconnected from the rest of the content (yes, perhaps that's why it's the appendix). It discusses the potential of various drugs/hormones that may help one to think/act more like an iconoclast. It's not bad info, and it's actually a fair assessment of each, but it really seemed out of place in this book - as if the writer really wanted to enable people to try those substances which he suggests hold promise and have acceptable risks.
Overall, worth the read to better understand the mechanics behind how and why we think the way we do - a subject I find endlessly fascinating!
September 1, 2012
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.
April 15, 2009
I wanted to like this book...and there were some parts I enjoyed. But Berns was still too heavy on the medical jargon. I've done medical/tech writing, I get that it's hard to explain this stuff without resorting to all the scientific terms. Maybe if there were more illustrations and diagrams I would feel differently. Most of the time I felt as if I was reading a textbook.
What really pissed me off, though, was getting to the Appendix and finding a rundown of drugs. What the hell does this have to do with anything I just read? Is Berns suggesting that the only way the "average person" can achieve iconoclast levels is by taking Prozac, Paxil or Diazepam? Talk about performance enhancing drugs. Did Berns' agent/editor convince him that he needed to include this appendix in order to make the book seem more like a "how to" book? Just stick with the facts, man, and leave the personal growth/self-improvement to Stephen Covey, Wayne Dyer and the like.
What really pissed me off, though, was getting to the Appendix and finding a rundown of drugs. What the hell does this have to do with anything I just read? Is Berns suggesting that the only way the "average person" can achieve iconoclast levels is by taking Prozac, Paxil or Diazepam? Talk about performance enhancing drugs. Did Berns' agent/editor convince him that he needed to include this appendix in order to make the book seem more like a "how to" book? Just stick with the facts, man, and leave the personal growth/self-improvement to Stephen Covey, Wayne Dyer and the like.
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