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The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race
Why are we obsessed with the things we want and bored when we get them?
Why is addiction "perfectly logical" to an addict?
Why does love change so quickly from passion to indifference?
Why are some people diehard liberals and others hardcore conservatives?
Why are we always hopeful for solutions even in the darkest times--and so good at figuring them out?
The answer is found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine. Dopamine ensured the survival of early man. Thousands of years later, it is the source of our most basic behaviors and cultural ideas--and progress itself.
Dopamine is the chemical of desire that always asks for more--more stuff, more stimulation, and more surprises. In pursuit of these things, it is undeterred by emotion, fear, or morality. Dopamine is the source of our every urge, that little bit of biology that makes an ambitious business professional sacrifice everything in pursuit of success, or that drives a satisfied spouse to risk it all for the thrill of someone new. Simply put, it is why we seek and succeed; it is why we discover and prosper. Yet, at the same time, it's why we gamble and squander.
From dopamine's point of view, it's not the having that matters. It's getting something--anything--that's new. From this understanding--the difference between possessing something versus anticipating it--we can understand in a revolutionary new way why we behave as we do in love, business, addiction, politics, religion - and we can even predict those behaviors in ourselves and others.
In The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity--and will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, George Washington University professor and psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, and Georgetown University lecturer Michael E. Long present a potentially life-changing proposal: Much of human life has an unconsidered component that explains an array of behaviors previously thought to be unrelated, including why winners cheat, why geniuses often suffer with mental illness, why nearly all diets fail, and why the brains of liberals and conservatives really are different.
Why is addiction "perfectly logical" to an addict?
Why does love change so quickly from passion to indifference?
Why are some people diehard liberals and others hardcore conservatives?
Why are we always hopeful for solutions even in the darkest times--and so good at figuring them out?
The answer is found in a single chemical in your brain: dopamine. Dopamine ensured the survival of early man. Thousands of years later, it is the source of our most basic behaviors and cultural ideas--and progress itself.
Dopamine is the chemical of desire that always asks for more--more stuff, more stimulation, and more surprises. In pursuit of these things, it is undeterred by emotion, fear, or morality. Dopamine is the source of our every urge, that little bit of biology that makes an ambitious business professional sacrifice everything in pursuit of success, or that drives a satisfied spouse to risk it all for the thrill of someone new. Simply put, it is why we seek and succeed; it is why we discover and prosper. Yet, at the same time, it's why we gamble and squander.
From dopamine's point of view, it's not the having that matters. It's getting something--anything--that's new. From this understanding--the difference between possessing something versus anticipating it--we can understand in a revolutionary new way why we behave as we do in love, business, addiction, politics, religion - and we can even predict those behaviors in ourselves and others.
In The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity--and will Determine the Fate of the Human Race, George Washington University professor and psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, and Georgetown University lecturer Michael E. Long present a potentially life-changing proposal: Much of human life has an unconsidered component that explains an array of behaviors previously thought to be unrelated, including why winners cheat, why geniuses often suffer with mental illness, why nearly all diets fail, and why the brains of liberals and conservatives really are different.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
About the author
Daniel Z. Lieberman
2 books281 followersDaniel Z. Lieberman, M.D. is a clinical professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University. Dr. Lieberman is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a recipient of the Caron Foundation Research Award, and he has published over 50 scientific reports on behavioral science. He has provided insight on psychiatric issues for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Commerce, and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy, and has discussed mental health in interviews on CNN, C-SPAN, and PBS. Dr. Lieberman studied the Great Books at St. John's College. He received his medical degree and completed his psychiatric training at New York University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,138 reviews
September 6, 2021
Nothing compares to natural, self made highs.
I ask myself in such contexts what influence meditation, mindfulness, and positive psychology might have on the neurochemistry of the brain and, in this case, especially on the essential little helpers that make our emotional spectrum so manifold, wonderful, irresponsible, and prone to lunacy.
I liked the chapters Domination and Politics the most, because we tend to forget that we are mentally unstable monkey with different nuances of madness from eccentricity to bonkers and completely manipulated by the substances our body produces and how we tend to condition ourselves to react in a way that might be evolutionarily useful. In love and friendship, dopamine can do a good job, but if it enters the meta and global level, it gets tricky to world dominately.
Our brain simply loves to get high and for a long time we couldn´t get good stuff from the outer world ( it must have been terrible) when we were still stonagey and before, but we had those fine centers for own opioids, own cannabinoids, but especially the other hormones that aren´t so fancy. No matter where we look, to the love in our beds, to the digital shopping card, enemies and frenemies at work, what we love and hate about political parties, we are wired to react like animals.
Lieberman is highly entertaining, mixing the hard science with entertaining elements to make it more vivid, transporting it directly into the long term memory, except of course one is too stoned on dopamine and the data transmission affected by too much of whatever emotion. Don´t read angry, nervous, or horny, that´s not healthy for your wisdom!
Epigenetic and nature vs. nurture plays a big role here too, as anyone has a unique backpack of genes, different brain structures, and all those other things we hardly understand, so there is a huge spectrum of how much influence hormones take on ones´ lives, there is everything from lively, emotional, courageous and charismatic to me. Nothing against creativity and flow, but the love, hate, anger, and sex, meh, possibly overrated. Some beer from time to time is another story and makes me autonomous.
What to take along after reading is the already mentioned self mind control optimization and, once again, a healthier lifestyle and a better diet. Because another way I got in contact with dopamine was via sport and dietary change, massively influencing and modifying my body chemistry with interesting side effects muahaha, no it really got better, I swear!
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
I ask myself in such contexts what influence meditation, mindfulness, and positive psychology might have on the neurochemistry of the brain and, in this case, especially on the essential little helpers that make our emotional spectrum so manifold, wonderful, irresponsible, and prone to lunacy.
I liked the chapters Domination and Politics the most, because we tend to forget that we are mentally unstable monkey with different nuances of madness from eccentricity to bonkers and completely manipulated by the substances our body produces and how we tend to condition ourselves to react in a way that might be evolutionarily useful. In love and friendship, dopamine can do a good job, but if it enters the meta and global level, it gets tricky to world dominately.
Our brain simply loves to get high and for a long time we couldn´t get good stuff from the outer world ( it must have been terrible) when we were still stonagey and before, but we had those fine centers for own opioids, own cannabinoids, but especially the other hormones that aren´t so fancy. No matter where we look, to the love in our beds, to the digital shopping card, enemies and frenemies at work, what we love and hate about political parties, we are wired to react like animals.
Lieberman is highly entertaining, mixing the hard science with entertaining elements to make it more vivid, transporting it directly into the long term memory, except of course one is too stoned on dopamine and the data transmission affected by too much of whatever emotion. Don´t read angry, nervous, or horny, that´s not healthy for your wisdom!
Epigenetic and nature vs. nurture plays a big role here too, as anyone has a unique backpack of genes, different brain structures, and all those other things we hardly understand, so there is a huge spectrum of how much influence hormones take on ones´ lives, there is everything from lively, emotional, courageous and charismatic to me. Nothing against creativity and flow, but the love, hate, anger, and sex, meh, possibly overrated. Some beer from time to time is another story and makes me autonomous.
What to take along after reading is the already mentioned self mind control optimization and, once again, a healthier lifestyle and a better diet. Because another way I got in contact with dopamine was via sport and dietary change, massively influencing and modifying my body chemistry with interesting side effects muahaha, no it really got better, I swear!
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
January 4, 2019
The author lost a lot of credibility when he inflated the truth about Newton. He was trying to correlate psychosis and brilliance, which is a fair and fun thought but he failed to mention Newton’s mercury exposure which precipitated Newton’s insanity. The author would have let the unknown reader assume it validated his hypothesis. He stretched the truth and oversimplified to make readers believe dopamine was the contributing factor in many ailments when the truth is SO very complex and diverse. I did find the book fun and interesting to read and he may have some really great points that may turn out to be correct after more research. Buuuut I won’t be reading any of his other books or using him as a credible resource after he blatantly manipulated his resources.
September 17, 2018
This is a very interesting book on how just one chemical – Dopamine influences so much of our behaviour. The undue influence Dopamine exerts is amazing considering the fraction the Dopamine circuit occupies in our brains. This is a well written book and very informative as well.
The crux of our behaviour boils down to two outlooks we humans have – here & now matters (which the authors refer to as the H&N circuit) and the future (our desires and actions). Dopamine is largely what determines how we approach the future – high dopamine defining the drive. Dopamine circuits are in two categories – ones which determine our desires and the other which exerts control over our actions.
Responsible action is a delicate balance – excessive dopamine activity can become impractical and is speculated at times even lead to mental illnesses. The influence of Dopamine on politics, sex, relationships, emotions, political affiliations, religion and business is all discussed in a good amount of detail.
This is a book I certainly recommend, though it could have been crisper in the early and middle portions.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
I got a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
The crux of our behaviour boils down to two outlooks we humans have – here & now matters (which the authors refer to as the H&N circuit) and the future (our desires and actions). Dopamine is largely what determines how we approach the future – high dopamine defining the drive. Dopamine circuits are in two categories – ones which determine our desires and the other which exerts control over our actions.
Responsible action is a delicate balance – excessive dopamine activity can become impractical and is speculated at times even lead to mental illnesses. The influence of Dopamine on politics, sex, relationships, emotions, political affiliations, religion and business is all discussed in a good amount of detail.
This is a book I certainly recommend, though it could have been crisper in the early and middle portions.
My rating: 4.5 / 5.
I got a free ecopy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
September 26, 2020
Some of the best (engaging + entertaining + educational + enlightening) science writing I have experienced in quite some time.
Additionally, the subject matter is utterly germane to the issues of addiction, mental health, compulsory consumption and more fundamentally learning, motivation and ultimately well being.
The most important realization to be had in the process of recovery is.
Literally everyone suffers to some degree or another, from the mechanisms that underly addiction.
Some of us are unlucky enough to be ensnared in the awful trap of substance use disorder.
Others of us have been particularly burdened by anxiety, depression, trauma or psychosis.
But everyone.
And I mean everyone.
Suffers.
And the nature of human suffering is universal.
We compare and despair.
We’re never satisfied with what we have.
We chase and cling to pleasure.
We run away from pain.
We typically prefer the easy way.
We like (or even love) things that are bad for us.
We dislike (and avoid) things that are good for us.
And we have a really hard time changing habits.
How come?
Satisfying answers to that question exist.
Understanding bio-psychology from the evolutionary perspective demystifies these confusing issues.
And it’s not all bad news.
Understanding why we do the dangerous and unhealthy stuff is the roadmap to creating the best possible life.
If we get clarity on how our brain chemistry works, we can use that understanding to create a life full of healthy, sustainable and truly rewarding relationships and accomplishments, and more effectively avoid the traps of modern existence that are just about to kill us all.
Clarity is the first step towards authentic wisdom.
This book is a good first step to clarity.
Mostly because it’s expertly crafted.
It strikes a perfect balance between technical precision, flowing relatable prose, effective functional metaphors and harder science.
This subject matter couldn’t be more important.
Great book.
🧠 + 🧪 + 🧬 = 😍
Additionally, the subject matter is utterly germane to the issues of addiction, mental health, compulsory consumption and more fundamentally learning, motivation and ultimately well being.
The most important realization to be had in the process of recovery is.
Literally everyone suffers to some degree or another, from the mechanisms that underly addiction.
Some of us are unlucky enough to be ensnared in the awful trap of substance use disorder.
Others of us have been particularly burdened by anxiety, depression, trauma or psychosis.
But everyone.
And I mean everyone.
Suffers.
And the nature of human suffering is universal.
We compare and despair.
We’re never satisfied with what we have.
We chase and cling to pleasure.
We run away from pain.
We typically prefer the easy way.
We like (or even love) things that are bad for us.
We dislike (and avoid) things that are good for us.
And we have a really hard time changing habits.
How come?
Satisfying answers to that question exist.
Understanding bio-psychology from the evolutionary perspective demystifies these confusing issues.
And it’s not all bad news.
Understanding why we do the dangerous and unhealthy stuff is the roadmap to creating the best possible life.
If we get clarity on how our brain chemistry works, we can use that understanding to create a life full of healthy, sustainable and truly rewarding relationships and accomplishments, and more effectively avoid the traps of modern existence that are just about to kill us all.
Clarity is the first step towards authentic wisdom.
This book is a good first step to clarity.
Mostly because it’s expertly crafted.
It strikes a perfect balance between technical precision, flowing relatable prose, effective functional metaphors and harder science.
This subject matter couldn’t be more important.
Great book.
🧠 + 🧪 + 🧬 = 😍
October 7, 2020
Oversimplified and overgeneralised. I was hoping for an in-depth look at the science but honestly felt like I didn't learn anything new because the book didn't dwell into studies and science and instead spent a lot of time on its theories on relationships, liberals vs conservative personalities, and the future of the human race. Every chemical other than dopamine was actually simplified into "here and now molecules", that's how unwilling this book is to talk about the science of the brain. The chapter on mental models was alright to listen to, so rating two stars.
Almost dnf-d it, but I need to reach my Goodreads goal for the year so I suppose the dopamine from the idea of marking it as read kept me going.
Almost dnf-d it, but I need to reach my Goodreads goal for the year so I suppose the dopamine from the idea of marking it as read kept me going.
June 2, 2021
I'm sure the authors could have done better things with their time. The concept of pop science has been reduced to retard level, and this book is the perfect example: it takes a complicated concept, reduces it to simple metaphors until it loses all meaning, and then blabbers for almost 300 useless pages around the exact same idea, using 500 different examples so you don't realise that there's absolutely no new information at all. Wow, dopamine makes you think about the future and then there's some other "molecules" we'll just call "here-and-nows" because you're too dumb to read serotonin and the like on every page, that make you feel the present. Aaand that's basically it. I mean come on, there's a whole page on how a person uses their muscles to scratch their head, and not in an interesting way. What I hate about this type of books is that it tricks you into believing that it taught you something new and you understood a complicated concept. It didn't, and you didn't. And I didn't either. The only situation in which this book could be useful is if you just didn't know anything about anything.
June 13, 2021
In how many garbs will 'Thinking Fast and Slow' keep coming to us?
December 11, 2020
Am vrut să citesc o carte despre creier, nu despre politică. Cred că unii oameni de știință nu vor ca șefii lor să îi vadă stând degeaba, așa că fac tot felul de studii inutile. Conservatorii fac mai mult sex decât liberalii. Și eu ce să fac cu informația asta în viață? Să îmi caut un conservator ca soț sau un liberal? Depinde cu cine face ăla sex.
June 15, 2022
A lot of interesting information and research
August 2, 2018
Once I started reading The Molecule of More I couldn’t put it down. I was engrossed. The book is both engaging and informative. The Molecule of More dives into dopamine’s role in human behavior in a comprehensive and captivating manner. Dopamine is a chemical that is never really satisfied. It eagerly waits in anticipation of more. It has little regard for morality, emotions, rationality or how much one already has, subsequently propelling us to chase more…. sometimes for good and sometimes for not so good. If you want to understand how this neurochemical influences our everyday basic behavior or are curious about dopaminergic personality, start with this book. It’s well-written and compelling.
March 22, 2019
One of the most interesting non-fiction books that I've read so far. The Molecule of More is a combination of human behavior, psychology, and biology! I'm always interested in understanding human behavior and psychology, but this Daniel Lieberman blew my mind because he explains everything at DNA-level. Before this book, I know my personality and I am aware of the behavior patterns that I tend to take. After reading book, I don't only understand my patterns, but also understand WHY and WHAT is happening in my brain. I highly recommend this book if you:
- want to know whether you're more like a dopaminergic type or Here&Now type (and if you don't understand these terms, read the book :D)
- want to understand your decisions better: Why did you fall out of love with your ex? Why is your diet plan not going well? Why did you decide to start a company? Why did you move to another country? Why aren't you feeling motivated at work?
- try to understand other people: What are the differences between Liberals and Conservatives?
- want to understand why yoga, meditation, balanced CBD consumption... make you feel happier :D (Work for me!)(Hints? They are Here and Now!)
Some pages in the book have very psychology-heavy contents, such as the chapter about drugs and addiction. They are difficult but eye-opening for me. Overall, I love this book because I learnt something new from it.
And it is because I have high level of dopamine and I always seek for something new :)
- want to know whether you're more like a dopaminergic type or Here&Now type (and if you don't understand these terms, read the book :D)
- want to understand your decisions better: Why did you fall out of love with your ex? Why is your diet plan not going well? Why did you decide to start a company? Why did you move to another country? Why aren't you feeling motivated at work?
- try to understand other people: What are the differences between Liberals and Conservatives?
- want to understand why yoga, meditation, balanced CBD consumption... make you feel happier :D (Work for me!)(Hints? They are Here and Now!)
Some pages in the book have very psychology-heavy contents, such as the chapter about drugs and addiction. They are difficult but eye-opening for me. Overall, I love this book because I learnt something new from it.
And it is because I have high level of dopamine and I always seek for something new :)
December 17, 2019
Reading this book reminded me again of how I should change my rating strategy at Goodreads. So, from now on I will include a new factor in my ratings: Being a transformative and life-altering experience! That is, if reading a book made a history in my life or not. I wouldn't give a book full 5 stars whatever interesting, informative and nice it was unless it arms me with a special tool to view the world and this book was definitely one of them.
I really believe this book is so much underrated and deserves much more attention and reader. Could it be because people without any medical or scientific background find it difficult to get through? I assume not as the book is almost jargon free. Is it because people in general are less interested in reading serious books with a scientific atmosphere? This sounds more valid to me. Anyway, reading this book, I feel I got a new vision in understanding and categorizing people's behaviors and characters and even made me know myself better and that's where it's unique revolutionary effect was on my views. Highly recommended to anyone interested in understanding the human behavior and the core elements governing it.
I've been postponing writing reviews only after the second read but was so excited about this one that passed my own rules. So, may add some updates after the second read.
I really believe this book is so much underrated and deserves much more attention and reader. Could it be because people without any medical or scientific background find it difficult to get through? I assume not as the book is almost jargon free. Is it because people in general are less interested in reading serious books with a scientific atmosphere? This sounds more valid to me. Anyway, reading this book, I feel I got a new vision in understanding and categorizing people's behaviors and characters and even made me know myself better and that's where it's unique revolutionary effect was on my views. Highly recommended to anyone interested in understanding the human behavior and the core elements governing it.
I've been postponing writing reviews only after the second read but was so excited about this one that passed my own rules. So, may add some updates after the second read.
April 24, 2024
Patiko. Atrodo jau daug ką žinau apie šią smagią molekulę, bet sužinojau dar daugiau.
Neigiamam dopaminui galima pasipriešinti teigiamu dopaminu.
Daugiau lavinti ,,čia ir dabar" hormonus, bet taip pat su saiku.
Susižavėjimo euforija, genai, dnr, narkotikai, priklausomybės, šizofrenija, sapnai, alkoholis ir dar daug visko.
Neigiamam dopaminui galima pasipriešinti teigiamu dopaminu.
Daugiau lavinti ,,čia ir dabar" hormonus, bet taip pat su saiku.
Susižavėjimo euforija, genai, dnr, narkotikai, priklausomybės, šizofrenija, sapnai, alkoholis ir dar daug visko.
June 23, 2023
Dopamina, bat-o vina!
🧠A fost descoperită în creier în 1957 într-un laborator din Londra.
🧠Doar 0,0005% din celulele creierului produc dopamină.
🧠Sistemul dopaminic s-a dezvoltat pentru a ne motiva să supraviețuim. Activarea ei provoacă dorință, entuziasm, speranță. Fără ea nu putem depune efort.
🧠E un sentiment al anticipării că viața e pe cale să devină mai bună. Circuitele ei nu procesează experiențe din lumea reală, ci numai posibilități viitoare imaginare. Hm, cum ar fi să-mi iau o înghețată după ce termin de scris aici.
🧠“Creativitatea reflectă creierul în forma sa cea mai elevată. Boala mintală este opusul.” Cel mai interesant capitol mi s-a părut cel despre creativitate și nebunie. Se vorbește despre saliență, vise, boli, modele mentale artă și altele, toate prin prisma dopaminei.
🧠Capitolul V care explică cum acționează dopamina în cazul politicienilor (puțin exagerat după părerea mea) se adresează unui grup minoritar de oameni. Putea fi scris într-o altă carte separată.
🧠Cartea abordează modul în care ne influențează viețile această substanță fără de care eu nu aș fi putut scrie acest text și cum putem să o stimulăm/reprimăm. De cele mai multe ori e precum drăcușorul de pe umărul stîng, din simplul motiv că limita ei e cerul. Mereu în căutare de noutate și de “mai mult”.
🧠A fost descoperită în creier în 1957 într-un laborator din Londra.
🧠Doar 0,0005% din celulele creierului produc dopamină.
🧠Sistemul dopaminic s-a dezvoltat pentru a ne motiva să supraviețuim. Activarea ei provoacă dorință, entuziasm, speranță. Fără ea nu putem depune efort.
🧠E un sentiment al anticipării că viața e pe cale să devină mai bună. Circuitele ei nu procesează experiențe din lumea reală, ci numai posibilități viitoare imaginare. Hm, cum ar fi să-mi iau o înghețată după ce termin de scris aici.
🧠“Creativitatea reflectă creierul în forma sa cea mai elevată. Boala mintală este opusul.” Cel mai interesant capitol mi s-a părut cel despre creativitate și nebunie. Se vorbește despre saliență, vise, boli, modele mentale artă și altele, toate prin prisma dopaminei.
🧠Capitolul V care explică cum acționează dopamina în cazul politicienilor (puțin exagerat după părerea mea) se adresează unui grup minoritar de oameni. Putea fi scris într-o altă carte separată.
🧠Cartea abordează modul în care ne influențează viețile această substanță fără de care eu nu aș fi putut scrie acest text și cum putem să o stimulăm/reprimăm. De cele mai multe ori e precum drăcușorul de pe umărul stîng, din simplul motiv că limita ei e cerul. Mereu în căutare de noutate și de “mai mult”.
June 9, 2021
In the past, when I was even more naïve as to how the world works than I am today, I'd think this book explained a lot of human nature.
Now I see clearly how these books don't actually answer anything: they just use other terminology. For instance, to the question: why are we anxious? A book like this answers: Oh, simple, you see, it's because of a neurotransmitter called dopamine.
So scientists just use a different name for anxiety without actually answering anything. Sure, you can find the site of production of this neurotransmitter and go on to even manipulate drugs to modulate it to a certain extent, but in the end you haven't really explained anything. As Nietzsche would point out, most of modern science adds new layers to a problem, new questions, new conceptualizations, but no new answer. And, as this book shows, people can be pretty blind to this fact.
In the end we're as lost as we were hundreds if not thousands of years ago on the big whys of life.
Now I see clearly how these books don't actually answer anything: they just use other terminology. For instance, to the question: why are we anxious? A book like this answers: Oh, simple, you see, it's because of a neurotransmitter called dopamine.
So scientists just use a different name for anxiety without actually answering anything. Sure, you can find the site of production of this neurotransmitter and go on to even manipulate drugs to modulate it to a certain extent, but in the end you haven't really explained anything. As Nietzsche would point out, most of modern science adds new layers to a problem, new questions, new conceptualizations, but no new answer. And, as this book shows, people can be pretty blind to this fact.
In the end we're as lost as we were hundreds if not thousands of years ago on the big whys of life.
August 30, 2021
Tengo un amigo que cuando escuchó por primera vez el podcast del neurocientífico de Stanford, Andrew Huberman, me dijo: “El tío mola mucho y es una pasada escucharle… una pena que se lo invente todo”. El comentario me hizo bastante gracia porque entendí rápidamente que lo que realmente estaba queriendo decir es que las explicaciones de Huberman sobre cómo funciona el cerebro son tan elegantes, sencillas e intuitivas que parecen ciencia ficción. Leyendo The Molecule of More (libro recomendado por el propio Huberman en uno de los episodios del podcast) he tenido la misma sensación ya que parece imposible que un único neurotransmisor, la dopamina, sea la explicación de tantos y tan dispares comportamientos humanos.
Los tres primeros capítulos (LOVE, DRUGS and DOMINATION) son absolutamente fascinantes y creo que es bastante fácil verse reflejado (y gracias al libro, entender) muchas de las sensaciones y emociones que se describen y que todos experimentamos en el día a día. Los capítulos 4 – 6 (CREATIVITY, POLITICS y PROGRESS) no me han parecido tan brillantes y los resultados de alguno de los estudios mencionados (p.ej. correlación entre niveles de dopamina e ideología) no tan convincentes. En cualquier caso en estos últimos también hay insights interesantes y son relativamente cortos, así que merece la pena llegar hasta ellos.
Creo que el libro también hace una buena labor destacando la importancia de las personas y actitudes “dopaminérgicas” para el progreso del mundo y el crecimiento personal, pero también alertando del circulo vicioso y sin fin que supone pasarse la vida persiguiendo ese chute de dopamina adicional, aunque sea a través de actividades encomiables como el éxito profesional o los retos deportivos. A pesar del flojeo final le pongo un 4/5 y se lo recomiendo especialmente a los interesados en psicología/sociología.
Los tres primeros capítulos (LOVE, DRUGS and DOMINATION) son absolutamente fascinantes y creo que es bastante fácil verse reflejado (y gracias al libro, entender) muchas de las sensaciones y emociones que se describen y que todos experimentamos en el día a día. Los capítulos 4 – 6 (CREATIVITY, POLITICS y PROGRESS) no me han parecido tan brillantes y los resultados de alguno de los estudios mencionados (p.ej. correlación entre niveles de dopamina e ideología) no tan convincentes. En cualquier caso en estos últimos también hay insights interesantes y son relativamente cortos, así que merece la pena llegar hasta ellos.
Creo que el libro también hace una buena labor destacando la importancia de las personas y actitudes “dopaminérgicas” para el progreso del mundo y el crecimiento personal, pero también alertando del circulo vicioso y sin fin que supone pasarse la vida persiguiendo ese chute de dopamina adicional, aunque sea a través de actividades encomiables como el éxito profesional o los retos deportivos. A pesar del flojeo final le pongo un 4/5 y se lo recomiendo especialmente a los interesados en psicología/sociología.
December 16, 2021
با این که کتاب خوبی بود و اطلاعات مفیدی هم به ادم می داد و حتی دید جدیدی برای فکر کردن . ولی به نظرم کتاب از اون منطق علمیش و فکت های علمی فاصله گرفته بود و مثل یه کتابِ قانون موفقیت زرد تلاش می کرد ایده خودش رو در هر ضمینه ای ثابت کنه .
نوعی جبر گرایی من تو کتاب می دیدم یعنی انگار هیچ پارامتر دیگه ای جز ترشح کم یا زیاد دپامین در عشق و نفرت و اعتیاد و ... وجود نداره . در حالی که انسان خیل موجود پیچیده و انعطاف پذیری و حتی همه انسان ها از نظر تیپ شخصیتی و عملکرد رفتار یکسانی ندارند .
نوعی جبر گرایی من تو کتاب می دیدم یعنی انگار هیچ پارامتر دیگه ای جز ترشح کم یا زیاد دپامین در عشق و نفرت و اعتیاد و ... وجود نداره . در حالی که انسان خیل موجود پیچیده و انعطاف پذیری و حتی همه انسان ها از نظر تیپ شخصیتی و عملکرد رفتار یکسانی ندارند .
May 14, 2023
E adevărat, tema hormonilor mă fascinează, ei fiind cei care controlează atât de multe în organismul uman, iar un mic dezechilibru ar putea avea urmări dezastruoase. Ce e Dopamina? Credeam eu că este un hormon al plăcerii, dar defapt este un hormon al anticipării plăcerii. În carte se descriu și multe experimente, iar rezultatele acestora, sunt foarte interesante. Aș recomanda înainte de lecturarea acestei cărți, alte două cărți care prezintă o descriere a mai multor hormoni: "Creierul fericit" de L Breuning sau "Excitat. Istoria hormonilor și modul în care controlează aproape totul" de R. Epstein.
📚 "Ca fiinţe umane, ajungem la un aflux de dopamină în urma unor surprize similare, promițătoare: sosirea unui bileţel de la persoana iubită (Ce scrie în el?), a unui e-mail de la un pri-eten pe care nu l-am văzut de ani întregi (Ce voi afla despre el?) sau, dacă suntem în căutarea unei aventuri romantice, întâlnirea unui partener nou şi fascinant la masa lipicioasă din acelaşi bar vechi (Ce ar putea să se întâmple?). Dar când aceste lucruri devin evenimente regulate, noutatea lor pălește și la fel se întâmplă și cu afluxul de dopamină -, iar un bileţel sau un e-mail mai lung ori o masă mai curată nu-l va aduce înapoi.
Această idee simplă oferă un răspuns chimic la o întrebare veche de când lumea: de ce se ofilește iubirea? Creierul nostru este programat să tânjească după neprevăzut şi, astfel, să se uite spre viitor, acolo unde începe fiecare posibilitate captivantă. Dar când totul, inclusiv iubirea, devine familiar, entuziasmul începe să dispară, iar atenția noastră este atrasă de alte lucruri."
📚 "Ca fiinţe umane, ajungem la un aflux de dopamină în urma unor surprize similare, promițătoare: sosirea unui bileţel de la persoana iubită (Ce scrie în el?), a unui e-mail de la un pri-eten pe care nu l-am văzut de ani întregi (Ce voi afla despre el?) sau, dacă suntem în căutarea unei aventuri romantice, întâlnirea unui partener nou şi fascinant la masa lipicioasă din acelaşi bar vechi (Ce ar putea să se întâmple?). Dar când aceste lucruri devin evenimente regulate, noutatea lor pălește și la fel se întâmplă și cu afluxul de dopamină -, iar un bileţel sau un e-mail mai lung ori o masă mai curată nu-l va aduce înapoi.
Această idee simplă oferă un răspuns chimic la o întrebare veche de când lumea: de ce se ofilește iubirea? Creierul nostru este programat să tânjească după neprevăzut şi, astfel, să se uite spre viitor, acolo unde începe fiecare posibilitate captivantă. Dar când totul, inclusiv iubirea, devine familiar, entuziasmul începe să dispară, iar atenția noastră este atrasă de alte lucruri."
September 27, 2022
อ่านจบแล้วทึ่งกับวิวัฒนาการของสมองมนุษย์มาก บรรพบุรุษพัฒนาสมดุลนี้ขึ้นมาได้ยังไงกันนะ
อาจไม่ได้ดีที่สุด แต่ดีเท่าที่จะดีได้ 🧠🧠
เล่มนี้เน้นถึงสารสื่อประสาทชื่อ “โดพามีน”
โดพามีนเป็นสารกระตุ้นความอยาก ความหวัง จินตนาการ ใฝ่ฝันถึงอนาคตไม่รู้จบ ไม่เคยพอใจกับปัจจุบัน
มนุษยชาติคงอยู่ได้ก็เพราะแรงขับของโดพามีนนี่แหละ
แต่เยอะไปไม่ใช่ว่าดี เพราะโดพามีนทำให้เราไม่รู้จักพอ อยากเปลี่ยนคู่ไปเรื่อยๆ อยากได้ของใหม่ไปเรื่อยๆ ได้มาแล้วก็ยังไม่พอใจ ต้องแสวงหาเพิ่มไปอีก 🧐🧐
เราจึงต้องมีสารสื่อประสาท มาคานอำนาจให้มีความสุขกับปัจจุบัน ได้แก่ “endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, endocannabinoids” เพื่อให้อยู่กับความจริง เข้าอกเข้าใจความรู้สึก พอใจกับคู่ชีวิต กับสิ่งที่ได้
แต่มากไปก็ไม่ดีเช่นกัน เพราะจะทำให้เราขี้เกียจ ไม่อยากทำอะไรเลย เพราะมีความสุขแล้ว 😛😛
สมองจึงต้องทำงานตลอดเวลา ในการตัดสินใจทุกๆสถานการณ์
โดพามีนเป็นสารหนึ่งที่สามารถอธิบายพฤติกรรมมนุษย์ ทั้งเรื่องการเลือกคู่ การเมือง ศิลปวิทยาการต่างๆ เรียกได้ว่าอยู่ในทุกเรื่องของชีวิต
รายละเอียดเยอะมาก อยากให้อ่านดู 📚📚
อ่านเข้าใจง่าย มีน่าเบื่อบางช่วง แต่โดยรวมควรค่าที่จะอ่าน
อาจไม่ได้ดีที่สุด แต่ดีเท่าที่จะดีได้ 🧠🧠
เล่มนี้เน้นถึงสารสื่อประสาทชื่อ “โดพามีน”
โดพามีนเป็นสารกระตุ้นความอยาก ความหวัง จินตนาการ ใฝ่ฝันถึงอนาคตไม่รู้จบ ไม่เคยพอใจกับปัจจุบัน
มนุษยชาติคงอยู่ได้ก็เพราะแรงขับของโดพามีนนี่แหละ
แต่เยอะไปไม่ใช่ว่าดี เพราะโดพามีนทำให้เราไม่รู้จักพอ อยากเปลี่ยนคู่ไปเรื่อยๆ อยากได้ของใหม่ไปเรื่อยๆ ได้มาแล้วก็ยังไม่พอใจ ต้องแสวงหาเพิ่มไปอีก 🧐🧐
เราจึงต้องมีสารสื่อประสาท มาคานอำนาจให้มีความสุขกับปัจจุบัน ได้แก่ “endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, endocannabinoids” เพื่อให้อยู่กับความจริง เข้าอกเข้าใจความรู้สึก พอใจกับคู่ชีวิต กับสิ่งที่ได้
แต่มากไปก็ไม่ดีเช่นกัน เพราะจะทำให้เราขี้เกียจ ไม่อยากทำอะไรเลย เพราะมีความสุขแล้ว 😛😛
สมองจึงต้องทำงานตลอดเวลา ในการตัดสินใจทุกๆสถานการณ์
โดพามีนเป็นสารหนึ่งที่สามารถอธิบายพฤติกรรมมนุษย์ ทั้งเรื่องการเลือกคู่ การเมือง ศิลปวิทยาการต่างๆ เรียกได้ว่าอยู่ในทุกเรื่องของชีวิต
รายละเอียดเยอะมาก อยากให้อ่านดู 📚📚
อ่านเข้าใจง่าย มีน่าเบื่อบางช่วง แต่โดยรวมควรค่าที่จะอ่าน
September 22, 2020
Was passiert eigentlich im Kopf während des Datings und warum ändert sich Verliebtheit nach 18 Monaten? Was genau sind die Moleküle, die unser Verhalten steuern? Eine interessante Einsicht in die Neurotransmitter wie Dopamin, Serotonin, Noradrenaline usw.
Warum haben Künstler und mental Erkrankte häufig gemeinsam? Und wie steht der Bezug von aktivierenden Neurotransmittern zu der politischen Grundeinstellung? Sehr interessante Einsichten!
Die Kapitel sind sehr kurz gehalten, weshalb der Tiefgang in die Materie fehlt. Aber wer sich oberflächig einen Überblick verschaffen möchte, für den ist das Buch genau richtig!
Für mich waren die meisten Inhalte leider schon bekannt und deshalb ist mein Dopaminspiegel nicht allzu hoch.
Warum haben Künstler und mental Erkrankte häufig gemeinsam? Und wie steht der Bezug von aktivierenden Neurotransmittern zu der politischen Grundeinstellung? Sehr interessante Einsichten!
Die Kapitel sind sehr kurz gehalten, weshalb der Tiefgang in die Materie fehlt. Aber wer sich oberflächig einen Überblick verschaffen möchte, für den ist das Buch genau richtig!
Für mich waren die meisten Inhalte leider schon bekannt und deshalb ist mein Dopaminspiegel nicht allzu hoch.
December 11, 2021
کتاب در باره���ی دوپامینه و این که اصلا چطوری کار میکنه و در بخشهای مختلف زندگی چه اثری داره. من از خوندنش خیلی لذت بردم، زبانشم روان و ساده بود.
February 21, 2019
The topic is interesting, but apparently the author roped in a fucking Hollywood screenwriter to dumb the material down as much as possible. "Pop science" at its worst. If you're stupid, you'll probably dig it. It's as if Guy Fieri wrote a book on neuroscience.
October 6, 2023
در مجموع شامل اطلاعات مفید و عجیبی در مورد کارکرد دوپامین در مغز و شخصیت و رفتار یک انسان هست.
کتاب فوق العاده خوانا و روان هست.
فقط یکی از فصل ها که در مورد سیاست و تاثیر دوپامین بر شخصیت گروه های سیاسی بود ، به دلیل عدم تطابق شرایط ما با کشور مورد بحث نویسنده، زیاد برای من جالب نبود.
کتاب فوق العاده خوانا و روان هست.
فقط یکی از فصل ها که در مورد سیاست و تاثیر دوپامین بر شخصیت گروه های سیاسی بود ، به دلیل عدم تطابق شرایط ما با کشور مورد بحث نویسنده، زیاد برای من جالب نبود.
July 4, 2023
اولش تصور میکردم با یک کتاب علمی در مورد مولکول دوپامین مواجه م ولی کم کم متوجه شدم کتاب علمی نیست و از گوشه و کنار، از عالم سیاست و روزنامه نگاری و تحقیقات روانشناسی با مرجع نامعلوم استفاده کنه تا اثبات کنه که دوپامین عامل خیلی از رفتارهای انسانی هست.
اولش برای کتاب احترام قائل بودم ولی کم کم احساس کردم شبیه کتابهای موفقیت و روانشناسی شده که سعی میکنه تلنگری باشه برای بهتر شدن خواننده.
توصیه شدیدی برای خوندن کتاب نمیکنم. به نظرم در حد پر کردن وقتهای خالی در مترو و اتوبوس و تاکسی و مطب دکتر خوبه.
اولش برای کتاب احترام قائل بودم ولی کم کم احساس کردم شبیه کتابهای موفقیت و روانشناسی شده که سعی میکنه تلنگری باشه برای بهتر شدن خواننده.
توصیه شدیدی برای خوندن کتاب نمیکنم. به نظرم در حد پر کردن وقتهای خالی در مترو و اتوبوس و تاکسی و مطب دکتر خوبه.
December 10, 2019
A lot of text for the quantity of information it brings. All the infos can be found in Internet.
August 11, 2018
I got this book early via NetGalley. This book has to be the authority on dopamine and how it influences human behavior for the mainstream public. Learning about the difference between dopamine and the here and now (H&N) molecules was eye opening. The difference being one (dopamine) is all about the future and is never satisfied, hence the name of the book, and the others (H&N) are all about being present and fulfilled in the moment. We need both to survive and thrive. The authors do a great job of giving practical stories on how these molecules influence us day to day and over the long haul. The authors give credit to a textbook called the Dopaminergic Mind at the beginning of their book which I have ordered to take a deeper dive into the subject. I also listened to their interview on the Art of Manliness podcast which I would recommend giving a listen as a great primer before reading their book.
July 20, 2020
loved it 🧡
Pot spune cu mâna pe inimă că "Dopamina" este una dintre cărțile mele favorite de non-ficțiune.
De la coperta de care m-am îndrăgostit, modul în care este organizată, dar și informația pe care mi-a oferit-o, este un deliciu.
Cartea este împărțită pe mai multe capitole de genul: Iubirea, Creativitatea, Politica, Progresul și altele în care ne este explicat cum acționează dopamina asupra creierului și ce impact are în toate aceste chestiuni de viață.
Mereu mi-au plăcut neuroștiințele și tot ceea ce este legat de funcționarea noastră ca oameni, așa că această carte a venit exact unde trebuie.
Pe lângă informațiile pe care le-am aflat, am învățat să înțeleg mai bine oamenii din jurul meu, dar și pe mine.
Pot spune cu mâna pe inimă că "Dopamina" este una dintre cărțile mele favorite de non-ficțiune.
De la coperta de care m-am îndrăgostit, modul în care este organizată, dar și informația pe care mi-a oferit-o, este un deliciu.
Cartea este împărțită pe mai multe capitole de genul: Iubirea, Creativitatea, Politica, Progresul și altele în care ne este explicat cum acționează dopamina asupra creierului și ce impact are în toate aceste chestiuni de viață.
Mereu mi-au plăcut neuroștiințele și tot ceea ce este legat de funcționarea noastră ca oameni, așa că această carte a venit exact unde trebuie.
Pe lângă informațiile pe care le-am aflat, am învățat să înțeleg mai bine oamenii din jurul meu, dar și pe mine.
March 15, 2020
Was going through the pages and was wondering what do I even represent as a human, beyond my hormones. It took a long time to read it because it's the type of content I would like to keep in and be aware of the processes within me when I react to things (not easy for my emotion-driven self). I'm not even sure how much I even like Dopamine at this point, I think it's threatening my happiness.
Do read it! Filled with examples and study cases, easy to understand yourself in the pages and clear points on how to achieve 'harmony' and go back to being grounded and see the joy in what surrounds us, here and now, rather than always being on the look for 'the next big thing'.
Do read it! Filled with examples and study cases, easy to understand yourself in the pages and clear points on how to achieve 'harmony' and go back to being grounded and see the joy in what surrounds us, here and now, rather than always being on the look for 'the next big thing'.
September 21, 2021
There is a bunch of interesting information in this book, but it is hard to tell if it is accurate or wishful thinking on the author's side.
A first impression leads to the conclusion that science is manipulated and watered down, oversimplified. There is no reference to the studies mentioned in the individual chapters, which makes it difficult to try and double-check the inputs.
The author writes the following in the beginning of the book:
"The philosopher Aristotle (...) looked at all the things we do for the sake of something else and wondered if there was an end to it all. (...) Is there anything we seek for itself only, not because it leads to something else? Aristotle decided it was. He decided there was a single thing at the end of every string of Whys, and its name was Happiness. Everything we do is for the sake of happiness."
One wonders if all of the author's interpretations are as inelegant and rudimentary as his take on the concept of eudaimonia.
Additionally, this book reaches too far trying to explain too much through too little: love, sex, drug use, creativity, madness, political preference, progress, immigration, you name it - dopamine influences and even determines human behavior in almost any situation. I am not saying it does not play a role, I am saying the author is riding his hobby-horse to death.
Also, on a side note, for the love of God and all you hold dear, please stop this nonsense encountered so often in nonfiction books of introducing concepts as follows:
"Initially, dopamine was seen simply as a way for the body to produce a chemical called norepinephrine, which is what adrenaline is called when it is found in the brain."
It really, really does sound and feel like: "The four-legged piece of furniture called chair is placed around the round wooden object called table in what we call a living room. That's the room in which people live or spend most of their free time when at home." It makes one cringe from the bottom of this ambiguous thing called soul.
Why is it so hard for these authors to really trust that someone is actually interested in their topic and realize that they don't have to constantly lure the reader into stupidity? Yes. I am looking at you too, David Eagleman.
I hope to find balanced and reasonable books about aspects of dopamine-conditioned behavior, the role of dopamine in mental health, and its impact on neurological diseases soon. It's a really fascinating subject.
A first impression leads to the conclusion that science is manipulated and watered down, oversimplified. There is no reference to the studies mentioned in the individual chapters, which makes it difficult to try and double-check the inputs.
The author writes the following in the beginning of the book:
"The philosopher Aristotle (...) looked at all the things we do for the sake of something else and wondered if there was an end to it all. (...) Is there anything we seek for itself only, not because it leads to something else? Aristotle decided it was. He decided there was a single thing at the end of every string of Whys, and its name was Happiness. Everything we do is for the sake of happiness."
One wonders if all of the author's interpretations are as inelegant and rudimentary as his take on the concept of eudaimonia.
Additionally, this book reaches too far trying to explain too much through too little: love, sex, drug use, creativity, madness, political preference, progress, immigration, you name it - dopamine influences and even determines human behavior in almost any situation. I am not saying it does not play a role, I am saying the author is riding his hobby-horse to death.
Also, on a side note, for the love of God and all you hold dear, please stop this nonsense encountered so often in nonfiction books of introducing concepts as follows:
"Initially, dopamine was seen simply as a way for the body to produce a chemical called norepinephrine, which is what adrenaline is called when it is found in the brain."
It really, really does sound and feel like: "The four-legged piece of furniture called chair is placed around the round wooden object called table in what we call a living room. That's the room in which people live or spend most of their free time when at home." It makes one cringe from the bottom of this ambiguous thing called soul.
Why is it so hard for these authors to really trust that someone is actually interested in their topic and realize that they don't have to constantly lure the reader into stupidity? Yes. I am looking at you too, David Eagleman.
I hope to find balanced and reasonable books about aspects of dopamine-conditioned behavior, the role of dopamine in mental health, and its impact on neurological diseases soon. It's a really fascinating subject.
December 7, 2020
Well, let me start by saying I was a firm believer in the concept of Free Will. That we are in many if not most cases, able to make decisions that will most benefit us or will bring about our ruin, whichever argument wins out in our hearts, minds, and souls.
As it turns out, we are just sacks of plasma being pushed around and bullied by our body's brain chemistry and its supply of dopamine (which for my money is the root of the slang term for drugs, "dope").
Ironically the dopamine circuits in the brains of humans have been responsible for the staggering heights of accomplishment and achievement but will also (paradoxically) bring about the demise of said humans.
This is a fascinating book that for me dovetailed nicely with our book club's selection last season "The Shallows," which discussed how the internet changed what we saw and how we read in tiny, unnoticeable, and indistinguishable ways until we have lost almost all ability to focus or pay attention to things for longer than the eight seconds web pages have time to grab our attention and hold it.
Lieberman and Long do a great job laying out the chemistry in a very accessible way for the lay reader, and then maps out how and why this chemistry is more responsible for our behaviors and decisions than almost anything else--my belief in the concept of "free will" has been shaken knowing that we are at the whim and the beck-and-call of dopamine and its counter-weight (adversary?) serotonin. The constant tug-of-war between these two molecules are what give us the desire to pursue more (dopamine) and to enjoy our accumulation (serotonin) of "more." The trouble is, dopamine has more "muscle" and is never satisfied with more; once achieved it is looking for the next thing to do, get, achieve. At some point, there is one pinnacle or another of human thought and achievement that will ultimately destroy us. And all because of dopamine.
Not light reading, but if you want some insight into why people do what they do and how they are powerless to do otherwise, take a look. Not light reading for sure but definitely worth your time and attention.
As it turns out, we are just sacks of plasma being pushed around and bullied by our body's brain chemistry and its supply of dopamine (which for my money is the root of the slang term for drugs, "dope").
Ironically the dopamine circuits in the brains of humans have been responsible for the staggering heights of accomplishment and achievement but will also (paradoxically) bring about the demise of said humans.
This is a fascinating book that for me dovetailed nicely with our book club's selection last season "The Shallows," which discussed how the internet changed what we saw and how we read in tiny, unnoticeable, and indistinguishable ways until we have lost almost all ability to focus or pay attention to things for longer than the eight seconds web pages have time to grab our attention and hold it.
Lieberman and Long do a great job laying out the chemistry in a very accessible way for the lay reader, and then maps out how and why this chemistry is more responsible for our behaviors and decisions than almost anything else--my belief in the concept of "free will" has been shaken knowing that we are at the whim and the beck-and-call of dopamine and its counter-weight (adversary?) serotonin. The constant tug-of-war between these two molecules are what give us the desire to pursue more (dopamine) and to enjoy our accumulation (serotonin) of "more." The trouble is, dopamine has more "muscle" and is never satisfied with more; once achieved it is looking for the next thing to do, get, achieve. At some point, there is one pinnacle or another of human thought and achievement that will ultimately destroy us. And all because of dopamine.
Not light reading, but if you want some insight into why people do what they do and how they are powerless to do otherwise, take a look. Not light reading for sure but definitely worth your time and attention.
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