Joshua Foer

I cannot get enough of Joshua Foer. Obsessed? No, but fascinated. I finished Moonwalking with Einstein and wanted to know more about this freelance journalist that had kept me buried in his pages. Somewhere between “THE OK PLATEAU” and “THE TALENTED TENTH,” I took a mental break and turned to the cover flap that highlighted Mr. Foer’s written accomplishments. Much to my shock, the same mental athlete that won the U.S. Memory Championship had written for Esquire. On Esquire’s webpage the magazine is said to be “designed as a forum to deal with the changing role of the American male in today's society. This monthly magazine will appeal to men who are interested in maintaining awareness of current events and living trends.” Trends— this linguistic term left me feeling like Ed while he described western education. If Mr. Foer’s article was early a “trendy subject” maybe our memories will continue to be as degenerate as the western education system. In the article featured in Esquire, Mr. Foer writes about a man who can speak only with his eyes. After a car crash this man suffered from locked-in syndrome, which means that while his brain seems to retain most of its function, the only part of his body he can control is his eyes. The article focused on the hopeful future of brain-implanted technology. Although science was optimistic, the likelihood of the man recovering his ability to express himself seemed despairing. I digress. The reason this article stood out to me was not the content itself, but the magazine that published it. Media seems to latch on to an idea, play with it for a while, and then toss it to the curb. The remarkable feats our brains are capable of accomplishing seem mind-blowing and for that, the media has attached some worth. But what astounds me is the fact that I am just now (at the age of 21) learning how to learn in a manner that will literally rehabilitate my education. So yay. Great. Mr. Foer’s article was featured in a “trendy” men’s magazine. But that doesn’t seem like enough to be taken seriously. Yes, I know he has also written articles that have appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Slate (I read the back cover), but it seems outrageous that more highly regarded public/political figures are not talking about his research. I am with Ed on this one; the United States has the ability, more like the responsibility, to change the education system and still we are satisfied with leaving children behind?  Grrrr…