Walking Wisely in the Age of Dopamine

During my travels, I often catch up on some readings. Whenever possible, I borrow

free audiobooks from the National Library. If a book proves valuable, I will also purchase it on Kindle for easier rereading and retrieval. This is often how ideas or quotes from books find their way into my sermons or devotional writings.

Recently, I’ve been reading Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in an Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry. It’s not a difficult book to read, but it presents profound insights. One of the most significant modern discoveries in neuroscience concerns dopamine, a hormone and neurotransmitter that plays many roles in our bodies. This book focuses particularly on dopamine’s role in our brain’s pleasure–pain reward system.

Our world has moved from scarcity to overwhelming abundance. And with abundance comes the risk of pleasure addiction. Lembke lists examples: drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, pornography, Facebooking, Instagramming, YouTubing, tweeting, smoking, and vaping. She observes, “The increased numbers, variety, and potency of highly rewarding stimuli today is staggering. The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation. If you haven’t met your drug of choice yet, it’s coming soon to a website near you.”

Singapore, as a first-world nation, is not spared. While we are thankful that authorities have sought to regulate or restrict some of these excesses, we still have easy access to many dopamine-producing activities.

As followers of Christ, we recognise how these addictions can stand in the way of true discipleship. Even the Church is not immune to this culture. There is less emphasis on discipline, sacrifice, and abstinence. Boredom is not tolerated; our Services are paced to keep our senses constantly stimulated. Have you noticed how some of us turn to our phones for entertainment when worship slows down?

In some places, even our approach to faith has been shaped by this dopamine-driven world — with a subtle focus on pleasure, reward, and personal satisfaction. Good music, the promise of blessings, and sleek media presentation can all become part of a spiritual “reward system.” It’s as if the Church feels pressured to keep up with the world’s tempo and tastes.

But Scripture reminds us otherwise:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”— Ephesians 5:15–16

To walk wisely is to slow down and pay attention. To live circumspectly is to resist being swept away by the flood of stimulation. It means we pause to listen to God, cultivate inner stillness, and rediscover the beauty of holiness in simplicity and restraint.

Let us reflect on these things — and continue the conversation.