h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What is it in the human brain that makes us want money?

Is it a chemical or something else?

Haven't you answered your own question there?

money =

If you take money as a proxy for power or resources, then it would appear reasonably straightforward that those two things will make it easier for us to find healthy mates, shag 'em, and rear the kids more easily.

There are two reasons for wanting money -

1. You need it to buy stuff you need - bread, fuel, beer

2. You need it to buy stuff you want - shiny stuff, gizmos, every one in the 247-part set of limited edition special collectibles, a car that can slam you into a wall in 4.3 seconds instead of only 6.7 seconds, and so on.

Thankyou!

I'm not sure but the 'acquiring' of stuff can release a hormone into the blood stream and so we want more of it and therefore more more money.

I'm not sure which hormone though.......I'm a physicist, not a biologist.

Is it seratonin? Come on Biology people....

icecoldalex

PS I think the acquiring stuff is different for gals and guys...for guys it's power for girls its....nesting??.......not sure on that either....organising....ok " I love shopping" so sue me

we want money as well as time because they are the only 2 tracks on dark side of the moon that stand alone as singles while the rest of the album the tracks just run into each other


Taff
agent of kaos

Think dopamine is the "reward" neurotransmitter, the one that causes all the addictions.

Serotonin just makes you feel fluffy.

so if you injected enough dopamine what would you feel? Happy? sad?

If you had a constant supply, you'd feel content, but you'd get used to it like anything else. Then you'd feel so sad when the dopamine went that you would probably commit suicide.

Icecold : Post 6

"PS I think the acquiring stuff is different for gals and guys...for guys it's power for girls its....nesting??.......not sure on that either....organising....ok " I love shopping" so sue me
"

Personally, no. It's Ooh, Ooh, new toy! new toy! Then I'll get bored, or see something else shiny and new and its 'new toy, new toy, want, want' all over again.

Hi That

Yes I am like that also sometimes

it's good to know all those billions spent on advertising and marketing are working then

Money is, of course, a fiction, but it's a valuable fiction because it's one we all accept.

TRiG.