Is it possible to overcome our "animal nature"?

[Water Bear Warrior]

Overcome? No. Reprogram? Yes. It's all interconnected. Unless you've got some safe method of ripping out the entire limbic system, and still being alive at the end of it, you're pretty much stuck with the demented reptile. The neocortex can be employed to override most of the command impulses, tho.

I agree that one's animal nature can't be overcome. We ARE animals. We are primates in the animal kingdom. There isn't any getting around that. The difference between us  however and other primates like chimpazees, is our intellect, intelligence and the fact that we would most likely get arrested if we throw our poo at people who we don't like.  We can reprogram out brains through neuroplasticity, and thus better control our actions and reactions. We can use the human condition, or human nature to reprogram our animal nature.

[minuspace]

Under proper operation, animal-Nature is a rather awesome incarnation, I think

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

In the last week or so I have seen many uses of the word "neuroplasticity" in contexts that imply that the user does not, in fact, know what "neuroplasticity" means.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The question is, what does it mean to "overcome" our animal nature?

It means you died.

[Water Bear Warrior]

In the last week or so I have seen many uses of the word "neuroplasticity" in contexts that imply that the user does not, in fact, know what "neuroplasticity" means.

Hey, I know what it means. It's a super power. Neuroplastic Man. If I am using it wrong in my original post and am showing ignorance, apologies. 

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

The question is, what does it mean to "overcome" our animal nature?

It means you died.

WIN.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

In the last week or so I have seen many uses of the word "neuroplasticity" in contexts that imply that the user does not, in fact, know what "neuroplasticity" means.

Hey, I know what it means. It's a super power. Neuroplastic Man. If I am using it wrong in my original post and am showing ignorance, apologies.

It's not even really wrong as much as it is an inappropriate and unnecessary use of jargon. "Reprogram the brain through neuroplasticity!" = "learn stuff". But "learn stuff" doesn't sound as cool.

Usually when we talk about harnessing neuroplastic capacity to reprogram the brain, we're talking about directed exercises that reroute functions around damage from stroke or other injuries. Technically the brain is always plastic, and you CAN talk about learning stuff and changing your habitual behaviors in terms of neuroplasticity, but it makes you sound like a douche.

[Cain]

I predict that within 5 years, there will be Neuroplasticity Actualization consultants* making a fortune by scamming Fortune 500 companies by teaching them, essentially, that they can learn stuff and change their behaviour.

Because there's nothing the corporate world loves more than a buzzword, especially if it gives a thin veneer of legitimacy to the practice of making ridiculous amounts of money for no particular reason.



*and if there isn't, then I will become one

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I predict that within 5 years, there will be Neuroplasticity Actualization consultants* making a fortune by scamming Fortune 500 companies by teaching them, essentially, that they can learn stuff and change their behaviour.

Because there's nothing the corporate world loves more than a buzzword, especially if it gives a thin veneer of legitimacy to the practice of making ridiculous amounts of money for no particular reason.



*and if there isn't, then I will become one

I suspect you are exactly right, and you should jump on that bandwagon FIRST so you can trademark that shit.

[LMNO]

I will gladly sign on as your US-affiliated partner.

[minuspace]

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