Well, That Explains a LOT...Ideas from "The Hacking of the American Mind" & "Ultra-Processed People"

[@yalazha]

I listened to this at the gym and didn’t get a chance to comment earlier, but I really enjoyed this video! Loved the comparisons to food and plenty of food for thought for personal reflection.

[@zuzzzap]

It is fascinating how much we all are addicted to dopamine release in the Western world. It is typical that when we want to quit one substance we go to another. Last several years I have had the problem with shopping and excessive eating. I try to get rid of both by bringing some structure back into my life. The connection with others is the thing that gives me most joy in my life. So i try to focus on maintaing relationships. I love dancing. And last Friday I managed to tie 3 most important things together. I went with the hubby and several frinds to a dance in a library. There was no alcohol, no food, but music, ppl and fun. Creative things on the other hand help me cope in times when I feel realy low. I write and draw. I meditate as well but need to work on the consistancy. I can tell You Alexa, that Your channel is being real help to me. I grow with You and I realize aspects of good life with You. I send lots of love and warm thought from Poland. Thank You for Your contribution!

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Wow, the dance in the library sounds incredible!!! Yes! Thank you, too - I am definitely not on a perfect journey here, and very often I am still in a place of contradiction! But hopefully we can navigate these environments together, in a way, sharing our growth, thoughts, and possible setbacks 🥰

[@CAGChannel1]

Exactly why people who get bariatric surgery are prone to turning to alcohol or other addictions, effectively replacing one brain hitting addiction with another.

[@V1sual3y3z]

Brave Ne World is one of my favourites. I felt like it was a superior and more accurate prediction of the future compared to some other dystopian novels (1984, We, etc...) I posted this comment to soon! I'm still watching but I did want to add a little nuance to buying when you don't have a "need." For some people clothing and makeup may not be their main passion but it is part of their self expression. I suppose that each individual would have to assess their own "need" but I know from my personal experience there were plenty of times I bought clothes I didn't "need" but I did appreciate for many years as fashion was an important aspect of my self expression. Just mulling things over. (I really should have waited until the end to comment)

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

I am grappling with the notion of adding some clothing for Christmas/upcoming birthday season! I do get a lot of appreciation and dare I say, joy, from having options in my wardrobe that I really feel express my nature, to the extent that anything external can represent this for us. And there aren't really many other things that I "want", for possible gifts. I'm currently kind of in the camp that if I manage to actually stop buying stuff randomly throughout the year, the occasional addition during gift-season might be okay. We'll see if I feel differently about this next year, as I realize that a lot of my ingrained habits that I historically, don't think twice about (gifts at Christmas, etc) can't really be un-learned in just one year of no buy, even if I cognitively know that we don't HAVE to partake in gifts (especially not excessively) just because it's what marketing or tradition tells us to do at the holidays. And yes, I am feeling compelled to re-read Brave New World! Probably next year, it might appear on this channel too👀

[@pamelapeterson2987]

Under "Coping", I feel that the author should have included getting adequate sleep right up there with exercise and meditation. I am more vulnerable to being swayed in so many ways when I don't get good sleep. From what I've read, about a third of the American population are chronically sleep deprived.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

He definitely did! Sleep was a part of it for sure, it was just an aspect that I personally can't do much about at the moment so I filed it in the memory banks "to be acted on later" (when small people aren't waking me up) whereas exercise and meditation were both active habits I've mentioned trying to do, hence catching my attention. I should have mentioned this too, even in the context that I am aware but can't actually "try" to fix that now. I realized after this video going live, that perhaps commenting on books like this isn't the greatest because I just can't be comprehensive enough, nor was I taking the approach of trying to convey the book to the average person who may not have read it, which is perhaps unfortunate and/or what I should have been doing. However, I console myself by being prepared to respond to any comments or questions that may require clarification to better represent the authors 🫣

[@scabigalemartinez2631]

My stepmom used to take me shopping and say "is that all you're getting?" If I only picked out what I wanted I was singled out from my siblings for being weird and got into the habit of buying several things at once in order to fit in.

[@Iquey]

😮🥺 I hope you're able to heal that. We as westerners/Americans are very much brainwashed to peer pressure each other into consuming. Hope you are doing well/better after dealing with that!

[@kathrynbythelake9638]

I used to drink copious amounts of soda pop but gradually stopped enjoying it because it was too sweet. I started watering the pop down and eventually switched to plain water. When I crave a fizzy drink, I buy sparkling water. I also drink coffee black with no sugar. I still include sugar in my diet but I am trying to remove it in stages. When I was young, our family used to go through bags of white sugar on the regular, but now I rarely use it except for baking.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

I also find soda pop too sweet now, and am also a water/coffee drinker (oat milk, no sugar) - but the funny thing is, if presented with a work dinner or something where soda is the "default free drink option," I still have to actively remind myself that if I get one, I'll drink a few sips and regret it - it's not an automatic "no, I don't want to drink that". I have to go through the "oh it's free, everyone else is having one, it'll be a nice treat just once, I don't even have to finish it..." sequence before I remember that every time I've taken one, I wish I hadn't.

[@selah5792]

This was such a rad episode- I love the content and listening to you reflecting on the books. Thank you!

[@jillfitz1782]

Wow, there is so much food for thought in this video! I’ll definitely go back and watch it again, and probably check out those books. 👍

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Yes!! Hopefully your library will have them as they seem to be only gaining in popularity

[@TheThriftyTherapist]

Great reflection of Lustig's work! I'm a huge fan of his work.

[@selah5792]

Yes! Being free from it! The goal for sure❤

[@brittany16950]

Oooooh I **love** Dr. Robert Lustig. I believe he is right.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Definitely learned a lot - and the fact that it makes sense with what humans intuitively "know" is best - eat right, sleep well, practice mindfulness and your life will be better - does help me apply these results from studies and etc. to fuel my own motivation. Also the fact that there's no overt sponsored product to help us solve those problems mentioned in the books 😅

[@TaraThompson-bf1bd]

This is my favorite video yet!

[@terrahillman151]

It’s interesting that you have found fiction works to be more expanding, I’m guessing from non-fiction books. That’s a new perspective for me. Thx for sharing!

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

I think it's something to do with fiction books making me "feel", rather than nonfiction books helping me to "know". I'll be sharing specific fiction books that "changed my life" or expanded my horizons, in a "book declutter" video soon!

[@Lily993]

Great, great video. It gave me much to think about. I’ve been very slowly but surely getting better at my shopping addiction, but I’ve relapsed this past weekend, spent quite some money I wasn’t planning to. I’ve been through ROUGH patches these past few months - which IS true, but I KNOW I can’t use this as justification… and yet, I do. Guess that’s why it’s addiction… anyway, the point is that maybe it’s the first time I’m still thinking about this purchase, two days later, with a more critical eye. So much of what you said in this video resonated with what I’ve been thinking, and you also presented some points and connections I had never thought about. So thank you for the video and, as always, thank you for the channel!

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Thank you for being here, and for sharing! I think the more I learn (or the more I feel and then find out that it's actually scientifically correct) the more I understand that this is a long game, for most people we will have to go through "trying to change", and then being derailed due to rough patches. So while it's not a "justification", it IS a likely predictor of relapsing. I recently started thinking about it like this: If scientist-you were observing regular-you in a lab, and saw yourself having rough patches, the scientist would probably guess that you might have a harder time resisting the stimulus. Next time the scientist can try a different approach during the experiment and maybe keep the critical/observational eye turned on, even while the behavior is happening. I am the lab rat, AND the scientist - I'm going to talk about this on video soon because some of the conversation on the recent videos about me wanting stuff and feeling influenced, gave me this lightbulb moment - or different way of approaching, which really resonates right now.

[@emilyjensenius4289]

I learned how to make pizza dough from scratch this year and it has been one of my most satisfying activities in recent memory. Plus the pizza tastes better. So yes to the cooking one, if you have the time and resources! I also agree about the exercise, with the caveat that it can also lead to more buying activities. Better shoes/mats/weights/etc. I'm on a running shoe no-buy until I've maxed out the health of the pairs I already have. Even when you get older models on sale it really adds up.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

I'm still searching for the "perfect pizza dough" (my husband's super picky and it's hard to replicate that wood-fired oven texture) but I do enjoy trying new recipes each time! And yeah my husband's also deep into the running shoe collection, he's on track to run 1300 miles this year so has actually used up several pairs as far as recommended mileage, but wow can they be expensive 😅

[@emilyjensenius4289]

@Alexas.nobuyyear Yeah I just use the Betty Crocker recipe LOL. I would love to turn into a pizza geek but that means potentially buying more stuff and...welp that's not what we're about at the moment, you get it I'm sure 😉. Congrats to your husband on the marathon BTW! I'm about to do marathon #5...years ago, I swore marathons were for crazy people and then I ran one and swore I'd never do another and now I'm hooked I guess. I also have a Master's in viola from Rice and we have two kids so your channel is oodles of fun for me, everything you talk about is ultra relatable 😅

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

🫨 wow parallel lives! Haha And yeah I was being served ads for awhile about some kind of "outdoor wood-fired pizza oven" contraption for hundreds of dollars...no thank you Congrats on YOUR marathons too! My husband has put the 26.2 stickers on our car, which I also use, so now I guess I'll have to eventually do one or risk looking like an imposter for the rest of my life 😆

[@emilyjensenius4289]

@Alexas.nobuyyear it's a lot, get that thyroid working properly before you do anything nuts to your body like that! 👍

[@itsChaisoo]

Thank you so much for sharing! This information is very helpful.

[@danamatsukawa4762]

You have inspirited me, and also I bought something yesterday that I didn't even know was in my cart. 😯 I am going on a No buy month from buying any more clothing for myself. I will have to shop for birthday gifts and some Christmas gifts in November, so this may not be as productive a s I like. I may extend it into December. My shopping for the holidays is done by then.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Yes! December would be a great time, even if your shopping is done there will be many societal forces trying to get us to buy stuff in Dec. If all goes well I'll be doing a video everyday in December, as a sort of consumer-fighting vlogmas 😅

[@mairead5891]

I'm so pleased you discussed Ultra Processed People - I've only recently started reading it, and is both fascinating and disgusting at once isn't it? Because they're identical twins Chris and his brother Xand have made and been guests on few tv programmes together here in the UK. Their work is always meticulously researched and presented, and the parallels between the marketing of ultra processed foods and general over consumption are very real. I'll be reading the rest of the book with even more interest now the penny has dropped and I've 'got' the idea. Thank you!

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Yes - I didn't pick it up with the intention of presenting ideas from it on this channel, but it was impossible not to after I started reading and realized, goodness, it's a whole systemic and marketing issue, just like so much of shopping at large! That's so cool that you've seen the author and his twin speaking in other contexts (on TV), I'd never heard of either of these authors before these books!

[@Iquey]

I think cook can also be bundled into craft/create. Or maybe crafting and creating is under Contributing. We need outlets to express ourselves and put slow, conscious effort into making things we can appreciate and share, like healthy food and also healing stories. Art and writing is being invaded by AI, and that's like ultraprocessed thought amd ultra processed expression which rubs me painfully the wrong way.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Cooking can absolutely be creative, I think the reason for Lustig's separation (cook vs. contribute) is that even for someone who doesn't appreciate cooking or do it out of those motivations, it is important to avoid ultra-processed junk and take heed of what we put into our bodies for fuel. So with you in the AI, I really dislike seeing creators on KZbin say "I asked ChatGPT to read this and this is what it said..." or otherwise get prompts from AI, as part of their own content. Even using AI images. I'd rather not have the image, or have a poorly rendered human version, than use artificial intelligence for this.

[@SloanePaoPow]

Read this book last year and really learned a lot. Still reading other books by that author

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Yes! He mentioned one of his others in this book, so I might read that one too.

[@LargoWinch-th4gm]

U influenced me. I think im ready to start my no buy year! Maybe is the best to start Cold turkey, maybe Select the date, for example 01.08.2025?

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

I really do think that the "no buy" approach, even if it doesn't go "perfectly", is great for helping direct our focus onto the feelings and habits that lead to our own shopping, so I would recommend it! When I started the whole "January 1st" was important for me, but I think any date can work.

[@NanyaLebbing]

I started on 11.10.2024, because I was afraid I would panic buy/make up excuses if I waited too long.

[@LargoWinch-th4gm]

@@Alexas.nobuyyear Tx you. To be honest, i have sex, alcohol, then cigarete addition behind me :) ALL adicctions are the same. Pearson is ‘’influenced’’. Im looking forward to Play with my Pearson with no buy jer journey Thanks to you. Alexas, You are realy special Pearson , im glad to find you in the depths of the internet. Hugs from Croatian California!

[@krystiesolfyre5340]

I’m also going to start my now/low buy next year, I’m so excited! My bank account is going to thank me.

[@LargoWinch-th4gm]

@@krystiesolfyre5340 im glad that we have ‘’wake up ‘’

[@selah5792]

I love long videos

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Yay! Unfortunately, I don't love to edit long videos 😆but I have a feeling there will be a few more of them in the near future...

[@m.b.ortega544]

This society is so upside down and evil, that it is only natural that people have addictive behaviors to numb the pain.

[@CNJL1]

Why is pleasure always tied to "bad things"? Don't people get pleasure from a variety of things not just sugar and drugs? I may read this chapter in the library but it's interesting that pleasure or dopamine is usually framed in negative ways. I also think dopamine is more complicated than just pleasure.

[@TheThriftyTherapist]

You're correct, dopamine is about motivation and glutamate is the experience of pleasure. Dopamine motivates towards pleasure, but it also motivates everything! We'd die languishing in bed without it. The problem is when pleasurable experieces become wired in the brain as required to survive... addiction.

[@fuchion15]

Dr. Lustig’s book explains it like this: dopamine and pleasure are short lived, and pushes a person to seek out more short term satisfaction. At the same time, dopamine has an inverse relationship with serotonin, which is associated with content-ness and long term gratification. By engaging in activities that release dopamine, you are possibly interfering with achieving your long term goals. Pleasure is not bad in moderation, however, the idea posited in the book is that pleasure begets pleasure, it is by nature difficult for people to consume the things that bring them pleasure in moderation as long as it is accessible to them.

[@CNJL1]

​@@TheThriftyTherapist The problem occurs less than the discussion around this topic would lead you to believe. The conversation makes it seem like everyone is walking around addicts. I think most people don't have to worry about pleasure and dopamine.

[@CNJL1]

​@@fuchion15I guess I have to read it to get the full idea. To think pleasure interferes with long terms goals is to view pleasure as negative.

[@Alexas.nobuyyear]

Ooh this is interesting. I am not someone even remotely involved with this field and I am comfortable admitting that I do not fully understand the implications of what Dr. Lustig explained, my comprehension made possibly worse because I had to listen to rather than read the text. So I might also be running within particular circles, but I would actually say that out of all the people I personally know or know by connection, more of them than not have had some kind of experience with addictive behavior. Being dependent on sugar, caffeine, smoking, drinking more than they would like, or in my case, buying without a level of conscious thought that I otherwise tried to apply in my life. Again some of these people have been diagnosed with an addiction (or have been through external intervention to "quit" - once again I am not a professional and don't really know how an addiction gets "diagnosed") and others have simply struggled on and off to cut back on habits they see as a personal vice. I sincerely hope you are right though, and that most people don't have to worry about pleasure and dopamine! If I fall back onto my own understanding of concepts, removed from this literature, I find it interesting to ponder whether pleasure is usually attached to a negative thing. I think when we think of "pleasure" (in a laymen's sense) there are so many levels of nuance, and maybe it's more that "unregimented seeking of pleasure" without regard for the source, is what's negative. Which I have explored, myself, in many different arenas, even if it never led to an outright "addiction" (even, arguably, shopping was never an addiction for me, using the "Bergen Scale" answering as my imagined past self I only score 2/7). But from what I can grasp there are different reactions at play within the neuro-chemical transmitters with contentment-type-happiness more tied to seratonin and pleasure being tied to dopamine, which is released as a response to doing a behavior that the brain reads as "causing pleasure, should do more of". The brain will read good things like exercise and listening to music, smelling cookies, intimate behavior, etc. like this, but also eating sugar and doing drugs, and in some cases it's easier to turn to the "easy fixes" when we are trying to trigger the release of dopamine. I already mentioned on another comment - I belatedly realized the possible failings of posting a this personal reflection, which falls short of accurate or comprehensive in so many ways - but it seems like some people are enjoying aspects of it, so if I do any more of this I will try to be more comprehensive and/or provide a more clear disclaimer about what the shortcomings may be, when I do these.