The Student Room Group

I can make you smarter

Has anyone read the book 'I can make you smarter' By Paul Mckenna?

So far only read 3 chapters and looks interesting.
Talks about methods such as

- Image Streaming
- Photo reading
- Memory Palace



i know these are techniques from other books as well, but as anyone read this book and has anyone tried these methods with even the slightest amount of noticeable results? :O




Also a question on the Memory Palace / Mind Palace / Method of Loci

Is there a limit to how much you can remember? Or is the limit the amount of places?

Also for it, do you have to regularly, e.g. everyday go through the palace to really keep it in your head?
I prefer a Mind Palace, to be honest.

:holmes:
I listened to the CDs...
Reply 3
Original post by Id and Ego seek
I prefer a Mind Palace, to be honest.

:holmes:
- Yeah i remember that :P


Also if you've tried it, could you answer the questions above :biggrin:?
I thought you're trying to sell me something first, but now Im interested too!
Reply 5
I think watching Sherlock will make you smarter than reading Paul Mckenna's garbage... just do what he does ...simple, infact when he says smarter it's not intelligence in the sense of school work, it's more an overall sense of being able to see what goes where in a series of logical steps through the science of deduction... effectively copying Sir Conan doyle...and sherlock
Original post by de_monies
I thought you're trying to sell me something first, but now Im interested too!


lol this :tongue:
Ah, gladly. I study Psychology, and my teachers make each of us use and perfect a memory strategy technique. I picked the method of Loci because it was the most interesting and effective because there are many routes I take to get to school and my house (one of the benefits of living in a well connected city), and, not to toot my own horns, I'm very imaginative; so creating a palace for myself was fairly easy and ridiculously fun -- even though it's based on the Taj Mahal :teehee:

For me, I doubt there's a limit, especially when I use symbols instead of long sentences and even keywords. Generally, all you need to store in each location is something that will jog your memory, something that will lead you to the actual idea you’re trying to remember. In Psychology we call those internal and external cues, which leads on to your next question: yes, you generally do need to revise your route, to familarise yourself with it and aid recall. The more you explore your palace, the more easily you will recall its contents on demand. As long as you're creative and inventive, you won't have a problem with quantity or quality!

It's really interesting and highly recommended. I actually mentally picture myself walking through these routes and exploring my palace. Additionally, once perfected, try adding mnemonics to your palace for an ultimate memory structure.

Cheers for the book recommendation. Will be reading that.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by Id and Ego seek
Ah, gladly. I study Psychology, and my teachers make each of us use and perfect a memory strategy technique. I picked the method of Loci because it was the most interesting and effective because there are many routes I take to get to school and my house (one of the benefits of living in a well connected city), and, not to toot my own horns, I'm very imaginative; so creating a palace for myself was fairly easy and ridiculously fun -- even though it's based on the Taj Mahal :teehee:

For me, I doubt there's a limit, especially when I use symbols instead of long sentences and even keywords. Generally, all you need to store in each location is something that will jog your memory, something that will lead you to the actual idea you’re trying to remember. In Psychology we call those internal and external cues, which leads on to your next question: yes, you generally do need to revise your route, to familarise yourself with it and aid recall. The more you explore your palace, the more easily you will recall its contents on demand. As long as you're creative and inventive, you won't have a problem with quantity or quality!

It's really interesting and highly recommended. I actually mentally picture myself walking through these routes and exploring my palace. Additionally, once perfected, try adding mnemonics to your palace for an ultimate memory structure.

Cheers for the book recommendation. Will be reading that.




Aaah! right thanks! :smile:

Do you have any information on the other 2 techniques listed above?
Reply 9
These cheesily-named techniques are hardly necessary to acquire a flawless memory. :tongue:
Reply 10
Original post by GameGod
These cheesily-named techniques are hardly necessary to acquire a flawless memory. :tongue:




:O What do you mean :O?
Original post by GameGod
These cheesily-named techniques are hardly necessary to acquire a flawless memory. :tongue:


Which is why these things are best "acquired" :biggrin:
Reply 12
Original post by de_monies
Which is why these things are best "acquired" :biggrin:


I don't understand the meaning of your post, seeing as my assertion was the very opposite of yours. I suppose you might be trying to suggest that this book isn't cheesily-named, but firstly, that is fairly irrelevant when discussing the book's merits, and secondly, my main point was that one does not need to create a "Memory Palace" laboriously in order to remember everything they see.
Original post by GameGod
I don't understand the meaning of your post, seeing as my assertion was the very opposite of yours. I suppose you might be trying to suggest that this book isn't cheesily-named, but firstly, that is fairly irrelevant when discussing the book's merits, and secondly, my main point was that one does not need to create a "Memory Palace" laboriously in order to remember everything they see.


"acquired" generally means got via some nefarious source ie: a certain type of site ie: one that got recently shut down
Reply 14
Original post by de_monies
"acquired" generally means got via some nefarious source ie: a certain type of site ie: one that got recently shut down


LOL, you, my friend, have been watching far too many gang movies. :tongue: Since when does "acquired" automatically imply a "nefarious source"?
Original post by GameGod
LOL, you, my friend, have been watching far too many gang movies. :tongue: Since when does "acquired" automatically imply a "nefarious source"?


Since the term nefarious meant criminal :biggrin: Also, since my college teacher said "You can buy x, or as it is nowadays "acquire" x"
Please keep discussions on topic.

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