Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Courtesy waves

I wrote two days ago about warm glow motives. This warm and fuzzy feeling occurs when the ventral striatum deep within the brain lights up with activity as you do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Well what better way to follow the Golden Rule than to allow some chump trying to get out of a driveway a chance to enter your lane of traffic. Life's contentious enough, and little traffic niceties might make everyone's day a little easier. I've discovered, however, no electrical hum generates out of my ventral striatum unless said chump gives me a little wave as he zips in front of me. No wave, no glow.

If courteous drivers have no dopamine flowing out of the ventral striatum, road rage follows. Remember to give a little sign to your fellow drivers that you appreciate their help.

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