The Molecule of More

THE MOLECULE OF MORE

of Parliament is double that of the general population. In the United
States it’s common for members of Congress to live in Washington,
while their families live back in their home states. They rarely see their
spouses, and  there are  plenty of young staffers enamored with power 
that are available to satisfy dopaminergic desires. To a politician, rela-
tionships aren’t for enjoyment; they’re for a purpose, whether it’s to
get elected, pass a bill, or satisfy a biological urge. As President Harry
Truman is credited with saying, “If you want a friend in Washington,
buy a dog.”

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE, LIBERAL LAWMAKER

The need to be dopaminergic in order to get elected is a problem for
conservatives because having dopaminergic politicians represent H&N
constituents doesn’t always work well. In recent years conservatives have
experienced growing frustration with so-called establishment Republi-
cans who campaign on promises to scale back the government but end
up growing it instead. The Tea Party is the most visible manifestation
of this frustration. This conservative group generated unusual enthusi-
asm, yet so far it has been unable to achieve its goal to slow the growth
of government.
Growth may never stop. Dopamine’s mandate is more. Change—
representing either progress or loss of tradition, depending on one’s
point of view—is inevitable. Only H&N circuits can bring about feel-
ings of satisfaction, feelings that the end has been reached and it’s time
to stop. Endorphins, endocannabinoids, and other H&N neurotrans-
mitters tell us that our work is done, and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits
of our labor. But dopamine suppresses these chemicals. Dopamine
never rests. The game of politics is played 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, and stopping to take a breath or saying the word “enough” leads
to failure.
That’s not to say that more government is necessarily bad. Growth
of power wielded for  the  public good can  have a  positive influence on 
the lives of millions of people. If the government is benevolent and