Sep 30, 2023·edited Sep 30, 2023Liked by Jesse Meadows
I just finished reading this book. I cannot tell you how much appreciated your article. I felt like I was the only person in a sea of fans who found the book condescending and puritanical. I feel so seen. You put into words all the criticisms I could never say as eloquently. Thank you for writing this.
Super excited to read this—I've made my thoughts on Lembke clear on here before. She's a really respected name in the field, but that doesn't make her book responsible.
This was an amazing criticism and so informative itself. I've been increasingly wary of the constant dopamine worship (especially after the growth of adhdtok) but didn't really know where to start learning about it since that sort of science is not in my area of familiarity. Thank you as always for giving so many great sources to explore from here!
As someone who has used MDMA in conjunction with IFS therapy to treat C-PTSD with astonishing success, there’s so much about Lembke’s narrative that concerns me. It’s frustrating that she’s gotten so much attention for her book whereas Carl Hart’s research (and others who’ve done similar research) is largely unheard of.
Thank you for this review. When I started listening to the book (I do a lot of hiking on my own, so I listen to books) the first surprise I had was that a psychiatrist - a Stanford one!- would say that she felt "repulsed" by a masturbation machine. But I thought maybe that was her way of easing the more conservative reader into her book. So I continued, because there was so much praise for this book. But then she went on to compare her reading addiction to opioid addiction, and later she matter-of-factly states that modesty in dress has always been promoted by the major religions, as if that was good, or at least neutral and has its basis in some sort of well-meant attempt to prevent addictions?! I did finish the book, but really didn't like the message. And I wonder why so many reviewers are so accepting of her message, and why we can't find more critical reviews. So, again, thank you for your review and the references to others.
Thank you for your excellent insights. The parallels with moral panics over supposedly excess pleasure 100-150 years ago are resounding, particularly the need for a biological basis for why pleasure needed to be curtailed, which of course back then was the workings of the nervous system. My own research looks at how classical musicians bought into the ideas circulating at the time, so they believed, for example, that excessive vibrato was caused by a nervous affliction.
Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking and finding pleasure where ever you may find it, aside from harming others, I have to disagree with the supposition that seeking pleasure is a good thing for us 24/7. Pleasure seeking has it's place but if it prevents you from functioning normally in society then it becomes a problem. An addiction is never good for the person or those around them. I can attest to this from experience working with addicts of all kinds over 30yrs.
Wow, brilliant article! Your criticisms of the book are spot-on and I would've never spotted them without what you wrote. Much appreciated. Can't wait to read more of your work.
Thank you for this! I just started reading Dopamine Nation, and I'm about 1/4 through. As a sex-positive, former evangelical, and ER nurse my alarm bells began clanging. I read the Ross Douthat quote and..hmm. Then she described her reading as "amounting to state-sanctioned porno," and I WHAT?! Then telling her client to pray on his knees, and, and, and...
I started searching for someone who understood some of these dog whistles, and thank you for providing refuting evidence
My life and my work have taught me to be very careful of moral scolds, no matter how reasonable they may initially sound.
I just finished reading this book. I cannot tell you how much appreciated your article. I felt like I was the only person in a sea of fans who found the book condescending and puritanical. I feel so seen. You put into words all the criticisms I could never say as eloquently. Thank you for writing this.
Super excited to read this—I've made my thoughts on Lembke clear on here before. She's a really respected name in the field, but that doesn't make her book responsible.
This was an amazing criticism and so informative itself. I've been increasingly wary of the constant dopamine worship (especially after the growth of adhdtok) but didn't really know where to start learning about it since that sort of science is not in my area of familiarity. Thank you as always for giving so many great sources to explore from here!
As someone who has used MDMA in conjunction with IFS therapy to treat C-PTSD with astonishing success, there’s so much about Lembke’s narrative that concerns me. It’s frustrating that she’s gotten so much attention for her book whereas Carl Hart’s research (and others who’ve done similar research) is largely unheard of.
Thank you for this review. When I started listening to the book (I do a lot of hiking on my own, so I listen to books) the first surprise I had was that a psychiatrist - a Stanford one!- would say that she felt "repulsed" by a masturbation machine. But I thought maybe that was her way of easing the more conservative reader into her book. So I continued, because there was so much praise for this book. But then she went on to compare her reading addiction to opioid addiction, and later she matter-of-factly states that modesty in dress has always been promoted by the major religions, as if that was good, or at least neutral and has its basis in some sort of well-meant attempt to prevent addictions?! I did finish the book, but really didn't like the message. And I wonder why so many reviewers are so accepting of her message, and why we can't find more critical reviews. So, again, thank you for your review and the references to others.
Thank you for your excellent insights. The parallels with moral panics over supposedly excess pleasure 100-150 years ago are resounding, particularly the need for a biological basis for why pleasure needed to be curtailed, which of course back then was the workings of the nervous system. My own research looks at how classical musicians bought into the ideas circulating at the time, so they believed, for example, that excessive vibrato was caused by a nervous affliction.
This is an absolute show stopper...so well-researched and clear-eyed
Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking and finding pleasure where ever you may find it, aside from harming others, I have to disagree with the supposition that seeking pleasure is a good thing for us 24/7. Pleasure seeking has it's place but if it prevents you from functioning normally in society then it becomes a problem. An addiction is never good for the person or those around them. I can attest to this from experience working with addicts of all kinds over 30yrs.
Wow, brilliant article! Your criticisms of the book are spot-on and I would've never spotted them without what you wrote. Much appreciated. Can't wait to read more of your work.
Thank you for this! I just started reading Dopamine Nation, and I'm about 1/4 through. As a sex-positive, former evangelical, and ER nurse my alarm bells began clanging. I read the Ross Douthat quote and..hmm. Then she described her reading as "amounting to state-sanctioned porno," and I WHAT?! Then telling her client to pray on his knees, and, and, and...
I started searching for someone who understood some of these dog whistles, and thank you for providing refuting evidence
My life and my work have taught me to be very careful of moral scolds, no matter how reasonable they may initially sound.
Thank you!