Just as we started a discussion of chemical messengers in class this week, npr provides us with a fascinating story about oxytocin. The trust hormone, eh? Seems like quite a stretch to link it to complex things like anti-government sentiment, but perhaps there is a kernel of truth in there somewhere. Much as I'd like to deny it, hormones are powerful things, and probably shouldn't be underestimated.
We really don't understand any of this stuff very well. We like to talk like we do, but come on. The cranium is one heck of a barrier: it's very tough to understand much of anything that goes on inside of there even with sophisticated imaging tools. We're still discovering hormones we never knew we had. We are kindergarteners when it comes to understanding how receptor systems work with these messenger molecules.
Our biochemistry is clearly affected by external stimuli of all sorts: bears jumping out at us behind corners, but also coming home to dog poo on the carpet or being surprised by a chance meeting with an old friend. Who is to say that little daily things like hugs, smiles, birdsongs, or the smell of rain do not cause biochemical changes that can change the way we function...just a little? While science requires evidence to back up any specific claims about this sort of thing, I like the idea.
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