Opinion – Luciano Melo: The golden donkeys against good neuroscience

Philip II, King of Macedonia, would have said: “there is no fortress that can resist a donkey loaded with gold”. His son, Alexander the Great, demonstrated that he understood the lesson, many times, to conquer territories, he preferred to corrupt rivals to battles. Corruption has always been a weapon of persuasion. But there are more affordable options. During the Korean War, the Chinese military used a very cheap method to convert American prisoners to Maoist communism. It was not necessary to seduce those captured with the promise that they would soon live in a privileged place in the paradise of the end of history. Orientals offered rice or sweets to captives in exchange for a text against the United States. The expedient was often successful, it was brainwashing for a trifle. Those who attack their own convictions, in exchange for a petty reward, are more likely to get rid of their principles. When selling for little, to escape heavy critical reflections, there is a need to invent a justification, and believe in the invention. Those who sell themselves dear not so much, the end justifies the means, and that’s enough.

Social networks are a blessing, they have useful content or they simply waste my time, when – or not – I propose. Social networks are a demon, they deliver misleading advertisements invisible to the regulators of the consumer protection code. In one of these, a man presents himself as a neuroscientist and says he has the solution to dementia, including reversing brain atrophies. He then reveals applying the method to his own mother. The loudmouth simply demonstrates the cognitive health of the smiling lady, apparently in her nineties, asking her to wave to the cameras. If only she had explained how complicated neuroscience is, she would have shown that she enjoys the privilege of growing older lucid and critical. But this would not be the consequence of the son’s charlatanry. He’s not a genius, let alone the only one in the world capable of regenerating human brains.

In another commercial, an initially voice-over explains that all ill health comes from microorganisms or toxins. The climax of the play approaches when the voice impersonates a woman, plus another person who calls herself a neuroscientist. The climax comes with the announcement of a new version of the Brás Cubas Emplasto, but this one is not in the form of an adhesive, but of sound waves that, when heard, make the brain clear the harmful agents.

It is well known that social networks operate algorithms to target advertising. Your robots knew that I was once looking for a green chrome leather shoe. Because, after different digital search strategies for such a product, I started to receive advertisements for shoes. It was artificial intelligence put to use to win over my savings. But from the other two examples, what stands out is the artificial stupidity, not for me. Sudoku games, or something like that, won’t cure Alzheimer’s, coconut milk won’t treat Parkinson’s disease, let alone weird but trivial noises will sweep viruses out of the body. Anyone looking for simplistic solutions to challenging problems is prey to the snare.

Neuroscience is a word that designates a thriving discipline. Embedded in its meaning are the complex, the sophisticated and the mysterious. Some, who are neither “neuros” nor scientists, try to usurp these characteristics. They use the term neuroscience to combine a problem with a bizarre solution, as if it were a license for them to escape proof and explanations.

Owners of social networks now and then say they are committed to eliminating the deceptions that, in fact, help to spread. Maybe they can’t resist the donkeys loaded with gold – and publicity – that appear in droves on their portals. And its users delve into silliness, after slurping up a petty bit of misinformation.