The Editorial Reviews section for this book on Amazon is quite comprehensive. Looks like an interesting read!
As someone who lives in chronic pain, I should look into this. Maybe it would help. I can’t imagine it can, but I’ve tried just about everything.
Do, please, let us know whether it works. Blog it or something.
We see so many reports where one person cites specific cases of near-miracle cures, but we don’t always get the follow-up, particularly if it doesn’t work. The theory seems reasonable: the brain has specific places for particular functions, but these do seem to be guidelines rather than rules. You can sometimes swap something from one site to a nearby site, or to an equivalent site that’s nowhere near. If some part is not really working right, then something else may be able to take over if you hit it in the right way.
Chronic pain, though. That’s got to be the pits of the pits of the pits. Much sympathy, for all the good that ever does. And good luck with the fix!
I loved Doidge’s first book. And I would probably buy this book if I hadn’t read this thorough takedown of his bullshit.
As human beings, we are in pain frm birth to death, but sometimes it’s just a little pain and sometimes it’s too much pain, and when it’s too much too often, then we have a problem.
So Bloomberg puts up what is essentially a press release for the book, Boing Boing reblogs it without any critical commentary and wha-la! a legitimate news item is born.
No critical analysis, no background, nothing. A google search would reveal the issues people have with the author of the book.
Thank you for bringing some facts into the discussion.
Well, great, I messaged the link over to my brother who has an autistic nonverbal child and now I feel like a total douche. Hopefully he doesn’t read his inbox.
Send a retraction. These things happen, nothing wrong with that.
You know, it just makes me mad. I read the other reviews and it says clearly the red flags for garbage:
- He claims he can cure everything from cancer to autism to the common cold
- He claims that the entire medical industry is against him but he’s got this one secret cure all that they simply won’t accept and so the whole world is against him, the little guy championing for truth
- Energy, waves, sonic bullshit
Why is this on BoingBoing?
Reference to neuroplasticity, other bits of narrative superficially fitting to local editors’ worldview, and these days sadly common-everywhere lack of in-depth checking (coupled with the people’s tendency to look for data to prove, not disprove, their ideas). My hypothesis, at least.
Aw crap. Well that means I won’t be checking it out… I’ve already had my share of snake oil.
This is fucking bullshit. Seriously. Ugh, BoingBoing, don’t promote this crap.
I’m not sure why you thought I needed some false hope and then to have that false hope dashed today, but I can assure you, that is not a thing I needed.
On that note, Amy Sequenzia’s work might be relevant. I have more sensory issues than verbal ones, so I don’t know whether Olga Bogdashina’s work would be helpful for someone who has more verbal issues, but who knows?
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