The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains
“Scientists now understand that there is a specific “contentment pathway” that is completely separate from the pleasure or reward pathway in the brain and under completely different regulation. Pleasure (reward) is the emotional state where your brain says, This feels good—I want more, while happiness (contentment) is the emotional state where your brain says, This feels good—I don’t want or need any more.”
― Robert H. Lustig
“Marketing, media, and technology have capitalized on subverting our brain physiology to their advantage in order to veer us away from the pursuit of happiness to the pursuit of pleasure, which for them of course equals the pursuit of profit.”
― Robert H. Lustig
Why does the constant pursuit of pleasure rarely lead to happiness? It seems like pleasures are temporary mood boosts, and often lead to the desire for bigger and better pleasures, never quite reaching satisfaction. How, then can we attain happiness if we aren't going after the jolt that pleasure can provide?
These questions are at the heart of The Hacking of the American Mind, by Robert Lustig. Lustig is a writer and pediatric endocrinologist best known for his other book, Fat Chance, where he points out how destructive our foods can be to health and happiness.
Lustig breaks down the happiness dilemma to two important chemicals in the human body- serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin is a chemical that's been at the heart of the mental health discussions for decades. SSRI drugs are among the most common treatments for depression, and their main goal is to increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin then appears to be the key ingredient in a happy, functioning brain.
Dopamine, on the other hand, is a powerful short-term booster of pleasure that drives much of human behavior. Anything that brings immediate pleasure- drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, shopping, social media, eating, and more will boost dopamine and give the brain a quick hit of pleasurable feelings. The problem with these behaviors is that they can be destructively addictive as well as lead to long term unhappiness.
This book explains why this is. For one thing, dopamine is a destructive and can eventually kill neurons. That's why dopamine addiction requires stronger and stronger stimuli to get the same rush. The brain adjusts and loses some of its ability to trigger pleasure, leading the addict into a doom loop of constantly seeking more hits and more power in their consumption. Also, when dopamine rises, apparently serotonin goes down, disturbing the delicate balance that the body tries to keep between the two neuro-chemicals.
One of the main demons of dopamine according to Lustig is sugar, which gives us bursts of pleasure in foods that have little to no nutritional value. He thinks that sugar should not be subsidized and injected into all of our processed foods in its many forms, from sucrose to high fructose corn syrup. Many nutritionists have been pointing the finger at sugar for decades, but little has been done about it, as obesity and diabetes rates continue to climb.
So how do we stay away from the dopamine traps and instead boost serotonin naturally? How can we optimize true happiness and satisfaction without giving up all pleasure? We've been wrestling with that question for generations. But this book has four suggestions, that the author calls the 4 C's- connect, contribute, cope, and cook.
We have heard these suggestions in many forms in many different formats, but they ring true. Stay away from screens, processed foods and addictive thrills, and build a happy, sustainable life with exercise, connection, sleep, and healthy foods. Now I know why this works- it's the brain chemicals that drive our happiness and behaviors. Getting those right and learning more about them is the key to a balanced and happy life.
Here is the author explaining the Hacking of America in his own words:
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