Derren Brown takes through the absurdities of our brain, a brain stuck in the Middle Age, in surviving mode. The battle between our instinctive brain and our rational brain, our deficient ability to make choices, to multitask, even if we are sure we can, a brain that can’t even properly calculate risks, at least not as well as rats. A few tricks to be able to partially control some of these flaws, but not enough to reassure me. A fantastically interesting podcast.
“So let’s just look quickly at how the romantic brain sees red. There are plenty of studies that show that whether or not we find someone attractive is strongly influenced by whether or not they are wearing red. For example, if you post a photo of yourself on a dating website wearing a red shirt, a red t-shirt rather than any other colour, you will get a lot more interest. And in say a laboratory test for example, men pull their chairs closer to women who are wearing red shirts.”
Eight episodes of approximately 30 minutes each
Episode 1. The Troublesome Brain
Episode 2. The Illusion of Free Choice
Episode 3. What You See Is All There Is
Episode 4. The Risk Factor
Episode 5. The Myth of Multitasking
Episode 6. To Err is Human
Episode 7. The Bigoted Brain
Episode 8. Building a Better Brain