Book Club for the 21st Century

The Naked Brain: How the Emerging Neurosociety Is Changing How We Live, Work and Love by Richard Restak

Richard Restak described his book as an account “about the neurosociety in which we now find ourselves, along with the transformations we can expect in our lives as social neuroscience applications move from the laboratory to the boardroom, the showroom, and the bedroom” (7). Neurology is a burgeoning field and as we start the 21^st century Restak believes it will ‘revolutionize’ how humans think, within a new neurosociety where we have increasing awareness on how the brain works and how it can be manipulated. He summarizes what has been discovered about the brain today in layman’s terms, including descriptions on how the brain processes information, how emotions are conditioned and how the brain has common signals among everyone (49). Importantly, he states how rationality and emotionality are not separate entities, but intertwined (52). These statements should force us to reconsider and possibly restructure social practices such as the duty of a juror to base decisions of guilt or innocence on rationality. Expressions of emotion, such as fear, can be triggered not by just direct experience but by anticipated events that have been conveyed by other people, and our brains will exhibit signals that are not based on rationality. Another important concept he introduces to those not familiar with the medical field that “how thinking about doing something activates the same brain regions that come into play when one actually does it” (57). This is expressed in the aptly named chapter, ‘How Our Brain Constructs Our Mental World’. He explains many interesting studies of past research. However, the more interesting material can be found in the later chapters, as he moves to talking about social implications and the future.

Restak notes that as we increasingly rely on MRIs and PET scans and as they come down in cost, the more reasons we try to find to use them, though they might not always be necessary (203). Future test may aim to reveal our supposed private thoughts and tendencies and brain scans may be used as indicators of capability for certain jobs or as predictors of what we would purchase (2). Chemical enhancers may turn us into work machines, working efficiently for longer hours (224). Brain scans of brain abnormalities may be used as proof of mitigating factors for violent criminals (2).

This book is significant for 21^st century professionals and leaders, for it asserts that the way we interact in the future is dependent on how we think of ourselves and others (2). As businesses are part of the fabric of social interaction, it is important to know the social effects of our increasing knowledge of the brain. Knowing how to keep customers and how to effectively manipulate them are invaluable skills as Restak notes (173), but more importantly reading this book creates awareness of how this is done, and how we can prevent ourselves from falling into these brain traps and recognizes the revolving ethical debates. However the most important implication for companies and leaders is that brain science has limits. Brain tests are not an exact science, and there is still a universe undiscovered when it comes to this field. Though there are some similar patterns in brain tests associated with certain reactions, there is much variability among individuals. He maintains, reasonably so I think, that tradition methods in determining and predicting behaviour, such as the simpler (and probably more economical) option of asking questions and behavioural observations, should not be underestimated (202). These methods are even used routinely to clarify what the brain tests actually suggest (203). As a political leader, a future method to lure in voters would be to create a hybrid picture of the individual voter and the politician. Neurological studies have shown that a person acts more favourably onto people who share similar features with them, thus morphing the picture to include a voter’s features might make the politically ignorant more likely to vote in a certain direction. It is for the future leaders that have access to this technology, “a possibility that could arrive in months rather than years” (212), to judge for themselves if this is morally correct.

The most interesting debates Restak highlights are those revolving around ethics. In the Terri Shiavo case of 2005, MRIs of holes in her brain were used to emphasize the level of her vegetative state (217). The other opposing side used other test to stress her chances for survival. In using brain tests, Shiavo’s life was being evaluated as worthy or not on the basis of science. This underlines how brain scans are used to define people strictly in the sense of the brain (219). Restak importantly notes how we must be cautious is doing this, for it causes one to question whether brain test will be used to determine our abilities as aforementioned. Another concept that interested me was the concept of chemical techniques used to enhance our brains (220). Student drug use of psycho-stimulants has reached a new record high (221). Not only does this raise to light the debate of whether students that take drugs such as Ritalin or Provigil (Alertec in Canada) have an advantage over other students that do not, but also makes me wonder how much pressure is put onto students and professionals currently. 21^st century leaders who do not desire to live on a chemical existence may have to find solutions to this. While there are many people who need these drugs to function, they have potential life-threatening risks associated with them (221), thus if not completely needed it would be healthier to avoid.

Restak’s book offers people who do not study neuroscience a holistic view of how it may be used in the future. Most importantly we must remember that neuroscience is not an exact science, and that we should still rely on other methods to base our decisions on. To know how the brain works, and how in turn companies may use this knowledge in order to manipulate people for higher sales or something similar, creates an awareness that it actually occurs so we can use appropriate measures to commensurate their attempts. I believe in the 21^st century we must increase our social-consciousness, and Restak offers ample information to do this.