Is Elon Musk’s future world compatible with Gen Z’s Dopamine world?
Dopamine Menu world fights against the Techno world
Dr Reg Butterfield 2024 ©
5-minute read
As Elon Musk develops a smart new world of the future, Gen Z is exploring their version of the “good old days pre-social media” via Dopamine Menus!
Let’s imagine a day in this emerging world.
A family of three live in a two-bedroom luxury Tesla “Tiny house” a few miles out of town. It is an amazing house that cost less than their Tesla car parked in the garage. The Tesla solar roof tiles ensure that their Tesla Powerwall is fully charged and ready for the demands of the day.
The Tesla Pi phone gently wakes John to start another day. The Pi assistant knows that today is the office day for John and so has woken him up earlier than when he works remotely, as he has to commute to the office some 30 miles away.
The Pi assistant has prepared the bathroom and shower temperatures to suit John’s current body status and mood.
As John steps out of the shower he hears the coffee beans being ground in preparation for breakfast, courtesy of Pi and the automated appliance systems. At this point John’s 17-years old daughter Jo steps wearily into the kitchen for a glass of soya milk whilst clutching her “Dopamine Menu” book. This is a brightly coloured mosaic of hand-crafted doodles, stickers and notes on her favourite things.
As John drinks his coffee he switches on his screen that faces the breakfast table. It displays all the briefing notes and information about his coming meetings and other work demands for the day; all carefully prepared by his Pi assistant that has accessed John’s Tesla brain Neuralink together with the family’s Tesla Star Link internet system connected to the company cloud and Tesla’s xAI services.
Pi opens the garage doors, sets the cabin temperature and summons the Tesla from the garage to wait outside the front door for John, with the journey route already prepared in the car’s automated driving system.
As John is ‘driven’ to the office he sits back and reads his meeting notes and news of the day.
Meanwhile Jo is in the kitchen talking to her mother Bobbi. They are discussing the day’s timetable, and Jo is explaining how her new approach to each day relies a lot on her Dopamine menu book (DMB). A DMB is all the rage on TikTok and aims to shun technology and celebrate simple pleasures.
Her mother listens whilst preparing her muesli, thinking this is yet another new teenage phase to contend with and hopes it all goes smoothly this time.
Jo carefully explains that in this world of depression, anxiety, ‘doom scrolling’ and TV or video binges life is feeling too heavy and it’s time to lighten up and enjoy things again. Bobbi is pleasantly surprised at such eloquent thoughts from teenager Jo at this time of the day and now gives full attention.
Whilst the idea that there's a formula for happiness has long been debated, Gen Z thinks it might have the answer; DMB. DMBs are a list of daily activities or moments that spark happiness. Gen Z are creating lists of natural dopamine boosters that don't involve technology to hand. The lists come in all shapes, sizes, and format with creative menus taking the lead.
Jo shows Bobbi her colourful pages of different menus that can be used in varying combinations depending on her mood.
John exits the car at the office main entrance, leaving the Tesla to park in the underground garage itself. He confidently strides through security ready to start a round of meetings and customer discussions using the physical displays of the latest technology he has on offer. Pi has ordered John’s usual lunch favourite to be delivered exactly at 12 noon.
Jo excitedly shows Bobbi how her menus are developed.
“First we look at starters, which can be a brisk walk, a cold shower, a healthy snack, or some other mood boosting action.
The mains consist of things like a gym class, baking a cake, or dinner with friends.
The sides may be listening to a podcast, background music, or calling a friend while out walking.
Desserts are naturally the danger zone, yet sometimes necessary, and can consist of binge-watching a TV show, online shopping, or scrolling social media.”
Bobbi is impressed by both the idea and the artistic way that Jo has put together the menus. They discussed them a little more until Jo went off for a brisk walk after her healthy snack. Bobbi noticed Jo’s Pi phone was left behind and a fitness wearable taking its place on her wrist as Jo walked out the door.
Bobbi was intrigued by this teenager trend and wanted to know more about it. Naturally, she asked Pi to create a summary for her. Pi read out loud to her that, “This approach can improve emotional well-being by building a sense of control and balance, helping to stave off feelings of boredom, anxiety, or depression. Whilst it may look like a fluffy TikTok moment, psychologists are backing this trend. Psychologists who treat the ADHD community are recommending that it is wise to have a dopamine menu of things you can turn to, for a more natural and well-earned source of dopamine; this current TikTok trend may be the best outcome TikTok has ever presented.”
Bobbi set about creating her own DMB to discuss with John this evening if he is in any fit condition to do so.
Later that evening John returned home very tired and relaxed in his favourite massage chair with a large scotch and ice. Pi suggested to Bobbi that now wasn’t the time to discuss a dopamine menu and that he would construct one for John to read via his Neuralink in the morning……