146: Broccoli Binges, Mate Value, and the Mathematization of Misery | Live caller

Most people assume that binging only happens with junk food, that we crave what we can't have because scarcity makes things magical, and that playing hard to get will raise your perceived value. Dr. Lisle says none of that is quite right. Your satiation system, your attraction system, and your status system are all running objective evaluations underneath, and most popular advice in these areas misreads what is actually happening.

In this episode, Dr. Lisle unpacks the two satiation mechanisms behind food cravings, introduces his concept of HCNCs (hyperconscientious nut cases), explains why mate value is far more objective than people admit, and lays out the fish trick and its very real limits. A live caller named Stephanie then brings a difficult situation to the show involving grief, a new pregnancy, and extended family in Utah, and Dr. Lisle walks her through boundary strategy, the "you're not a tree" principle, and the mathematization of misery.

Key question covered: Why do we want what we can't have in relationships, and does playing hard to get actually increase our perceived value?

Beat Your Genes is co-hosted by evolutionary psychologist Dr. Doug Lisle, PhD and Dr. Nathan Gershfeld, DC.

New episodes every other week.

YouTube: youtube.com/@BeatYourGenes

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Doug Lisle: esteemdynamics.com

Nathan Gershfeld: fastingescape.com

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Intro and outro: City of Happy Ones. Ferenc Hegedus. Licensed for use. Copyright Beat Your Genes Podcast