@Cerberus yeah, I'd think so

@CowperKettle I think people like him have very little interest in helping others. They might do it if they're scared enough about their own health

Our best bet is some unknown East Asian neuroscientist that people will never give due credit.

Re: the minefield question, I'm not sure about the conclusion to be drawn.

I read the beginning of the Dutch guy's article, but it's so damn long

So, the Iranian army used human wave tactics, a lot of these waves consisted of 13-yo, they did go on minefields and get blown to bits by tanks. Right? And this is not the same as telling oblivious kids to go play with their toys on a minefield. Why? I think I gotta think about it.

It's horrifying of course. The brainwashing is also real. OTOH, (1) Iranian press emphasizes all the time how there was no other way. A well-armed (supplied by up to 40 countries) and well-trained (maybe) Iraqi army wouldn't have been stopped if "the likes of Fahmideh" didn't blow up tanks. That's how they put it.

(2) it sounds much more sinister to say "Khomeini sent them, did this, said that". The significant majority of the Iranian population was deeply religious, everyone agreed the threat of an advancing, conquering army needs to be dealt with. The wishes of the people reflected the wishes of Khomeini. Is it being brainwashed? Is it being brainwashed if we're talking about people young than a certain age?

I guess the main question is, were those tactics necessary? Did we need to push back Iraq? Could it have gone any other way?

The sad truth is that it's mostly children who die on the front lines in any war. 18-year-olds aren't really adults either.

And they're poor kids, at that. The rich ones get deferments. Like Trump.

@M.A.R. You think it would change someone's brain structure?

@M.A.R. Who/what is the Dutch guy?

@M.A.R. All very good question.

Cerreto di Spoleto - Terra dei ciarlatani

Charlatans?

@Cerberus Yes, talkative quacks from Cerreto, peddling ointments and medicine during the 14th century plague.

Cool.

I'm sure those helped.

Placebo

Yeah, very potent.