The elephant in the brain
 Elephant in the brain, An important but unacknowledged feature
of how our minds work; an introspective taboo.
Introduction
 When a toddler stumbles and scrapes his knee, his mom bends
down to give it a kiss. No actual healing takes place, and yet both
parties appreciate the ritual. The toddler finds comfort in knowing
his mom is there to help him, especially if something more serious
were to happen. And the mother, for her part is eager to show that
she is worthy of her son’s trust. This small, simple example shows
how we might be programmed both to seek and give healthcare
even when it isn’t medically helpful.
 The conclusion is that medicine is not just about health- it is also
an exercise in conspicuous caring.
 Interviews began to look like thinly veiled initiation rituals.
 Human beings are a species that is not only capable of acting on
hidden motives- we are designed to do it.