Posted by alexandra_k on March 18, 2005, at 13:50:48
In reply to Re: The Greatest Happiness Machine, posted by sunny10 on March 18, 2005, at 12:23:39
>If all we were to receive were happiness, would we not become desensitized to it? And if so, how would we remain "happy"?
Well… Possibly but maybe not necessarily.
With drugs for every high there is a low because we deplete our supply of neurotransmitters and it takes time for our brains to replenish the supply. Perhaps life is like that too... But scientists have discovered the ‘pleasure centre’ or the ‘reward centre’ in the brain.They put electrodes into that part of rats brains. If the rats pushed a lever then the electrode would stimulate their brain. Directly – so it didn’t rely on neurotransmitters. The rats stood in front of the levers and pushed them constantly. They died of starvation and dehydration because they lost interest in doing anything else.
I think there was a lady in hospital who had some fairly terrible injuries. They thought that it might be a form of pain relief so they put the electrode into her ‘pleasure / reward centre’. She could push a button to have the area stimulated. She pushed it constantly. Afterwards (after they had removed it) they asked her what it felt like and she reported having an intensely pleasurable experience – like an orgasm.
That seems to be a ‘high’ or ‘pure rush of hedonistic happiness’ that doesn’t require a low for contrast. Suppose they would care for your body adequately in hospital. Would you like to live in that ‘greatest happiness machine’ forever?
poster:alexandra_k
thread:471916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050316/msgs/472492.html