| Do you know that when you like something, your | | | | they know it is bad. Why we would really like to |
| brain does not necessarily want it? Conversely, do | | | | wake up early in the morning, but turned off the |
| you know that your brain can want something that | | | | alarm and went back to sleep anyway. Why |
| you do not even like? | | | | everybody wants to be successful, but only some |
| Is there a difference between wanting and liking? | | | | really do something about it. Why drug addicts |
| Only within the last decade, scientists have found out | | | | repeatedly inject themselves with morphine, although |
| that there is. Here is a simple explanation. Everything | | | | it is painful. Why is it that we can like someone, but |
| from outside is perceived by our senses, the sight, | | | | we do not necessarily want him or her. Why some |
| smell, sound, and taste of it. From there, it goes on | | | | severely battered wife still sticks with her abusing |
| its way to the brain through a few circuits (we called | | | | husband? |
| it neuronal pathway), which once have reached the | | | | It is all about the distinction between 'liking' and |
| brain, will elicit our response, such as liking, wanting or | | | | 'wanting'. Ask the smokers, they might say that they |
| hating. Neurologists have this device which can detect | | | | do not really like the act of smoking, but they want |
| the active circuits (the circuits that are being used). | | | | to smoke anyway. However, saying that wanting and |
| For example, if you see a flower and you like it, the | | | | liking signals goes through different pathways in the |
| circuit from your senses into your brain will light up. | | | | brain, it does not mean that they fire off separately |
| Many people thought that liking and wanting are the | | | | on different occasions. In fact, most of the time, |
| same. It makes sense, does it? For example, you | | | | they fire simultaneously. That is why when we want |
| want a cheeseburger because you like it. You want | | | | to eat, we would eat what we like. When we want |
| to play basketball because you like it. For many | | | | to play, we would play what we like to play. We |
| years, scientists thought of it too, but a failed | | | | must remember that those two pathways end up at |
| experiment revealed it is wrong. | | | | the same part of the brain. Hence, when both |
| An experiment was done on rats and primates, in | | | | pathways fire together, it creates a greater |
| which the 'want circuit', the circuit which is activated | | | | response! In the case of addiction, however, the |
| when you want something, is cut off. Scientist | | | | substances in the drugs or cigarette alter the brain |
| believed that this will suppress their 'wants' towards | | | | chemistry, so that the 'want circuit' is fired more. |
| food, so that the rats would not have an effect | | | | So, taking this finding into daily lives, I would say that |
| towards the presentation of food (in this experiment, | | | | if you want something in your life, fire off both of |
| a cheese). But what they discovered was surprising. | | | | your 'like' and 'want' circuits. If you want something, |
| The rats instead still move towards the food like a | | | | make sure you really like it, or it would not work. Do |
| hungry animal, but once it came close to the cheese, | | | | not become a doctor only because your family told |
| the rat just stayed there and did not eat it! They | | | | you so. You must be willing to like it in order for you |
| tried moving the cheese, and still, the rat moves | | | | to want it. Or else, sure you will become a doctor, |
| towards the cheese, but then just stayed there, not | | | | but most probably, an average one, unless on the |
| eating it. It totally puzzled the scientists. So they | | | | way you find medicine very interesting and start liking |
| used the device to detect the brain circuits, and | | | | it. Do the things that you like, and success will follow |
| realized that although the 'wants circuit' is cut off, | | | | On the other hand, if you like something, do not say |
| another circuit which ends at the same area of the | | | | that you would like it. Say that you WANT it. Don |
| brain lights up. Now this is the discovery of the 'like | | | | not say "I would like to be a world-known architect', |
| circuit'. The scientists concluded that there are | | | | say "I WANT to be a world-known architect". If you |
| different circuits in the brain for 'liking' and 'wanting'. | | | | like something, deeply want it. Do something. Fire off |
| This finding explains much of our unexplainable | | | | both of your 'want' and 'like' circuits! |
| behavior. Like why do smokers still smoke though | | | | |