Our Mission:
The world can feel like a dark place: that’s by design. Approximately 87% of all news reporting is negative.
Dopamine is a space devoted to pursuing happiness in all its forms: wellness, experiences, connection, and laughter. Pursuit is the key word: not everything we attempt here will bring us the happiness we are looking for, but we hope to find something worth writing about along the way.
We have defined four broad avenues for seeking happiness:
Wellness encompasses our holistic health: physical, spiritual, emotional, and environmental health. We are careful not to conflate wellness with just physical health or rampant consumerism masquerading as “self-care” – rather, we focus on practices and experiences that bring us real long-term joy.
Experiences are what shape our understanding of the world around us. Research shows that people are happier with experiential purchases than material ones – most likely based on the fact that experiences create lasting memories. We are committed to finding and exploring unique experiences in New York.
Connection is one of the strongest predictors of happiness, according to science. Humans are social creatures – instances of connection can bring us feel-good moments and stave off depression. We recognize that connection is broad and diverse. We celebrate connection in all its forms, from romantic relationships to family ties to deep friendships and moments of serendipity with strangers.
Laughter is the best medicine: laughing improves mood, decreases pain, and even strengthens the immune system. Children laugh often, but adults tend to laugh less. So whether it’s a local comedy show or a well-timed meme, we want to bring you more opportunities to laugh deeply and live longer.