Maybe he should return to berry picking and eating bugs.

  • @givesomefucks
    link
    English
    03 days ago

    Life spans now are drastically higher on average.

    Because of high infant mortality rates…

    Evolution used to keep people relatively healthy, because lots of stuff killed people early and they never lived to pass on their genes. Survival of the fittest meant everyone had a pretty good chance of being fit.

    This ain’t a new idea, people have been talking about going back to “when we all lived in the forest” since we stopped.

    It’s a pretty popular theory the only thing that changed peoples minds was agriculture made alcohol available year round.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      13 days ago

      You’re not wrong on the primary reason why life spans are longer.

      That doesn’t account for all of it. Or for the major difference in quality of life in the 40+ ages.

      The difference in my grandparents generation vs mine in overall health at 40 is staggering. They were born before what could arguably be called modern medicine (the beginning of antibiotics) existed.

      I had a family member get a knee replacement 20+ years ago - that was magical futurism in my grandparents generation. And the difference from then (weeks of rehab, crutches, etc), vs today when it’s typically outpatient surgery and you’re walking on it the same day.

      Or the number of people not having strokes or heart attacks because of medicines to treat underlying conditions.

      The difference in my own lifetime is staggering.

      • @givesomefucks
        link
        English
        2
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        The difference in my grandparents generation vs mine

        Unless you’re Grandpa’s name is Methuselah I doubt he lived before agriculture became wide spread, and honestly I’d just assume he was a modern human with a weird name.

        I had a family member get a knee replacement 20+ years ago - that was magical futurism in my grandparents generation. And the difference from then (weeks of rehab, crutches, etc), vs today when it’s typically outpatient surgery and you’re walking on it the same day

        Right, that’s how evolution works…

        Bad knees are a disadvantage, so the people with better connective tissue do better and have more kids.

        But mate…

        Take a look around and ask yourself how things are now with overpopulation.

        Or the number of people not having strokes or heart attacks because of medicines to treat underlying conditions

        I’d say not eating ultra processed food with insane levels of sugar and obesity rates that are frankly not possible pre-agriculture would also lessen risks. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was an overall benefit

        Even cancer. It used to be something where you’d “fall ill” and die in a few months after even noticing. Now we live longer, sometimes even thru it. Thru immense pain and side effects, and even if we die our families go bankrupt paying for it

        I’m saying there’s at least a good argument for why people have consistently second guesses if civilization has been a net positive since it became a thing.