If we are satisfied with only what we have, we deprive ourselves of the main joys of life. Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp explains why happiness requires a constant search.
Imagine: you decide to go to the forest for mushrooms. At the entrance you are offered special glasses, in which each mushroom is highlighted in a special color. Now you can collect the whole basket. But in this situation, you are unlikely to be proud of it. This is how we are arranged — we are pleased not only to receive what we want, but also to know that this is a well-deserved reward.
Neuroscientist Jaak Panskepp believes that of the seven basic instincts (search, anger, fear, lust, care, panic, play), the most important is search.1. It’s built into us by evolution. Animals explore the territory and look for something that will help them survive. When we wake up in the morning, the search system immediately turns on: where is the coffee, where is the phone, what do I need to do, what is going on?
So, the search system is important for life. But how is it related to happiness? To understand this, consider the famous experiment of Burres Skinner (Burrhus Frederic Skinner). He implanted electrodes in rats in an area of the brain known as the «pleasure center». The rats were able to stimulate this zone on their own by pressing a lever. As a result, they became so addicted that they even forgot about food, water and sex.
The condition of the rats had nothing to do with the satisfaction that comes with eating or sex. On the contrary, they looked excited and even excited, pulling the lever more and more quickly. Burres Panksepp believes that pleasure and quest are inextricably linked in our brains. The behavior of rats, forgetting about food and sleep for the sake of brain stimulation, is somewhat reminiscent of the behavior of brilliant scientists. In search of an answer to a difficult question, they often forget about sleep and food.
Happiness really has nothing to do with peace. On the contrary, the happiest people are those who cannot be satisfied with what they have, who always need something more.
- What do you need the most?
According to Burres Panksepp, this is the reason why we are constantly looking for a way out of our capabilities. Search motivates us to develop — and in itself becomes a reward. “Breakthroughs in art, science and business are possible because we are excited by research,” says philosopher Evan Thompson, a professor at the University of British Columbia. The very existence of his discipline speaks of the important role search plays in our lives.
If Panskepp’s ideas are correct, then happiness really has nothing to do with peace. On the contrary, the happiest people are those who cannot be satisfied with what they have, who always need something more. The constant feeling of dissatisfaction is what makes their life fulfilling. And vice versa — those who believe in the final «happy ending» of their lives run the risk of remaining unhappy.
1 J. Panksepp «Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions (Series in Affective Science)» (Oxford University Press, 2004).