在过去十年里，科学家对大脑的认识方式发生了一场变革。现在我们知道人们所做的决定源自大脑特定部分神经元的放电模式。这些发现导致了神经经济学的出现，神经经济学研究的是经济环境下大脑成功的秘诀，而这就需要创新，需要不走竞争者走过的寻常路。能做到这些的人可以谓之传统叛逆者。简而言之，传统叛逆者做的是别人认为不可为而他却能有所作为的事情。

In the last decade a revolution has occurred in the way that scientists think about the brain. We now know that the decisions humans make can be traced to the firing patterns of neurons in specific parts of the brain. These discoveries have led to the field known as neuroeconomics, which studies the brain's secrets to success in an economic environment that demands innovation and being able to do things differently from competitors. A brain that can do this is an iconoclastic one. Briefly, an iconoclast is a person who does something that others say can't be done.

该定义说明传统叛逆者与众不同，更确切地说，是他们的大脑异于常人，表现在以下三个方面：认知力、恐惧反应力以及社交能力。这三个功能在大脑中各有一条不同的回路。反对者可能会认为大脑与此无关，他们觉得原创新以及革命性的思维方式与其说是大脑的功能，还不如说是一种个性的体现。但是，神经经济学的诞生正是基于这样一个新的发现，那就是大脑的生理功能实际上会制约我们的判断力。通过理解这些制约条件，我们就会明白为什么有些人爱唱反调。该定义说明传统叛逆者与众不同，更确切地说，是他们的大脑异于常人，表现在以下三个方面：认知力、恐惧反应力以及社交能力。这三个功能在大脑中各有一条不同的回路。反对者可能会认为大脑与此无关，他们觉得原创新以及革命性的思维方式与其说是大脑的功能，还不如说是一种个性的体现。但是，神经经济学的诞生正是基于这样一个新的发现，那就是大脑的生理功能实际上会制约我们的判断力。通过理解这些制约条件，我们就会明白为什么有些人爱唱反调。

首先要明白的一点是，大脑受制于有限的资源。它有固定的能量预算值，相当于一个40 瓦灯泡的能量，因此大脑就进化除了一种尽可能高效的工作方式，这也就是大多数人之所以不爱唱反调的原因。比如，面对眼前源源不断输入的信息时，大脑会尽可能以最便捷的方式解读这些信息。为此，大脑会借鉴过往经验以及其他任何信息来源，比如别人所说的话，来解读眼睛所看到的信息。这种过程无处不在。大脑如此善于走捷径以至于我们对此毫不知情。我们以为我们对世界的感知是真实的，但其实这种感知只不过是身体和电流对我们撒的小谎。认知不只是我们的眼睛与耳朵传给大脑的信息。认知是大脑的产物，而不只是物理现实中光子或声波的产物。

This definition implies that iconoclasts are different from other people, but more precisely, it is their brains that are different in three distinct ways: perception, fear response, and social intelligence. Each of these three functions utilizes a different circuit in the brain. Naysayers might suggest that the brain is irrelevant, that thinking in an original, even revolutionary, way is more a matter of personality than brain function. But the field of neuroeconomics was born out of the realization that the physical workings of the brain place limitations on the way we make decisions. By understanding these constraints, we begin to understand why some people march to a different drumbeat.

认知是反传统论的核心。传统叛逆者与别人看问题的方法大相径庭，他们的大脑不像普通人的大脑那样容易掉进高效思维的陷阱。要么天生如此，要么后天习得，总之传统叛逆者总有方法绕过那些困扰大多数人的认知捷径。认知不是天生的。认知是个学习的过程，是个既让人受尽折磨的毒咒，又让人洗心革面的良机。大脑面临着一个基本问题，那就是如何解读从感官传来的物理刺激。大脑所见、所闻、所感、所感，皆可以有多重解读，而最终获选的解释只不过是大脑自认为的最佳理论。从技术层次而言，这些解读是有统计学依据的，因为统计学数据说明一种解释优于另一种解释，与此同时，这些解读又受过往经验以及他人观点的严重影响，最后这点对于潜在的传统叛逆者来讲尤为致命。

要想思维方式与众不同，最佳做法就是往大脑里塞其闻所未闻的东西。新鲜事物使认知过程摆脱了过往经历的束缚，同时强迫大脑作出新的判断。成功的传统叛逆者非常乐意接受新鲜事物。观察表明，传统叛逆者对新鲜事物持欣然接受的态度，而大多数普通人则唯恐不及。

The first thing to realize is that the brain suffers from limited resources. It has a fixed energy budget, about the same as a 40 watt light bulb, so it has evolved to work as efficiently as possible. This is where most people are impeded from being an iconoclast. For example, when confronted with information streaming from the eyes, the brain will interpret this information in the quickest way possible. Thus it will draw on both past experience and any other source of information, such as what other people say, to make sense of what it is seeing. This happens all the time. The brain takes shortcuts that work so well we are hardly ever aware of them.We think our perceptions of the world are real, but they are only biological and electrical rumblings. Perception is not simply a product of what your eyes or ears transmit to your brain. More than the physical reality of photons or sound waves, perception is a product of the brain.

然而，新鲜事的缺点是它会出发大脑的恐惧系统。恐惧是阻止人们想传统叛逆者那样思考的主要障碍，它使普通人在创新思考的道路上踌躇不前。恐惧以后很多种，但那时有两种恐惧组织了创新思维，而且让大多数人颇感棘手，那就是对不确定性的恐惧以及对沦为笑柄的担忧。这两种恐惧看似都无关紧要，但是，对公开演讲的恐惧则折磨着超过三分之一的人。因为人时不时就要讲一讲，所以这种恐惧太常见了，很难被视为一种精神疾病。这往往被看作一种精神障碍。它只不过是人性反复无常的一种体现而已，传统叛逆者们带这种恐惧也会在众人面前发表观点。

最后一点，想要成功变成传统叛逆者，必须把自己的想法推销给别人，这就该社交能力登场了。社交能力是在商业环境中了解与管理人的能力。在过去的十年里，人们对社会型大脑的认知突飞猛进，对这种大脑在团队协作共同决策时所起的作用了如指掌。神经科学已经揭示出哪些大脑回路在帮我们东西他人想法、与他人产生共鸣、做到公平公正以及辨别社会身份。在说服别人采纳自己的意见的方面，这些大脑回路可谓功不可没。感知在社会认知中也举足轻重。对一个人的热情或名誉的认知是生意成功与否的关键。若能了解认知与社会决策千丝万缕的联系，便能明白为何成功的传统叛逆者稀世难求。

Perception is central to iconoclasm. Iconoclasts see things differently to other people. Their brains do not fall into efficiency pitfalls as much as the average person's brain. Iconoclasts, either because they were born that way or through learning, have found ways to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people. Perception is not something that is hardwired into the brain. It is a learned process, which is both a curse and an opportunity for change. The brain faces the fundamental problem of interpreting physical stimuli from the senses. Everything the brain sees, hears, or touches has multiple interpretations. The one that is ultimately chosen is simply the brain's best theory. In technical terms, these conjectures have their basis in the statistical likelihood of one interpretation over another and are heavily influenced by past experience and, importantly for potential iconoclasts, what other people say.

传统叛逆者纵横艺术舞台、技术尖端及商业高峰，在每个领域都创造崭新机会。他们贡献出的创造力和革命力，一队人也望尘莫及。他们视规则如草芥。虽然时常被人疏远并且遭遇失败，可他们仍然是团队的顶梁柱。无论在任何领域，若想成功，必先了解传统叛逆者大脑工作的奥秘。

The best way to see things differently to other people is to bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the chains of past experience and forces the brain to make new judgments. Successful iconoclasts have an extraordinary willingness to be exposed to what is fresh and different. Observation of iconoclasts shows that they embrace novelty while most people avoid things that are different.

The problem with novelty, however, is that it tends to trigger the brain's fear system. Fear is a major impediment to thinking like an iconoclast and stops the average person in his tracks. There are many types of fear, but the two that inhibit iconoclastic thinking and people generally find difficult to deal with are fear of uncertainty and fear of public ridicule. These may seem like trivial phobias. But fear of public speaking, which everyone must do from time to time, afflicts one-third of the population. This makes it too common to be considered a mental disorder. It is simply a common variant of human nature, one which iconoclasts do not let inhibit their reactions.

Finally, to be successful iconoclasts, individuals must sell their ideas to other people. This is where social intelligence comes in. Social intelligence is the ability to understand and manage people in a business setting. In the last decade there has been an explosion of knowledge about the social brain and how the brain works when groups coordinate decision making. Neuroscience has revealed which brain circuits are responsible for functions like understanding what other people think, empathy, fairness, and social identity. These brain regions play key roles in whether people convince others of their ideas. Perception is important in social cognition too. The perception of someone's enthusiasm, or reputation, can make or break a deal. Understanding how perception becomes intertwined with social decision making shows why successful iconoclasts are so rare.

Iconoclasts create new opportunities in every area from artistic expression to technology to business. They supply creativity and innovation not easily accomplished by committees. Rules aren't important to them. Iconoclasts face alienation and failure, but can also be a major asset to any organization. It is crucial for success in any field to understand how the iconoclastic.