Hey Forrest, this article leaves me a little more curious and in wonderment about a few things. That is, while it is probably a brain fact that one, out of three, primary goals is to "pass on gene copies (i.e. having sex)" --it is curious, to me, why you would parenthetically qualify this particular goal as, "having sex". As you go on to say, the brain is not interested in your continued pleasure in any particular goal and that is why it seeks the easiest pathway that supports efficiency and that, indeed, can become a habit. This brain science is true for sure!
My wonder on this, and in particular, is that you qualify the passing on of genes as the behavior of "having sex". Surely, sex and having it is more complex than the passing on of genes? What could this ever mean in the LGBTQ community? Or are we all just caught within the "habit" of having sex and our genes, at least within the LQBTQ community, are simply laid to waste on this act of love and celebrating with the pleasure of having sex? Is pleasure and love something that is merely about "passing on genes"? Is "having sex" a mere perfunctory action after the thrill is gone and we simply seek out more of it to satisfy the antiseptic act of passing on genes?
Having sex, to me, seems more complex and deeper than to merely make a penetration into the gene pool. Unless you mean that, in a heteronormative world, sex is the life-giving force and is held to higher regard than sex happening within the LGBTQ community where it is unlikely that genes are being passed along. Nevertheless, love is.
Perhaps love does not figure in to this at all. And it's all about simply fixing things in short time and in short order. To be sure, our health system is a mess, insurance is a corrupt system, and we all have no time because we all have to make bank to live and eat. And, yes, it's okay to just fix things so we can live well and manage the challenge of life.
And yet, I cannot agree with you about your stance on the second path as "naval gazing" nor how it keeps folks in a "trap". That second path does go deep, that is true, and it does take time, that is true, and it does not always (or necessarily) FIX the person --on the contrary-- it HEALS the person. There is not one model out there that works on every person. To say that the second path is as useless as a trip into never ending insight is rather insulting to those who have healed from the deep work of psychotherapy. To qualify it as, "good marketing copy" and as self-help focus gives me pause and makes me question whether you're working to help out the managed care system of the insurance world --that is a mess.
It seems to me that your "first track" has more "good marketing copy" and falls into the "self-help focus". This teaches skills and are models of help/care that are time efficient. They play well into the managed care system of health/insurance and the life circumstances of our overwhelm. There's nothing wrong with them for sure! And it says nothing less of folks who seek that model/form of help out. --To your point!
It seems, to me, over simplistic to leave the depths and pleasures of love out of having sex and to claim it as an antiseptic function. To dismiss the value of healing over fixing is really disheartening. That may be the new, super mod, and hip view of seeing things I suppose. And it also plays well into the hands of marketing our current health care systems that seek to save money and time --not the quality of life. It also, to me, plays quiet well into how some folks in this Country want to manage and control women's health care. I mean, if sex is merely about passing on genes, then pregnant women must have to bear out the brunt of that "brain" function I guess, or so it seems....
Wow Forrest! a lovely, concise, direct summary for improving one's world(view). Also, thank you for all the podcasts you've published; they've laid the groundwork for this :)
I've never seen the distinction between liking and wanting as it pertains to dopamine before. That's very helpful and explains habitual behaviors in a new light to me. Much appreciated!
Hi Forrest, I love your podcast and your posts. One reason I signed up as a paid subscriber (though I have limited financial means) is because it was supposed to include access to transcripts of your podcast. But I haven't been able to figure out how to access those...? Can you please advise?
Thank you Forrest for never forgetting about poorly resourced people like me who still want to live a good and better life!
Thanks so much, Forest -- this interesting and helpful. xox
Thanks So much Forest , What an interesting article .
I love your work and writing!! So clear and accurate.
Hey Forrest, this article leaves me a little more curious and in wonderment about a few things. That is, while it is probably a brain fact that one, out of three, primary goals is to "pass on gene copies (i.e. having sex)" --it is curious, to me, why you would parenthetically qualify this particular goal as, "having sex". As you go on to say, the brain is not interested in your continued pleasure in any particular goal and that is why it seeks the easiest pathway that supports efficiency and that, indeed, can become a habit. This brain science is true for sure!
My wonder on this, and in particular, is that you qualify the passing on of genes as the behavior of "having sex". Surely, sex and having it is more complex than the passing on of genes? What could this ever mean in the LGBTQ community? Or are we all just caught within the "habit" of having sex and our genes, at least within the LQBTQ community, are simply laid to waste on this act of love and celebrating with the pleasure of having sex? Is pleasure and love something that is merely about "passing on genes"? Is "having sex" a mere perfunctory action after the thrill is gone and we simply seek out more of it to satisfy the antiseptic act of passing on genes?
Having sex, to me, seems more complex and deeper than to merely make a penetration into the gene pool. Unless you mean that, in a heteronormative world, sex is the life-giving force and is held to higher regard than sex happening within the LGBTQ community where it is unlikely that genes are being passed along. Nevertheless, love is.
Perhaps love does not figure in to this at all. And it's all about simply fixing things in short time and in short order. To be sure, our health system is a mess, insurance is a corrupt system, and we all have no time because we all have to make bank to live and eat. And, yes, it's okay to just fix things so we can live well and manage the challenge of life.
And yet, I cannot agree with you about your stance on the second path as "naval gazing" nor how it keeps folks in a "trap". That second path does go deep, that is true, and it does take time, that is true, and it does not always (or necessarily) FIX the person --on the contrary-- it HEALS the person. There is not one model out there that works on every person. To say that the second path is as useless as a trip into never ending insight is rather insulting to those who have healed from the deep work of psychotherapy. To qualify it as, "good marketing copy" and as self-help focus gives me pause and makes me question whether you're working to help out the managed care system of the insurance world --that is a mess.
It seems to me that your "first track" has more "good marketing copy" and falls into the "self-help focus". This teaches skills and are models of help/care that are time efficient. They play well into the managed care system of health/insurance and the life circumstances of our overwhelm. There's nothing wrong with them for sure! And it says nothing less of folks who seek that model/form of help out. --To your point!
It seems, to me, over simplistic to leave the depths and pleasures of love out of having sex and to claim it as an antiseptic function. To dismiss the value of healing over fixing is really disheartening. That may be the new, super mod, and hip view of seeing things I suppose. And it also plays well into the hands of marketing our current health care systems that seek to save money and time --not the quality of life. It also, to me, plays quiet well into how some folks in this Country want to manage and control women's health care. I mean, if sex is merely about passing on genes, then pregnant women must have to bear out the brunt of that "brain" function I guess, or so it seems....
So very well written and practical too !!!
Wow Forrest! a lovely, concise, direct summary for improving one's world(view). Also, thank you for all the podcasts you've published; they've laid the groundwork for this :)
I've never seen the distinction between liking and wanting as it pertains to dopamine before. That's very helpful and explains habitual behaviors in a new light to me. Much appreciated!
Hi Forrest, I love your podcast and your posts. One reason I signed up as a paid subscriber (though I have limited financial means) is because it was supposed to include access to transcripts of your podcast. But I haven't been able to figure out how to access those...? Can you please advise?
That pesky Velcro!!!!
Morel please! 🙏