The smell of the flowers, the warming gaze of the sun, and the sweet and enchanting melodies of birdsong are proof of a benevolent God. The fact, however, that almost everything that is good and healthy in life is hard, whilst the things that are bad for us are quick and easy, is surely proof of a malevolent God. Or, is it…
In almost every major religion in the world, God is benevolent, meaning he wants the best for every human being on earth. Why, then, is life so hard? Why is there suffering and heartache? Pain and trouble? Why aren’t things easier?
Perhaps because if they were, there would be no point and no meaning. No growth, no journe,y and no satisfaction. The modern religion of science can explain this phenomenon in great detail thanks to the pioneering work of psychologists and neuroscientists.
To find out why we:
- Crave the perfect body but eat junk food and sit on the sofa
- Desire pristine intellects and new skills, yet spend all our free time on TikTok and Instagram instead of in the library
- Want nothing more than financial freedo,m but use what little disposable income we have on gambling and shopping rather than saving and investing
Read on!
The Science of Dopamine
Rats and cocaine. It’s an odd mix, but it’s one that researcher Paul Phillips and his colleagues at the University of North Carolina opted for in 2003 to help them understand the neuroscience of addiction.
The findings of their experiment, which involved operant conditioning and a small hit of cocaine, showed that in the seconds before being delivered the drug, the rats in the experiment recorded a huge spike in dopamine, the pleasure chemical in the brain.
This experiment not only built upon the widely known fact that dopamine surges after a pleasurable activity, but it also showed just how rapidly dopamine is released, even in anticipation of an instantaneous pleasurable activity.
Gambling, Alcohol, Fast Food and Social Media
For most of us, cocaine and illegal drugs are, thankfully, not an issue. The closest equivalents that many of us struggle with are gambling, alcohol, fast food, and even social media. Like drugs, all of these activities give us instantaneous pleasure.
- The rush that precedes the first spin of a virtual reel after you’ve spent hours researching the best new casino sites in the UK.
- That warm, fuzzy feeling that accompanies your first sip of an ice-cold beer on a Friday evening after work.
- The delectable smell of the Southern fried chicken burger when you take it out of the wrapper.
- The buzz that you feel when someone likes your Instagram post.
All of these things, without exception, cause your brain to immediately release dopamine and thus, leave you feeling happy and fulfilled in an instant.
Saving, Going Sober, Working Out, and Reading
- Touching down on foreign soil after booking a holiday with the money you saved up last year.
- Waking up on a Saturday morning feeling fresh and energized and not full of regret and beer fear.
- Seeing the first bit of definition in your triceps or finishing your first ever Park Run.
- Putting into practice a skill that you learned while reading.
All of these things are guaranteed to make you feel proud. Some of them will even cause your brain to release dopamine and thus, leave you feeling happy and fulfilled. None of these benefits will be achieved instantaneously though.
What’s more, to get those feelings of pride and that possible hit of dopamine, you will have to put in serious work and hours of toil.
Why the Discrepancy Between Good and Bad?
Pleasure is important. It’s what makes us feel alive and, in the past it was a powerful motivator that encouraged the preservation of the species. The reason that humans have progressed however, beyond the realm of pure animals, is our ability as a species to carry out activities that don’t promise instant rewards.
In previous rat studies into addiction and dopamine, specimens routinely choose to forego food, water, and mating in pursuit of instantaneous dopamine. Despite their fellow test subjects dying from making the same choice.
Whilst addiction is still certainly prevalent amongst humans, it is something the majority of us manage to avoid. This is because it is an inherent human instinct to prioritise long-term projects that do not bring instantaneous results, both for the benefit of the individual and the collective.
The next time you find yourself sitting on the sofa, mindlessly munching away at Doritos or Jaffa Cakes instead of sticking to your diet or hitting the gym. Remind yourself of this – you are a human being and not a rat.
