Wikipedia says:
Oxytocin (Greek: "quick birth") is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. In women, it is released mainly after distension of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding, respectively. Oxytocin is released during orgasm in both sexes. In the brain, oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and might be involved in the formation of trust between people.
Trust. That's it. A drug that lessens the distrust between people; the 'trust drug.'
The June 2005 edition of Nature has an article titled, Oxytocin increases Trust in Humans. It opens with:
Trust pervades human societies. Trust is indispensable in friendship, love, families and organizations, and plays a key role in economic exchange and politics. In the absence of trust among trading partners, market transactions break down. In the absence of trust in a country’s institutions and leaders, political legitimacy breaks down. Much recent evidence indicates that trust contributes to economic, political and social success.
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Imagine that: trust contributes to economic, political, and social success. I suggest that all 535 members of Congress as well as the entire Executive Branch be mandated to begin Oxytocin hormone therapy at once. Just think how much progress our nation could make with the folks in power 'trusting' each other.
