Vice season 6, episode 22 recap: ‘Brainhackers and Fall of Rio’

On the latest episode of Vice, the show took a look at the current state of neuroscience and violence taking place in the Brazilian capital of Rio.

The first segment of Vice was a look at the innovations that may be possible with neuroscience. Because of the radical innovations in the field, Neurosurgeons now have new ways of treating disorders like epilepsy and other maladies. It also has the potential for treating things like eating disorders. Because there are specific parts of the brain that are connected to potential eating disorders, it stands to reason that by stimulating that part of the brain, you may be able to stop the urge to engage in binge eating or another disorder.

There are countless other unhealthy or dangerous impulses and other disorders that could potentially be treated with neuroscience. Additionally, research at Stanford on neuroscience is being used to help quadriplegics use a computer via their brain even though they cannot use their limbs. The potentials for neuroscience are astounding, to say the least.

The other story is a look at the current state of events in Brazil. After a decade of progress, violence has drastically spiked in the Brazilian capital to the point where gunfights are common. This is attributed to several things, with the drug trade being one of the primary ones. Vice even managed to film kids selling drugs in addition to interviewing local drug traffickers. Drug trafficking is also shown near some of the most famous landmarks in Rio.

This is particularly shocking when viewed against the success of the Rio Olympics in 2016. The Olympics were supposed to help prosperity spread from the wealthy part of Brazil to the poorer areas. But that did not happen, as since then violence has been on the rise. According to one of the top experts in Brazil, local drug traffickers almost always try to work with local police by bribing them. Not surprisingly, this causes a lack of local trust and the government now uses the Army to police the country and reform the police.

Basically, the homicides in Rio are mostly occurring within the poorer areas and as a result, that helps other parts of the city turn a blind eye to it.

What did you think of this episode of Vice? Be sure to tell us in the comments below!