IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
New developments in science explain why we behave the way we do. Whether it’s a disease, or infidelity in a relationship, or inability to concentrate, neuroscientists, psychologists and sex columnists are suggesting that it might not be your fault.
“…the act of helping another person triggers activity in the caudate nucleus and anterior cingulate cortex regions of the brain, the parts involved in pleasure and reward. That is, serving others may produce the same sort of pleasure as gratifying a personal desire” (New York Times).
“…impulsive people tend to have more junk in the trunk than more conscientious folks—by a lot. Study participants who scored in the top 10 percent on impulsivity weighed an average of 22 lbs more than those in the bottom 10 percent” (The Atlantic).
“Dan] Savage has for 20 years been saying monogamy is harder than we admit and articulating a sexual ethic that he thinks honors the reality, rather than the romantic ideal, of marriage” (New York Times).
“Increased “cognitive load” – like the mental demands of being in a city – makes people more likely to choose chocolate cake instead of fruit salad, or indulge in an unhealthy snack. This is the one-two punch of city life: It subverts our ability to resist temptation even as it surrounds us with it, from fast food outlets to fancy clothing stores. The end result is too many calories and too much credit card debt” (Boston Globe).
IMPLICATIONS:
What’s going to happen when nobody has to take responsibility for their actions?
