★ We often believe that we choose our own lives—but in reality, it’s our brain’s obsessions that are making the decisions for us.
— You’re not hungry, yet you still want to eat; you don’t love someone, but you long for them anyway; you have no intention of buying something, yet you can’t help but look… This isn’t a sign of weak willpower. It’s your brain, held hostage by its own fixations.
— Even when you know something is illusory, you can’t stop yourself from comparing; even when you recognize it as a minor matter, envy still grips you; and though you see a trap clearly, you still leap right into it… This isn’t because you lack clarity—it’s your brain, still running its ancient programming.
★ Remember: You’re not “weak-willed,” “bad at managing your emotions,” or “not living with enough insight.” What’s really holding you back is your brain, trapped by its obsessions! Drawing on the neural mechanisms of the brain, this series dissects the underlying logic behind the various “obsessions” that plague modern life.
★ The goal isn’t to eradicate these obsessions, but rather to empower you to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel of your own life, even when they surge forth unrelentingly. A “philosophy of life” designed to help contemporary individuals understand themselves and come to terms with who they are!
★ Written by Dubinin, Professor at Moscow State University and Doctor of Biology!

This series comprises two books: “Food and Novelty” and “Desire and Love.”

Never before have humans been so caught up in a myriad of obsessions and ingrained beliefs—as evidenced by our blind worship of high productivity and our obsessive focus on healthy eating. In this book series, Dr. Vyacheslav Dubinin, a biologist, professor, and renowned lecturer, offers a penetrating analysis of the dominant obsessions of twenty-first-century humanity, revealing their deep-seated psychological underpinnings through the lens of brain function.

Why do we idealize our partners in the early stages of a relationship? Why does jealousy arise even when there is no real threat? And why does a breakup often trigger emotional pain that feels almost physical? What makes games so addictive? How does the “just one more try” mentality develop, and why does victory bring far greater pleasure than defeat?

Desire and Love is the second volume in this series. In it, Professor Vyacheslav Dubinin explores the fundamental psychological mechanisms that drive us to push our limits, compete with others, plunge into passion, and strive for success. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research and richly illustrated with real-world examples, the author helps readers understand how desire and romantic love influence brain activity. By the end of this book, you will have gained insight into:
- Why people become intensely hooked on gaming and sports competitions.
- The root causes of jealousy and overprotectiveness.
- What motivates some individuals to relentlessly accumulate wealth, while driving others down the path of theft.
- Why so many are willing to risk their health just to reach the summit of a towering mountain.
- The specific manifestations of postpartum depression and pathological miserliness.

[Author] Vyacheslav Dubinin
Vyacheslav Dubinin holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and is an expert in the field of brain physiology. He is a professor in the Department of Human and Animal Physiology at the Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, where he has mentored generations of biologists and physicians. He actively teaches at the Faculty of Biology, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Department of Psychology at Moscow State University, as well as at several other higher education institutions in Moscow, including the International Independent Ecological-Political University of Moscow, the Institute of Modern Economics, and the Institute of Analytical Psychology, among others.
Professor Dubinin has developed and taught courses in central nervous system anatomy, the psychology of the central nervous system, and the physiology of higher nervous activity and sensory systems. In addition, he has offered courses in psychophysiology, psychogenetics, and ecology, and has organized a specialized course titled “Physiology of the Brain’s Motor System,” which is part of the advanced training program for higher education faculty based at Lomonosov Moscow State University.
For each of his courses, Professor Dubinin has prepared both lecture materials and textbooks. He is also a co-author of high school biology textbooks, including the “Handbook for University Entrance Examinees in Biology” (2002), in which he authored the chapter on the nervous system. He serves as a member of the Federal Expert Committee of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, within the section dedicated to school biology textbooks. He has published over 100 scientific papers on various aspects of brain physiology in both Russian and international journals, approximately 45 of which were supported by grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), notably grant No. 02-04-48561 (“The Effect of β-Cysteine on Mother–Offspring Interaction in Experimental Animals”). Furthermore, he is an expert on neuroscience projects within the interdepartmental “Longevity Science” fund.
He is also a co-author of “Human Regulatory Systems” (2003), a textbook approved by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation for use in higher education. This manual covers the anatomy of the central nervous system, the physiology of the CNS with a pharmacological focus, the physiology of higher nervous activity, and neuropharmacology. Written in clear, accessible language, it has been highly regarded by both students and teachers.