Question

How would you go about making our culture more hospitable for the human body? In your answer be sure to summarize relevant evolutionary history as outlined in the “Story of the Human Body”. Lastly, construct a tenable plan; that is, items that could be done to promote the type of change that will make your life and/or our modern society more hospitable for our evolved bodies and minds. Be sure to include methods of bringing about change that you can do in your own life.

Answer 1

Answer:

• A healthy human body is that which is in complete, physical, physiological and mental harmony with its environment.
• In these modern times, advancement in medical science has given us a longer life span, more ways to ward away infectious diseases, better availability of food etc but still the 'health' of the people has not as it should be.
• Many preventable diseases like depression, allergies due to pollutants, cancer etc have begun to take their toll on human health.
• This is what Lieberman has pointed out in his book, " Story of the Human Body".
• Lieberman advocates that understand our body using an evolutionary perspective so that we can develop more effective strategies to prevent and control such diseases.
• The key ideas in this book is how the mismatch between evolution of the human body and the evolution of different cultures has transformed the way people live.
• He believes that the mismatch between the two evolutions [physical and cultural] is the cause of many modern day diseases.
• This is true because several surveys and studies have shown that health and happiness data is different for people of different cultures.
• People living in those cultures which are closer to nature, lead a healthier and happier life while those cultures which promote a materialistic outlook towards life have people living in stress.
• Such people are more prone to developing mental and physical problems.
• What can we do to reverse this ? The first thing to be done is to make our needs simple.
• The closer we are to the elements of nature, the lesser is the stress on the body, mind and soul.
• The body is controlled by the mind, hence, to have a healthy body one needs to have a healthy mind. A healthy mind can be developed if we have less expectations from people around us a sense of satisfaction in whatever we have.
• There is one school of thought which says that if one becomes satisfied, it leads to stagnancy.
• That is, if a person is satisfied with whatever he/she has, then there is little scope for more achievements.
• So, one needs to strike a fine balance between needs and the means to achieve them.
• As Lieberman aptly puts it, the choices we make today will determine the future of mankind. So, the present needs to be planned sensibly.
• The changes that can make the society more hospitable for the human body and mind should be based on a fine balance between the physical and emotional needs of a society as a whole.
• This could include-

good recreational facilities

more occasions for interactions among people

people participation in community events

availability of healthy food

community hygiene

awareness against drug and alcohol abuse among youngsters

good medical facilities, etc

• In their personal lives, people can try to be more 'giving' than expecting to 'receive'.
• This does not mean material goods; it means 'values' which make our minds healthy and our leave our souls enriched, because, as all know, a healthy mind will develop a healthy body.

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