14. Limbic System
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it as a real academic source to back up or correct claims about emotion, anger and anxiety in the brain.
What it is
Robert Sapolsky's Stanford lecture on the limbic system as the emotional part of the nervous system, covering its role in decision making, links to the cortex and the functions of its subparts.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2019 to 2021.
What Hacker News said
Recommends mattdeboard · 2019-02 · on “Practical Facts about the Human Brain”
The "active amygdala = no empathy" point does not jibe with my lay understanding of the physical phenomenon of empathy. That's the only one that I don't believe models our physiology in a useful way. The rest match up with some of the stuff I've read/watched. Watch some videos by Robert Sapolsky on YouTube. He's a neurostuff prof at Stanford. Good presentations. There's "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" [LINK] Also an actual academic lecture on the Limbic System which contextualizes & clarifies some of the other assertions in the OP blog post. [this video] There are more but hopefully YouTube's algorithm helps you out there. The Stanford lecture series is very interesting though Sapolsky doesn't deli
Cites maire · 2019-03 · on “How Inuit parents teach kids to control their anger”
Anger is chemical and not psychological and will pass. See Sapolsky's discussion of the Limbic system: [this video] When I am angry I am self aware enough to wait until the chemicals are gone in order to discuss things. I don't think this is unhealthy in any way. In fact, I usually don't like the feeling of anger and look forward with happiness to the calm that will follow. It is interesting that the original source of anger becomes resolved once the chemicals are gone. I found it interesting that the Inuits do the same thing.
Cites h0l0cube · 2021-04 · on “Anxiety is in your body, not your mind”
The argument makes more sense when you realise that Valium/Diazepam is basically a muscle relaxant. Edit: Source here, happy to hear from another domain expert refuting this [this video]
Cites h0l0cube · 2021-04 · on “Anxiety is in your body, not your mind”
Maybe it's not strictly true, but got this from Robert Sapolsky (Stanford neurobiology professor): [this video] His opinion, or the best understandings on this, might have changed though. From the YT transcript: > Here's somebody taking Valium for anxiety, and here's somebody taking Valium to relax their muscles. What's up with that? It's the exact same thing. And it is a very James-Lange moment. What's part of anxiety about? It's monitoring the level of tension in your body. It's getting feedback from muscle tone. He seems to be suggesting that the mode of action for Valium to reduce anxiety is that of reducing muscle tone. Not an expert, so I can't argue about it.