The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains

By Robert H. Lustig

Book Overview

Explores how industry has manipulated our most deep-seated survival instincts.--David Perlmutter, MD, Author, #1 New York Times bestseller, Grain Brain and Brain Maker

The New York Times-bestselling author of Fat Chance reveals the corporate scheme to sell pleasure, driving the international epidemic of addiction, depression, and chronic disease.

While researching the toxic and addictive properties of sugar for his New York Times bestseller Fat Chance, Robert Lustig made an alarming discovery--our pursuit of happiness is being subverted by a culture of addiction and depression from which we may never recover.

Dopamine is the "reward" neurotransmitter that tells our brains we want more; yet every substance or behavior that releases dopamine in the extreme leads to addiction. Serotonin is the "contentment" neurotransmitter that tells our brains we don't need any more; yet its deficiency leads to depression. Ideally, both are in optimal supply. Yet dopamine evolved to overwhelm serotonin--because our ancestors were more likely to survive if they were constantly motivated--with the result that constant desire can chemically destroy our ability to feel happiness, while sending us down the slippery slope to addiction. In the last forty years, government legislation and subsidies have promoted ever-available temptation (sugar, drugs, social media, porn) combined with constant stress (work, home, money, Internet), with the end result of an unprecedented epidemic of addiction, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease. And with the advent of neuromarketing, corporate America has successfully imprisoned us in an endless loop of desire and consumption from which there is no obvious escape.

With his customary wit and incisiveness, Lustig not only reveals the science that drives these states of mind, he points his finger directly at the corporations that helped create this mess, and the government actors who facilitated it, and he offers solutions we can all use in the pursuit of happiness, even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Always fearless and provocative, Lustig marshals a call to action, with seminal implications for our health, our well-being, and our culture.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1101982586
• ISBN13: 9781101982587
• Release Date: September 2017
• Publisher: Avery Publishing Group
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Why You Are Hooked and Unhappy

The Hacking of the American Mind by Dr. Robert Lustig is a clear and eye-opening look at how addiction has taken hold in our culture. Whether it’s sugar, caffeine, video games, or opioids, Lustig explains how these things are designed to keep us hooked, making companies rich while we suffer. He breaks down the science behind it all—how dopamine drives us to seek pleasure while serotonin, the key to happiness, takes a back seat. This imbalance leaves us feeling sick, stressed, and unhappy. Lustig also reveals how food companies, media, and tech have messed with our brains and bodies to keep us addicted. The good news? Lustig doesn’t just explain the problem; he offers simple, practical solutions to take back control of your health and happiness. This book is an easy-to-read guide to understanding what’s going on and how to make a change.

Bio-chemistry broken down

Dr. Lustin does a fantastic job breaking down bio-chemistry in easy plain terms. I learned SOooo much from this book. I highly recommend it!

Dr Lustig goes two steps back, before the trainwreck, to show us why Americans are fat, sick, broke

Excellent book for understanding why and how we have cravings and do the (wrong) things we do personally as well as societally. The four C's for happiness are in this book, and a very clear difference between happiness and pleasure is presented. I have given numerous copies to friends now, who have each used the information to attain better navigational control in their own lives. Many thanks to Dr. Lustig for sharing the insights on how endocrinology and neuroscience create our reality.