Society of Addiction: Capitalism, Dopamine and the Consumer Junkie

[marmar]

Society of Addiction: Capitalism, Dopamine and the Consumer Junkie

Monday, 17 June 2013 10:19
By Nicholas Powers, The Indypendent | Op-Ed


I waited three months to eat a Krispy Kreme. I mean I waited. Every week or so, I take the train to Penn Station, quickly zigzagging through crowds. And every time I have the same internal monologue — Don't stop at the Krispy Kreme. Don't give yourself diabetes. Seriously, you might as well inject Elmer's glue straight into your heart. But then I saw the store, bright and beautiful and smelling good. It's very hard to walk past Krispy Kreme. It's like those dreams where my legs move but I don't go forward.

And then I begin the junkie's debate — C'mon it's been three months! Besides, one can't hurt. And didn't I help that homeless lady get her shit to the shelter last night. That was an Oprah thing to do. And doesn't Oprah eat donuts? I was drooling before I even turned. Everyone on line had the same wild look. I feared for the servers. If they didn't get us the donuts quickly we might have smashed the glass. When I got mine and bit into it, sugar and preservatives and trans-fat flooded my body and I lit up like a Christmas tree. It felt like Jesus descended from Heaven and kissed my brain.

Afterwards I felt dirty, guilty. At home, I googled Krispy Kreme and found a YouTube clip of comedian Chris Rock prowling the stage. "Krispy Kreme donuts are so good," he said, "if I told you it had crack in it you'd go, 'I knew something was up ... got me knocking on the donut window at two in the morning. C'mon man open up, give me one more donut, I'll do anything. I'll suck your dick.'"

Rock chuckled maniacally as the audience roared. I paused the clip and let it sink in. How much of what we eat is not really food but a drug designed to addict us with a rush of sugar, salt or fat? McDonald's, Checkers and the other fried fast-food places line the streets in Bed-Stuy. Neighbors have that addict's scratch-the-neck gesture at bodegas where they buy sugary drinks or candy. But it wasn't just food. How many times do I check my cell phone? I get itchy if I don't send or get a text. How many people do I see on the street, heads down, typing away, swerving around the traffic as if by radar? ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/17021-society-of-addiction-capitalism-dopamine-and-the-consumer-junkie

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

1. Excellent post. Huge K&R

This is what our government is sworn to protect, not us!

[Earth_First]

2. Great OP!

Thanks for the share...