For me, it seemed like a walk-thru of performing a parlor trick. I have no doubt that Mr. Santos has a gift for fast-mapping of fleeting information, but for me, I cannot do those things without a degree of effort that would ever balance the equation.
I was frankly surprised but not by the idea presented. This is not an unfamiliar approach to me. I share the comment re a ‘parlor trick’ (though magic ‘trickery’ can be useful indeed in accomplishing an objective…!)
I just found myself losing interest because I felt as if I were watching the QVC channel and that the purpose of the ‘talk’ turned out to be to sell someone’s wares rather than to present and discuss an application of cognitive science and learning related to memorization. In fact, I estimated almost 20 min. were focused primarily on sales (price, how to buy, number of buyers, the seller’s skill, etc.). In fact, the opening segment seemed reminiscent of ‘carnival barking’.
I might also note that having grown up in Hollywood - working in the entertainment industry for over 30 years with an MFA in film and the child of industry ‘creatives’, I can assure those who don’t already know: actors (the classically trained ones) most often associated with actual acting (vs. reality TV and/or modeling) classically memorize ‘lines’ by endless ‘running’ (repetition) with partners, friends, family members while imagining a scene and have been learning lines this way for as long as history.