[ExI] Screen-based interfaces that help improve cognition

[spike]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Natasha
Vita-More
Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2013 1:29 PM
To: 'ExI chat list'
Subject: [ExI] Screen-based interfaces that help improve cognition

Hi everyone -

>...I checked out Lumosity http://www.lumosity.com/  and it seems to be
pretty much BS.  I read some harsh reviews on it too...

That's pretty much the same conclusion I derived.  I like their games, but
that notion of paying money to have them record my progress is nothing I
want to pay.  I found most of the games have free apps that do pretty much
the same thing.  Then you need to track your own progress and write your own
motivational messages.  I am better at writing self-motivation messages to
myself than in using theirs, since I am free to be harsh with myself if I
want to, and don't worry much about it if I offend me.  I can even use
profanity, in the style of my own cross-country coach from my misspent
youth.  He didn't mind a bit verbally  whooping our asses if we appeared to
be failing to drive ourselves to complete exhaustion. 

>...This causes me to ask:  Are there reliable projects that actually do
help users increase their brain performance / plasticity?

Doing brain games and ordinary fun stuff like riding bicycles and dancing
etc, both work the brain like crazy.  I have cheerfully concluded that
physical activity is as good as doing puzzles.  I like both.  So do them
with enthusiasm.
  
>...Or, is this a trend, driven by a marketplace which has picked up on the
increase of people living longer, Alzheimer's and other memory-related
problems on the rise?

I think so.  You hit it right on Natasha.  There is money to be made from
Alzheimers, big money.  If we suffer the risk, we might as well get the
payoff too.

Max convinced me to check for the markers using 23andMe.  Sent my spit kit
back yesterday.  Anyone else here done 23andMe?  It now costs only 100
bucks.

spike



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