My first inclination was to feel, chastised I suppose is the word. It does come across that way when first read, since I am of the 21st Century and am indeed in need of losing many pounds. Once over that knee-jerk feeling, and pondering your reaction to these shows, I came upon at least one point that hasn't been mentioned. Lifespans. People didn't live very long. Even when they lived to "ripe old ages" and weren't taken down by disease, they lived less productive time than we do now. Sure, their bodies were harder, and leaner (I feel that is probably true of most seeing as there was more physical labor and little sit down work needed), but the price was a shorter lifespan, and more disease. Some of the disease could have been rectified with a better diet. Sure, we eat too much crap and don't exersize enough as a society. I don't deny that. But to claim that our ancestors were somehow "better" or "healthier" without looking at the big picture doesn't give us credit for what we have accomplished in the way of health and self care. We are not lazy pigs in my mind, we simply haven't yet adjusted to our abundance and change of culture.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I wanted to give this thought first
Date: 2004-05-29 10:03 am (UTC)Lifespans. People didn't live very long. Even when they lived to "ripe old ages" and weren't taken down by disease, they lived less productive time than we do now. Sure, their bodies were harder, and leaner (I feel that is probably true of most seeing as there was more physical labor and little sit down work needed), but the price was a shorter lifespan, and more disease. Some of the disease could have been rectified with a better diet.
Sure, we eat too much crap and don't exersize enough as a society. I don't deny that. But to claim that our ancestors were somehow "better" or "healthier" without looking at the big picture doesn't give us credit for what we have accomplished in the way of health and self care. We are not lazy pigs in my mind, we simply haven't yet adjusted to our abundance and change of culture.