Reward And Punishment

The emotions may be endless. The more we express them, the more we may have to express. E. M. FOSTER (1936). Notes on the English Character.

No different than morphine junkies, we reward ourselves throughout the day by stimulating tiny chemicals in our brain called endorphins (an abbreviation for "endogenous morphine"). By training, practice, social customs and acquired use, we become master addicts to these chemicals. When we are applauded at our accomplishments, a quick surge of endorphins titillates our brain centers to make us feel "good;" but each additional applause does not give us the same feeling and we need a greater applause, falling ultimately, prey to ourselves in a continuous feedback system that never endssort of a vicious cycle.

Similarly, when we do something that causes us embarrassment (which is also a chemical reactions), we are punished in our brain by the release of chemicals which make us "sad." With repeated embarrassments, however, our sad chemicals become depleted or we feel lesser sadness in our actions. We become hardened criminals.

If it were not for the reward and punishment mechanisms endowed in our brain, we would not have been able to survive as a successful species. Caring for children, the elderly, the poor, the destitute, are purely human reactionsall enforced by the release of endorphins in brain to make us do these things and to avoid doing other things. The guilt is not a special characteristics of human beings separate from sexual drive or thirstthey are all chemically induced. And so are our imaginationsit is quite common to hallucinate on drugs and experience "God." It happens everyday in the gutters of our street.

Those who are able to stimulate chemicals from within are able to have these experiences in light of much thought and imagination that transcends them into thinkers. All philosophers were great at stimulating their endorphins. No wonder all philosophies teach the same morals, more or less. All religions use punishment as a device to enforce their teachingsa system of great convenience for most. As a result people are willing to accept religion because nothing frustrates a man more than the fear of unknown. I predict a great revival of religion within the next century. Because it is natural and it is doubtful if genetic mutation can alter our nature so fast