- It appears that our happiness bangs against some mysterious glass ceiling that does not allow it to grow despite all our unprecedented accomplishments. People are made happy by one thing and one thing only – pleasant sensations in their bodies.
- This is all the fault of evolution. For countless generations, our biochemical system adapted to increase our chances of survival and reproduction, not our happiness.
- The biochemical system rewards actions conducive to survival and reproduction with pleasant sensations.
“People drink alcohol to forget, they smoke pot to feel peaceful, they take cocaine and methamphetamines to be sharp and confident, whereas Ecstasy provides ecstatic sensations and LSD sends you to meet Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
- To attain real happiness, humans need to slow down the pursuit of pleasant sensations, not accelerate it.