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The Compass Of Pleasure: How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, And Gambling Feel So Good (2011)

by David J. Linden(Favorite Author)

3.79 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0670022586 (ISBN13: 9780670022588)

languge

English

genre

Food & Cookbooks

publisher

Viking Adult

review 1: This is a layperson's explanation of addiction in all of its variations. Basically addition is moving up the setpoint for satiety in the pursuit of pleasure and it's all neurochemical. Once you become accustomed to it the impact of the attainment of pleasure, it becomes increasingly blunted over time so you demand more and more to feel the impact (akin to chili pepper). What's amazing is that some of the most common of vices are being engineered to create addiction by Fortune 500 firms, those who strive for consumer friendly reputations! And yet they are engineering the most toxic: world class casinos, super-powerful cigarettes and weed, uber-available porn and gambling online, video games designed to trigger your desire buttons, food that is "pre-digested" so to speak thr... moreough food science so that the body's food-linked neurochemicals can't keep up, social media that feeds your constant need to check posts ..... addictive substances/ experiences used to seem so harmless but through science they have now been super-sized and are practically insurmountable if you actually become addicted.Luckily there's a cure: (1) there's more science and technology to combat the neurochemical changes - fighting fire with fire in a nuclear arms race of more chemicals; or (2) more practically, there's meditation. And through this... mindful consumption, slowing down, creating an awareness to combat desire for compulsive reaction ... all of this can be enhanced through meditation and excercise.So there's the wisdom, the old fashioned stuff still works best.I wish I could have better kept up with the book. It might have been nice to just attend a lecture in person with the slides of the human brain accompanying the explanation. It's hard to keep up in the book without much background. It was well written and obviously so interesting.
review 2: LOVED IT!I studied some Neuroscience in college and loved this book. It was not over my head, but I probably need to take a look at my Kandle Neuroscience to refresh my memory about certain brain foci.It was like a blend of pop psychology and neuroscience, and I LOVED IT!! I listened to this in audio format and would like to get it in hardback or paperback as a reference.It is highly entertaining; who doesn't like hearing about sex experiments and where your brain is being stimulated with addictive behaviors? The latest research is presented in layman's terms (I think) and presents food for thought!I want to listen to this book again (I got it from the library) and also get a paper copy to keep! Thank you Dr. Linden! less

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