The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense

by Gad Saad

In one of our assignments, we had to identify the scripts that defined our life trajectories (a framework originally developed by psychiatrist Eric Berne, who established the theory and practice of transactional analysis). Berne argued that parents give their children scripts for their lives somewhat in the way that actors receive scripts in order to play their roles. While I concede that parents do wield sizeable influence in shaping their offspring, psychoanalytic theories overestimate such forces while ignoring the unique combination of genes that defines an individual. Some people might indeed be commandeered by life scripts. (“Be a good boy and do us proud. Don’t dishonor the family.”) Others might be driven by a desire to meet certain guiding ideals and/or objectives. (“Make the world a better place.”) It requires deep (and difficult) self-reflection to consider whether and how one’s life has been governed by a recurring life script or by a recurrent assertion of certain ideals.

The social epidemiologist Michael Marmot has documented the relationship between individuals’ health and the extent to which they possess control over their job responsibilities.2 More freedom equals better health.

highfalutin

derision

duplicity.

The quest for truth should always supersede one’s ego-defensive desire to be proven right. This is not an easy task because for most people it is difficult to admit to being wrong. This is precisely why science is so liberating. It offers a framework for auto-correction because scientific knowledge is always provisional. An accepted scientific fact today might be refuted tomorrow. As such, the scientific method engenders epistemic humility.

epistemic

impervious

“There is simply no better alternative than to allow those with unpopular views to express them and to allow those wishing to hear them to do so.”

codified

Lisa Littman is a physician and an assistant professor of the practice of behavioral and social sciences at Brown University. In 2018, she published a paper in PLOS ONE wherein she argued that rapid-onset gender dysphoria spreads in social networks as a form of contagion fueled in part by peer pressure.

gender dysphoria.

Be a honey badger. Never back down when attacked by ideological bullies.

indelible