The addict, the manic, and the lover are increasingly
filled with hopeful anticipation and are sensitive to anything that might give pleasure—
flowers and fresh air inspire them, and a slight but thoughtful gesture makes them delight in
all mankind. I call this process "globalization."
Globalization is intense when falling in love and is, I believe, one
of the main reasons that romantic love is such a powerful catalyst for
plastic change. Because the pleasure centers are firing so freely, the enamored person
falls in love not only with the beloved but with the
world and romanticizes his view of it. Because our brains are experiencing a surge of
dopamine, which consolidates plastic change, any pleasurable experiences and
associations we have in the initial state of love are thus wired into our brains.