We're Like Animals in a Poorly Run Zoo
This is the year 2007 and an epidemic of obese kids has been reported in the news.
The data is so striking that there are predictions that for the first time there may be a decline in life expectancy of Americans as a result of this obesity epidemic.
This make sense to me simply because we have achieved the perpetual dream of our ancestors reaching well back into time, before our Species ever appeared.
Our Limbic brain is hard wired for Fight, Flight, Food and Sex.
In the area of Food our brains and bodies had to cope with an uncertain food supply. That was, of course, before the appearance of agriculture. Agriculture finally produced not only a fairly steady food supply but also allowed some to become fat.
The first sculptured objects, the so-called Aurignacian Venus, made by our ancestors was that of a stylized fat woman. In many African tribes a woman was not considered beautiful until she was fat.
Within recorded history, Hawaiian Queens were encouraged to become enormously obese as it was a sign of beauty. They often were so obese they could not get up from a lying, or sitting, position but had to be assisted.
Why this emphasis? It was easy if we understand the implanted signals in our own Limbic Brain. To be thin was dangerous. One might die if a food supply became scarce. The fat folks lived.
The data is so striking that there are predictions that for the first time there may be a decline in life expectancy of Americans as a result of this obesity epidemic.
This make sense to me simply because we have achieved the perpetual dream of our ancestors reaching well back into time, before our Species ever appeared.
Our Limbic brain is hard wired for Fight, Flight, Food and Sex.
In the area of Food our brains and bodies had to cope with an uncertain food supply. That was, of course, before the appearance of agriculture. Agriculture finally produced not only a fairly steady food supply but also allowed some to become fat.
The first sculptured objects, the so-called Aurignacian Venus, made by our ancestors was that of a stylized fat woman. In many African tribes a woman was not considered beautiful until she was fat.
Within recorded history, Hawaiian Queens were encouraged to become enormously obese as it was a sign of beauty. They often were so obese they could not get up from a lying, or sitting, position but had to be assisted.
Why this emphasis? It was easy if we understand the implanted signals in our own Limbic Brain. To be thin was dangerous. One might die if a food supply became scarce. The fat folks lived.
Fat itself was scarce as wild game tended not to have heavy fat stores.
We still prize marbled beef. Sugar was not easily found and was prized,
especially honey.
So, there is no wonder at all that when a population is given free access to fat and sugar and are encouraged to consume fats and sugars by brilliant advertising, children and adults will become obese.
We treat the animals in our zoos better.
With us humans, still wired as hunter/gathering animals, the modern American home is our ancestor’s dream of Paradise.
No need to run about to gather or hunt food. The refrigerator and supermarket are there to allow us to eat without any exercise.
Then we have TV to give us safe experiences directed at the Fight and Flight aspects of our Limbic Brain. Of course, Sex, is presented to us in sight and sound and if we so desire we can respond to the “Personal” ads in our local newspapers to obtain direct sexual activity
An ancestor of mine, dreaming 15,000 years ago, would have thought all their dreams had come true.
So, there is no wonder at all that when a population is given free access to fat and sugar and are encouraged to consume fats and sugars by brilliant advertising, children and adults will become obese.
We treat the animals in our zoos better.
With us humans, still wired as hunter/gathering animals, the modern American home is our ancestor’s dream of Paradise.
No need to run about to gather or hunt food. The refrigerator and supermarket are there to allow us to eat without any exercise.
Then we have TV to give us safe experiences directed at the Fight and Flight aspects of our Limbic Brain. Of course, Sex, is presented to us in sight and sound and if we so desire we can respond to the “Personal” ads in our local newspapers to obtain direct sexual activity
An ancestor of mine, dreaming 15,000 years ago, would have thought all their dreams had come true.