Book SummaryThe Molecule of More, by Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Molecule of More

Could a single molecule drive all of your ambitions, decide when you fall in love, and influence how you think? According to The Molecule of More, the answer is yes; a chemical called dopamine is responsible for all of that and much more. In this book, Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long explain the many ways that [restricted term]—a chemical your body naturally produces—affects your behavior, your emotions, and even your beliefs.

Lieberman is a practicing psychiatrist who specializes in treating addiction and emotional disorders like depression. He’s also the Senior Vice President of Mental Health at telehealth company Hims & Hers and a professor of psychiatry...

The Molecule of More Summary Dopamine: The ‘What If’ Chemical

Lieberman and Long explain that [restricted term] is a neurotransmitter—a chemical for carrying signals between brain cells—that serves as both a motivator and a reward when you pursue new possibilities, or “what ifs.” Your brain releases [restricted term] when you encounter something new or unexpected, or when you make progress toward a personal goal. Furthermore, [restricted term] creates feelings of pleasure, so you’ll naturally want to pursue things that produce that [restricted term] high.

In short, [restricted term] drives you to learn new things, have unique experiences, and get what you want.

(Shortform note: As the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation and reward, [restricted term] also plays a crucial role in executive functions: your ability to coordinate and manage your thoughts and behavior. The term evokes the image of a CEO overseeing a company’s various operations (your decisions and actions) and...

The Molecule of More Summary How Dopamine Affects Behavior

[restricted term] influences what you want and how much you want it, but how does it actually affect your behavior? According to the authors, it does so in many different ways, some of which are quite unexpected.

In this section, we’ll discuss [restricted term]’s effects on romantic interest (love), how it can influence your political beliefs, and why [restricted term] is the basis of creativity—as well as of some mental illnesses. We’ll also explore how [restricted term] affects your desires and decision-making.

How [restricted term] Affects Romantic Interest

Lieberman and Long explain that the feeling of falling in love—the excitement and euphoria that sometimes seem to override logic—comes from your brain being flooded with [restricted term].

This [restricted term] high happens because a new relationship is the basis of countless new “what if” scenarios, from fun date nights to buying a home and having children together. Since [restricted term] motivates you to pursue such possibilities, your brain responds to a new relationship (or even the chance of one) by producing huge amounts of it.

(Shortform note: One important aspect of some romantic...

The Molecule of More Summary How Dopamine Has Defined Human History

Lieberman and Long have explained numerous ways that [restricted term] affects our individual thoughts and behaviors, but just how big of an impact does it really have? According to the authors, [restricted term] is the reason humans are the dominant species on Earth.

(Shortform note: [restricted term] is a major factor in human dominance, but it may not be the whole story, especially since all animals have some level of [restricted term]. Instead, some experts believe that humanity rules the world because of how well we work together; people can cooperate in large groups and can flexibly reassign roles within those groups as needed. [restricted term] drives those...

The Molecule of More Summary Dopamine’s Counterparts: The ‘What Is’ Chemicals

As we’ve discussed, [restricted term] is the “what if” chemical because it helps you look to the future. Lieberman and Long also say there are a number of different chemicals responsible for helping you experience and enjoy the present. We’ll refer to them as the “what is” chemicals to provide a clear counterpoint to [restricted term], the “what if” chemical. For example, one notable “what is” chemical is serotonin, which produces feelings of contentment and well-being (not to be confused with the [restricted term]-driven feelings of pleasure and excitement).

These “what is” chemicals are relevant to the discussion of [restricted term] because they often compete with it. It’s impossible to completely focus on the present and the future simultaneously because your brain can’t process all those chemicals at the same time.

(Shortform note: While Lieberman and Long say that the “what is” chemicals work against dopamine, neurologist Robert Sapolsky says in Behave that [restricted term] and serotonin [work together to motivate...

Shortform Exercise: Think About How Dopamine Affects You

Now that you’ve read about the numerous ways dopamine influences people’s thoughts and behavior, consider how this “what if” chemical has affected your life and how you might start to balance it out by producing more “what is” chemicals.

What’s one way that dopamine has positively influenced your life? For example, perhaps you felt motivated to reach a difficult personal fitness goal or pursue a meaningful career.