Steven

if the rat was, it was like six inches from the rat's mouth, the rat would starve to death because they had impacted the rat's dopamine. So it no longer had motivation. And they speak of dopamine as this sort of motivation chemical. It's the thing that gets you to take action.

So if you're frying your dopamine receptors by doing these sort of high dopamine activities, I'm wondering if you're going to, if we're sort of breeding a culture of lower motivation individuals. And

So if you're frying your dopamine receptors by doing these sort of high dopamine activities, I'm wondering if you're going to, if we're sort of breeding a culture of lower motivation individuals. And

Because of this thesis, I was kind of looking at some studies around this, and it does say that constant exposure to high dopamine activities can lead to dopamine desensitization or deregulation of dopamine receptors. And then this can lead to a significant reduction in your motivation. And there's multiple studies here that point in this direction.

Because of this thesis, I was kind of looking at some studies around this, and it does say that constant exposure to high dopamine activities can lead to dopamine desensitization or deregulation of dopamine receptors. And then this can lead to a significant reduction in your motivation. And there's multiple studies here that point in this direction.

So I'm wondering how, when I look at some of the stats around purposeless and people having less partners and being more sexless, if there's a through line here that when you make dopamine easy through pornography, we're less likely to go in, get up out of our bedroom and take an action.

So I'm wondering how, when I look at some of the stats around purposeless and people having less partners and being more sexless, if there's a through line here that when you make dopamine easy through pornography, we're less likely to go in, get up out of our bedroom and take an action.

And should we be aspiring to not be narcissists or does one just accept their narcissistic tendencies? And lean into it. Because much of what I read in the book about power is how narcissism seems to get you ahead to some degree. That's debatable. But I mean, look at some of the people that we've been talking about that have reached the very top of the...

And should we be aspiring to not be narcissists or does one just accept their narcissistic tendencies? And lean into it. Because much of what I read in the book about power is how narcissism seems to get you ahead to some degree. That's debatable. But I mean, look at some of the people that we've been talking about that have reached the very top of the...

What if I'm dealing with a narcissist?

What if I'm dealing with a narcissist?

What do I do about that? Because I was thinking about some of the laws in your book where you say things like don't outshine the master. If I'm dealing with a narcissist, should I hide my strengths and my weaknesses in order to sort of pander to them and not outshine them?

What do I do about that? Because I was thinking about some of the laws in your book where you say things like don't outshine the master. If I'm dealing with a narcissist, should I hide my strengths and my weaknesses in order to sort of pander to them and not outshine them?

Well, I think the root of this is there's something ugly about being manipulation, lying, acting. So no one would want to volunteer that they are doing that. But from what I'm inferring from what you said is that in order to get ahead in life, you're going to need to lie a little bit, manipulate and act.

Well, I think the root of this is there's something ugly about being manipulation, lying, acting. So no one would want to volunteer that they are doing that. But from what I'm inferring from what you said is that in order to get ahead in life, you're going to need to lie a little bit, manipulate and act.

I was, through my years of business, running businesses and stuff, I came up with this idea, which I've shared with a few people, called your contribution score. And much like we have a credit score, where if we're reckless with our finances, our credit score gets lowered. I think the same applies for the contributions we make in group settings, but just generally the contributions we make.

I was, through my years of business, running businesses and stuff, I came up with this idea, which I've shared with a few people, called your contribution score. And much like we have a credit score, where if we're reckless with our finances, our credit score gets lowered. I think the same applies for the contributions we make in group settings, but just generally the contributions we make.

And I came to learn this over time because in one of my offices many years ago in a different company, there was this one individual who in the meeting rooms would, when people were brainstorming, before they'd thought of what they were going to say, they'd interject and say, what about if we do a, we could do like a pop-up with maybe, we'll do like, and they were thinking out loud.

And I came to learn this over time because in one of my offices many years ago in a different company, there was this one individual who in the meeting rooms would, when people were brainstorming, before they'd thought of what they were going to say, they'd interject and say, what about if we do a, we could do like a pop-up with maybe, we'll do like, and they were thinking out loud.

And what I would observe as the CEO is the minute they spoke, it was almost like people rolled their eyes and tried to cut them off because they'd developed this contribution score, which says when X person contributes, it's always ill-formed, not productive and takes too long. But then there's this other guy who I remember from my Manchester office who went, he hardly spoke.