The only thing that can effect a big change in personality…

“The only thing that can effect a big change in personality is something that physically rewires the brain and/or alters the body's chemical milieu.”

Neal Stephenson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Significant personality change requires physical brain rewiring or chemical alteration.

In simple terms: Deep change needs biological transformation.

Key Takeaway

Seek scientific methods for profound change.

Themes

neuroscience personality biology

Mood

inquisitive analytical

Type

scientific philosophical

When to use this quote

therapy
meditation
pharmacology
neurofeedback

Key Concepts

psychology biology

Questions to Reflect On

What biological changes are ethical?
Can mindset shift without biology?

A Different Perspective

Ethical concerns about manipulation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Neal Stephenson

“I study dead languages for a living,” I said. “That’s why you hired me. Why should I be up to speed on your line…

Neal Stephenson

“Other people - store clerks, burger flippers, software engineers, the whole vocabulary of meaningless jobs that make up Life in America - other people…

Neal Stephenson

“It is what you don’t expect,” he’d said, “that most needs looking for.” “Do”

Neal Stephenson

“...the insects here see you as a big slab of animated but not very well defended food. The ability to move, far from being…

Neal Stephenson

“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…

Neal Stephenson

“Space and Time! Two minor omissions that no one is likely to notice," grumbled Newton.”

Neal Stephenson

See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places,

Neal Stephenson

“Hey,” Shaftoe says, “if we surrender to you, you’ll kill us. Right?” “Yes.” “If you guys surrender to us, we won’t kill you. Promise.…

Neal Stephenson

“My men think you are dead now, and won’t waste balls on you,” Jack said. “In fact I have let you live, but for…

Neal Stephenson

“You’ve probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off of biomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.”

Neal Stephenson

“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…

Neal Stephenson

Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.

Neal Stephenson

“and people could only make sense of complicated matters through stories. Likewise”

Neal Stephenson

“Van Eck phreaking,”

Neal Stephenson

“When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”

Neal Stephenson

Explore all 633 Neal Stephenson quotes

More Big changes quotes

As we get more transparent with data sets about infrastructure and systems management, I have a feeling we'll see big changes in how we…

Aaron Koblin

I feel everything more deeply. Every action I take, I think of her first. That's a big change for me. That - and no…

Jenna Dewan

The Iraqi troops and the Iraqi fighters are in control of all the places, as we have witnessed, no big change in that. We…

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf

Big changes like creating nutritious school food and adjusting the eating habits of children takes an organized effort from an entire community.

Joshua Rosenthal

With 'Crucible,' any big changes I wanted to make I only had to run by Lucasfilm, not other authors whose stories I might affect.

Troy Denning

“continues: For Kit, the Depression has brought big changes: a houseful of boarders, tons of chores, and no birthday party. But when Kit’s taste…

Valerie Tripp

It was definitely a big change in my life going from the college scene to really kind of being on my own. I got…

Jonathan Horton

One of the big changes in the Congress since I first came to Washington is that all of these folks go home every weekend.…

Robert M. Gates

I never really have any major resolutions. I do try to be a good person, to be a good mom, to be a good…

Heidi Klum

“Many of the big changes of the next 25 years will come from unknowns working in their bedrooms and garages...”

Charles Leadbeater

In terms of getting people to experiment more and take more risk, there are at least three things that immediately come to my mind.…

John P. Kotter

“Ask yourself: what was the most influential discovery, invention or creation of the twentieth century? That’s a difficult question, because it is hard to…

Yuval Noah Harari