Explain It to Me Battling brain rot
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Jan 25, 2026 
Andrew Budson, neurologist who studies memory and neuroplasticity, and Stuart Jeffries, writer on the history of stupidity, discuss whether modern life is causing 'brain rot'. They explore technology's role in cognitive outsourcing, historical anxieties about declining intellect, how memory and neuroplasticity work, and practical habits—like socializing, deliberate practice, and humility—to keep minds sharp.
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Modern Fears Mirror Old Anxieties
- Stuart Jeffries argues perceived brain rot mixes tech anxiety with long-standing cultural worries about ignorance.
- He compares modern fear of AI to historical Luddite reactions and cautions against declaring our age uniquely stupid.
Ignorance Wrapped In Confidence Is Timeless
- Stuart Jeffries traces complaints about stupidity back to Socrates confronting arrogant ignorance.
- He highlights that the core problem is thinking you know when you don't, a timeless human failing.
Stupidity Reflects Cultural Values
- Jeffries summarizes Buddhist and Taoist critiques: material desire equals living stupidly.
- Different cultures define stupidity by what they value, so the term is socially constructed.
