Are We Designed For The Lives We Lead?

tempnam

Most animals still do whatever it is they were designed to do - hunt, scavenge etc...

But we've evolved to drive around in cars, sit in offices all day and live a life of convenience.

This can't be what we're 'supposed' to be doing. It has to be having an effect on physical as well as mental health.

Personally - I try to keep fit by running and eating healthily, although I have a love of all food and give in to temptation more often than I should!

Just wondering what other people's take is on this and whether you think we've become better or worse off (physically & mentally) in the modern age?

Blacktie.

Depends on how you take it. I mean physically as we've become more sedentary a host of new issues have crept in. Especially with the farming methods used to support the huge over population of the world.

On the other hand medical science has gotten hugely good at what it does. We live much longer than ever before and we understand the human body in such a way that we're getting good at knowing how to reach optimal levels. There's also very little chance of dying of starvation these days. This is all speaking from a first world perspective.

Overall i think we're better off. People now have the choice to become less sedentary and you can always sort out the nutriition issues you might have if you do some research.

generic2012

Probably not exactly what you're looking for... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_poor_design not included would be the appendix, coccyx, larynx/phayrx junction, knee joint and a back that isn't fully suited to being upright. Organisms adapt to their environment and the other organisms in that environment but our environment is evolving faster than we are and I dont think we will ever be, naturally, suited to our environment.

JessieJames

With regards to the mental aspect I was told(by my doc) that our brains have not evolved enough to compete with stresses/cues of everyday life causing the oul fight and flight system to be a little over sensitive in a lot of people, back in the day this would be fine and handy with the threat of being eaten around every corner , not as much now though.

tempnam

JessieJames wrote: »

With regards to the mental aspect I was told(by my doc) that our brains have not evolved enough to compete with stresses/cues of everyday life causing the oul fight and flight system to be a little over sensitive in a lot of people, back in the day this would be fine and handy with the threat of being eaten around every corner , not as much now though.

Could this be a reason why anxiety and panic attacks are such a problem for so many people?

JessieJames

tempnam wrote: »

Could this be a reason why anxiety and panic attacks are such a problem for so many people?

I think so, it's what I was told so I can't say for everyone though. It does make sense though I doubt our brains were made to lounge in front of the television for hours on end, play video games, sit in front of a computer screen etc. Again I am only stating what I was told, but I'm guessing it affects our mental health in some ways. I found the link below it kind of explains what your talking about

http://www.paniccure.com/approaches/cbt/understanding_pda_1.htm