Book Byte #140 "The Molecule of More" by Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long

How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity

📣 Curious Quotes from the Author

“From dopamine’s point of view, having things is uninteresting. It’s only getting things that matters. If you live under a bridge, dopamine makes you want a tent. If you live in a tent, dopamine makes you want a house. If you live in the most expensive mansion in the world, dopamine makes you want a castle on the moon. Dopamine has no standard for good, and seeks no finish line. The dopamine circuits in the brain can be stimulated only by the possibility of whatever is shiny and new, never mind how perfect things are at the moment. The dopamine motto is “More.”

“Dopamine isn’t the pleasure molecule, after all. It’s the anticipation molecule. To enjoy the things we have, as opposed to the things that are only possible, our brains must transition from future-oriented dopamine to present-oriented chemicals, a collection of neurotransmitters we call the Here and Now molecules, or the H&Ns. Most people have heard of the H&Ns. They include serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins (your brain’s version of morphine), and a class of chemicals called endocannabinoids (your brain’s version of marijuana). As opposed to the pleasure of anticipation via dopamine, these chemicals give us pleasure from sensation and emotion. In fact, one of the endocannabinoid molecules is called anandamide, named after a Sanskrit word that means joy, bliss, and delight.”

“Nicotine, in fact, is an unusual drug because it does very little except trigger compulsive use. According to researcher Roland R. Griffiths, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, “When you give people nicotine for the first time, most people don’t like it. It’s different from many other addictive drugs, for which most people say they enjoy the first experience and would try it again.” Nicotine doesn’t make you high like marijuana or intoxicated like alcohol or wired up like speed. Some people say it makes them feel more relaxed or more alert, but really, the main thing it does is relieve cravings for itself. It’s the perfect circle. The only point of smoking cigarettes is to get addicted so one can experience the pleasure of relieving the unpleasant feeling of craving, like a man who carries around a rock all day because it feels so good when he puts it down.”

“The feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and energy dissipate. Dopamine has shut down. Dopamine circuits don’t process experience in the real world, only imaginary future possibilities. For many people it’s a letdown. They’re so attached to dopaminergic stimulation that they flee the present and take refuge in the comfortable world of their own imagination. “What will we do tomorrow?” they ask themselves as they chew their food, oblivious to the fact that they’re not even noticing this meal they had so eagerly anticipated. To travel hopefully is better than to arrive is the motto of the dopamine enthusiast.”

“High levels of dopamine suppress H&N functioning, so brilliant people are often poor at human relationships. We need H&N empathy to understand what’s going on in other people’s minds, an essential skill for social interaction.”

📚 Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea:

The neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in more. It shapes our aspirations, stimulates our creativity, and directs our plans for the future. It has a significant impact on politics, creativity, addiction, and even love. Individuals who exhibit higher levels of dopamine system activity are more prone to being curious, risk-takers, and novelty seekers. However, our happiness may be hampered by an excessive amount of dopamine. Finding a balance between the more present-focused dopamine and the future-focused here-and-now brain chemicals is essential to living completely. Take a nap on it. Dreaming causes our dopamine levels to spike. It's not as odd as it sounds to think that we can solve difficulties when we sleep because of the chemical's function in creativity and planning.

Consider the chemist Friedrich August Kekulé. He asserted that it was in a dream that he realized the chemical structure of benzene. Dopamine during sleep is another item that can benefit you. Before you go to bed, take some time to think through any problems you may have. Additionally, make sure you're prepared with a pen and paper so you can record your dreams when you awaken. Your ideal solution to your real-life dilemma might not come to you for a few nights, but it might just be the stuff of dreams.

🛠️Fixing the Tech Industry

We live in a dopamine fueled world. Will you let it run yours?

🤝Collaborate with others with this Social Media Prompt:

What can we do to both boost dopamine levels but level out experiences.