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Thoughts on Selling Cheap Dopamine and Community Alignment

How can we align profitable business models that leverage instant gratification with genuine community benefit? Exploring the tension between selling dopamine and building healthier engagement systems.

October 7, 2025
6 min read
Lee Wen Jie

Saw this VC slide floating around tech circles, anonymizing it here.

VC Investment Thesis on Dopamine-Based Business Models

I can't not agree that selling cheap dopamine is a good investment thesis. In fact, it is a great one. Just that this is often not said out loud.

Most importantly, how can we align this in the interest of the community?

Typically, the most profitable business model is usually not in the community's interest. Just do some screening, the most profitable business models are mainly a soft repackaging of selling the 7 sins.

Like endless scrolling on socials, flashy bubble tea marketing, and yolo crypto gambling games. Frame this thesis in a different manner: what can we do better in using instant gratification at scale to democratize access to better options?

Like gamified exercises. Walking Trails @ CDC (Ministry of National Development Singapore GovTech Singapore) is a great one. You incentivize your people to stay healthy.

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    Thoughts on Selling Cheap Dopamine and Community Alignment