this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023
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Bonus points if it's usually misused/misunderstood by the people who say it

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[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 128 points 1 year ago (7 children)

"We only use ten percent of our brains."

People genuinely believe this and never learned where it came from.

[–] TechyDad@lemmy.world 52 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That and the "Alpha Male" garbage. Even the author of the study on wolves has said repeatedly that his study was totally wrong. And yet some people continue to reference it and apply it to humans when even the original study wasn't about people.

[–] postmateDumbass@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

People love excuses for bad behavior, no need to verify them. Sigh.

[–] SheDiceToday@eslemmy.es 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think that one is finally starting to die off, aside from the last gasps of a man in prison. It takes a while for real science to filter through to common knowledge, and I'm constantly seeing the corrections about wolves and alpha status as flawed thinking.

[–] TechyDad@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I think it also got tied into the incel movement and became a toxic phrase. Even if you didn't know the actual science, would you want to call yourself an "alpha male" if it made people think you were an incel?

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 31 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] glibg10b@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why not? I found it enjoyable

[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, sure, it makes a fun movie. But when people take it seriously, it stops being fun.

[–] CatZoomies@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Ooh! Isn’t that the one where the guy becomes limitless?

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I liked the part where he said "It's limitless time" and totally limited those other guys

[–] SeabassDan@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Deunlimited them since some were also on the limitless vibe

[–] SatyrSack@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago

I'm pretty sure "DM does GB" means something slightly sexual.

[–] paddirn@lemmy.world 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts.

[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

A profound twist on a worn out wrong fact.

[–] WeLoveCastingSpellz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Octopus1348@thelemmy.club 1 points 1 year ago

I like this comment

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Where did the myth come from?

[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It came from early on in studying the brain. A scientist said that we only understand what 10 percent of the brain does, and everyone ran with a misunderstanding of that idea.

Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains here. https://youtube.com/shorts/E4EjYfUBEvw?si=LO3GIURgZesHjo85

[–] 6daemonbag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sidenote, why does everyone hate Neil these days?

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

He thinks he's so smart about everything and there's always this condescending tone.

Like no shit Neil?

[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Piling on, he totally misses the arguments and ideas being put forward by the interviewer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9Xv7pHG_4

[–] can@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago

Oh god I forgot about that one lol.

[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Okay well this is just trying to be funny. Did giggle a bit on the first one

[–] SheDiceToday@eslemmy.es 2 points 1 year ago

The last one is perfection. We have !fuckcars@lemmy.world, maybe we can get a !fuck_sports somewhere?

[–] conciselyverbose@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I thought it was something about how much is active at any given time, but it doesn't look like it's that either.

It might be straight pulled out of thin air.

[–] meco03211@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I understood it as "conscious thought". Subconsciously your brain is still sending and receiving tons of information and signals to move muscles like pumping your heart or contracting your diaphragm.

[–] wildcardology@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's only true for Elon musk. He maybe even use less.

[–] Klear@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

He uses more than 10%, but not of brain.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.mindoki.com 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ha ha yeah and we only use 10% of our muscles luckily :-D

[–] LennethAegis@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I once read a documentary of what happens when someone uses 100%. It's called My Hero Academia.

[–] TechyDad@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The technical description of that feat is called Plus Ultra.

[–] magnetosphere@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

I think there’s a variety of Gillette disposable razors called Plus Ultra

[–] son_named_bort@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, it's true for the people that use that phrase.

[–] Usernameblankface@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Often times, yes!