Book Reviewed: 2121: A Tale from the Next Century by Greenfield, Susan by Susan Greenfield

Bad science Not many famous scientists write fiction to convey a scientific idea. The accepted tradition is to publish experimental results in a peer reviewed journal with scientific data that is open to discussions. But Oxford University neurobiologist Susan Greenfield chooses the former route. This high priestess of the British cult with the mentality of English colonists weaves an unbelievable story belittling the wisdom of science book readers. The author does not shy away from expressing her opinion wildly from her Oxford University pulpit. Greenfield's hypothesis is that our exposure to modern technologies like social media and computer games affect our brains leading an abnormal human evolution. It is a sort of mind change she claims, the human brain will adapt to whatever environment in which it is placed. The cyber world is offering a new type of environment for brain to change. She suggests that this is like climate change which also due to environmental change created by the human civilization. The story is this: In 22nd century, the human beings evolved into two groups: The Hedonists referred to as “Others,” are technologically advanced beings who live inside geodesic domes playing video games have grown out of traditional values of humans as we know now. And on the other side of the same planet live the neo-puritans (NPs) who follow the traditional beliefs focused on intellectual pursuits like neurobiological research. The NPs send their top neurobiologist to study the others and perhaps change them! Doesn’t this feel real! That is the same strategy used by the English colonists, who believed that they are more civilized, and hence they can colonize countries in Asia and Africa. This book is full of dull narratives and terrible characters and even weird discussion about sex and reproduction. I wonder if this reflects on unfulfilled sexual fantasies of the author who loves to wear miniskirts, high heels, and deep lipstick, and always eager to pose for a fashion magazine than delivering a lecture at a science conference. Fellow Oxford Professor Dorothy Bishop points out that there is no scientific evidence to support the mind change ideas of the author.