Re: The human brain is shrinking.

[Guest guest]

Re:> I find myself more attracted to smart guys than bad guys. Some women are attracted to power. >Actually I think quite a few are. I am not[,] though. ...Oh, you're attracted to power, all right: *intellectual* power.Kate Gladstone

[Guest guest]

This may explain what is called " arrested development. "

Administrator

The second show looked at some of the more intelligent serial killers. This show

said that intelligent brains develop differently from " normal " brains.

Intelligent brains start out a bit larger and so make more neural connections.

In addition, it takes an intelligent brain up to 2 years longer to develop than

more normal brains. It is also postulated that negative experiences can have a

stronger and more lasting impact on intelligent brains because of these things.

It also said that certain trauma can actually kill brain cells in young brains

affecting them for life.

This got me thinking it maybe this isn't responsible for a lot of the social

awkwardness a lot of intelligent people have. If they are so far behind in

mental development to their peers, combined with possible bullying because of it

causing long-lasting changes to the brain, well, small wonder many are

introverted.

[Guest guest]

Could be. Maybe that plus many bad events combined with a sensitive personality/brain contributes to the milder cases of AS or conditions like it? I can certainly see it make people introverted and shy, but accounting for physical sensory issues and some of the others things are another matter.

In a message dated 11/8/2011 5:00:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, no_reply writes:

This may explain what is called "arrested development."Administrator

[Guest guest]

" Now, what's interesting about this (aside from the quite disturbing detail of

genetic tests even if they said the genes merely " suggested " behavior) is that

the host worked with horror movies. I'm wondering if the changes in his brain

were learned responses, meaning that his movies had horrible images in them so

perhaps he was inured to them, kind of like doctors and nurses to suffering

patients or soldiers to combat. Honestly though the images

from the test that they actually showed on the program weren't that

disturbing, though I assume there could have been worse they couldn't show. "

I think a lot of people have become desensitized to horrific images. I have

watched and read horror in the past and although I am not a fan of slasher type

movies I have watched them previously.

I also think that knowing whether something is 'real' or not can make a

difference. I can watch shows to do with hospitals if they are fiction, however

when I know it is real I find it much harder viewing. If I was just shown images

without any information, how would I know if such were 'real' or fiction?

>

> I caught the tail end of a couple of programs last night. One was, in

> part, about the Milgram Experiment but also talked about brain structure and

> genetics. The other was " Most Evil " which is about a ranking system for evil

> people.

>

> From the first, in addition to the experiment, it mentioned at the end

> that there were certain brain differences related to psychopathy. These are

> mainly a lack of function in parts of the most advanced part of the brain

> (right above the eyes in the front of the brain) and also in the temporal

> region. The former shows a lack of empathy and ethics, the latter, well, I

> forget how that relates unfortunately. The host had a scan of his brain. The

> results showed that he had a normal brain, except he showed signs of

> " temporary psychopathy " related to the bad images that were shown.

>

> The host of the show had a very detailed genetic test done, one far more

> involved than that used to identify people. What the doctor said was that

> with the extensive test it is possible to look for markers related to

> violence, ethics, etc. He said that the host showed markers that suggested

he'd be

> a good family man but also had sociopathic tendency. In other words, he

> would be a defender of his people, an enlightened tyrant of a sort like

> the Great.

>

> Now, what's interesting about this (aside from the quite disturbing detail

> of genetic tests even if they said the genes merely " suggested " behavior)

> is that the host worked with horror movies. I'm wondering if the changes in

> his brain were learned responses, meaning that his movies had horrible

> images in them so perhaps he was inured to them, kind of like doctors and

> nurses to suffering patients or soldiers to combat. Honestly though the

images

> from the test that they actually showed on the program weren't that

> disturbing, though I assume there could have been worse they couldn't show.

>

> Also remember the Milgram Experiment itself. Perhaps the doctor's argument

> seemed to persuasive because of his presumed authority of his degree.

> Scientists have been wrong before about things.

>

> The second show looked at some of the more intelligent serial killers.

> This show said that intelligent brains develop differently from " normal "

> brains. Intelligent brains start out a bit larger and so make more neural

> connections. In addition, it takes an intelligent brain up to 2 years longer

to

> develop than more normal brains. It is also postulated that negative

> experiences can have a stronger and more lasting impact on intelligent brains

> because of these things. It also said that certain trauma can actually kill

> brain cells in young brains affecting them for life.

>

> This got me thinking it maybe this isn't responsible for a lot of the

> social awkwardness a lot of intelligent people have. If they are so far

behind

> in mental development to their peers, combined with possible bullying

> because of it causing long-lasting changes to the brain, well, small wonder

many

> are introverted.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I used to really like horror movies as a teenager. Freddy Krueger was one of my favorite characters. However, as I got older, I lost interest in that kind of movie. Now and then I'll watch one but there has to be a decent story to it. "Torture porn" like "Hostel" and "Saw" just aren't interesting and are disgusting.

Its possible that knowing something isn't real could have an effect. However, I've read that the unconscious mind doesn't know the difference. Any information that comes in is taken to be real. Or so the theory goes. That's also a good point about knowing real or fiction. Images can be very easily faked these days, including video, that it is hard to know what is real.

I think a lot of people have become desensitized to horrific images. I have watched and read horror in the past and although I am not a fan of slasher type movies I have watched them previously.I also think that knowing whether something is 'real' or not can make a difference. I can watch shows to do with hospitals if they are fiction, however when I know it is real I find it much harder viewing. If I was just shown images without any information, how would I know if such were 'real' or fiction?

[Guest guest]

Unfortunatly the 'gold digger' is still alive and well in our society.When I feel able to deal with it, I will try and borrow "the Art of Seduction" from our library, inter library loan.Have read 'the Games People Play' a couple of times; it left me with an unpleasant feeling about human nature, but also helped me be more aware: both of what games others might play and what games I might play without previous awareness.Also read "the Games Children Play"According to some authors, some women (or men) are so taken in by a smooth talking person that they believe his or her lies that 'YOU are the only one for me, the others meant nothing etc etc..."rl 'My

cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'adapted from a poem by SmartTo: FAMSecretSociety Sent: Monday, November 7, 2011 3:38:06 PMSubject: Re: Re: The human brain is shrinking.

You're describing the classic gold digger here, though there are variations. Some of them do seek wealth and power and will stay married, for a time, as long as her mark keeps paying. However, as soon as she finds someone freer with their money, the first one will likely be divorced and plundered via the legal system. Some will want fame as much as money, but the cycle is otherwise the same.

A few will even kill their mate for their money or the insurance and move on to another mark. That would be the Black Widow variant.

I've read that the attraction to power has to do with access to resources, protection and also ego. That is to say a powerful person would have more physical resources for a woman's child, would be able to protect them, and there is the ego thing of "belonging" to the powerful man. This would rule out a lot of decent men, of course, because they frequently get beaten out by the psychopaths, which I think most of the power seekers are.

I am reading through a book right now called "The Art of Seduction." It is a difficult read for me because the description of the various kinds of seducers are really some of the most revolting people, yet so many love them. It really doesn't make any sense to me how so many women (and some men when a female variant is involved) are willing to degrade themselves by being just another conquest for what certainly must be a psychopath or sociopath. Indeed there are many example in the book of women swooning over such men and being nearly crippled with grief when such a rake was driven from the court, or of men literally spending their entire fortunes in a few weeks to gain the favors of a female variant. It makes no sense.

[Guest guest]

As Ender says, power is generally associated with bad boy status, or often corrupts those who acheive power.rl 'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'adapted from a poem by SmartTo: FAMSecretSociety Sent: Monday, November 7, 2011 5:09:43 PMSubject: Re: Re: The human brain is shrinking.

Would it be too obvious to point out the relationship between "Power"

and "Bad Boy" status. Amassing power is much easier when you are not

concerned with who gets hurt as long as you get what you want (i.e.

are a "Bad Boy") Yes, nice guys sometimes achieve power, but it is

truly written... "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts

absolutely." Not many people can hold power without becoming

callous. Those that can pull it off are the exception not rule.

Ender

At 09:44 AM 11/6/2011, you wrote:

>

>I find myself more attracted to smart guys than bad guys. Some women

>are attracted to power. Actually I think quite a few are. I am not

>though. I wonder if that is a bit of the aspie in me?

[Guest guest]

It does give one and unpleasant feeling. I stopped reading The Art of Seduction once I got passed the victimology part and into the "how to" part. Some of that was just revulsion but also there are other things I'm more interested in reading now. I will eventually finish that book too, its just going to have to be in bits and pieces.

Unfortunatly the 'gold digger' is still alive and well in our society.

When I feel able to deal with it, I will try and borrow "the Art of Seduction" from our library, inter library loan.

Have read 'the Games People Play' a couple of times; it left me with an unpleasant feeling about human nature, but also helped me be more aware: both of what games others might play and what games I might play without previous awareness.Also read "the Games Children Play"

According to some authors, some women (or men) are so taken in by a smooth talking person that they believe his or her lies that 'YOU are the only one for me, the others meant nothing etc etc..."

rl

[Guest guest]

Good points both of you.

The bad boy type does have psychopathic tendencies, particularly using violence and threats to get what they want. It makes me wonder about the psychology of the mind that would find that attractive.

As for power, I've been wondering if it is the power itself that corrupts, or if it is the power seekers and hangers on that do the corrupting. By that I mean suppose someone has absolute power. This particular person has underlings that also love unlimited power and are perhaps up on the psychopathic scale and have dreams of grabbing more power for themselves. Taking all of this, it is unlikely that they would place any restraints on the ruler and so they could easily slide, or be driven, to wild excess, especially if that was their nature to begin with.

On a lesser scale, suppose they can't get away with really extreme abuses of power like a Stalin or a Hitler. Suppose the most they can do is bribery and graft. Their underlings tell them "this is how it is done" and so they end up being corrupted, even if the underlings handle the grunt work to shield the ruler from reprisal.

Now suppose a ruler had advisors who were good. That is to say that they care less about raw power but more in doing what was right for the country as a whole. Suppose they advised the ruler against wild excesses but even minor corruption and to do the things that would be right rather than just garner more power from a few corrupt individuals. Odds are they would gain in power, to an extent, because the ruler would no doubt become very popular as their policies benefited the majority rather than just a few. Granted they couldn't do all the thing a more evil ruler could, but that wouldn't be the objective of a wise ruler.

I hope that came across right.

As Ender says, power is generally associated with bad boy status, or often corrupts those who acheive power.

rl

'My cat Rusty is a servant of the Living God....'

adapted from a poem by Smart

To: FAMSecretSociety Se nt: Monday, November 7, 2011 5:09:43 PMSubject: Re: Re: The human brain is shrinking.

Would it be too obvious to point out the relationship between "Power" and "Bad Boy" status. Amassing power is much easier when you are not concerned with who gets hurt as long as you get what you want (i.e. are a "Bad Boy") Yes, nice guys sometimes achieve power, but it is truly written... "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Not many people can hold power without becoming callous. Those that can pull it off are the exception not rule.Ender