Not Fair – Part 6

This will be the last of my series on weight control. We understand now that instinctually we crave certain foods that have high calorie content. We also understand that in our abundant society it is too easy to eat more calories than we burn and thus gain weight. Which will control: animal instinct or rational mind?

To answer this question I want to turn to F. A. Hayek. He has been called the preeminent social philosopher of our time. He is best known as a libertarian political philosopher. Hayek says that our instincts developed long ago before civilization of any kind existed, back when we were still hunters and gatherers. These instincts served our distant ancestors well for the world they lived in but are not very useful for us now.

Reason or conscious thought, according to Hayek is of little use in the face of these instincts. Even though we can rationally say what proper behavior is, that knowledge by itself cannot overcome our instincts. He proposes that mankind has developed cultural institutions which stand between our instincts and rational thought. These societal rules guide our behavior in ways that we are not consciously aware of and override our instinctual appetites.

The Ten Commandments, whether handed down by God to Moses or not, are simply good rules for people that live in a civilized society. Even though lying, stealing, coveting, murder and adultery may have been beneficial in the bush (studies of chimps have observed all of these), there are not beneficial in the village or city.

There are, of course, many food taboos. Some traditions do not allow one to eat cats, dogs, horses, pigs or cows. China, for instance, is currently debating whether it should outlaw the eating of cats and dogs. Whether you are Jewish or not, you are probably familiar with some kosher food rules which are quite extensive. Many people today find eating any meat a taboo.

If Hayek is correct, and I believe he is, we cannot rely on our intellectual understanding of nutrition to keep us from eating too much given our current circumstances. Moses did not have the need for these commandments: Thou shall not overeat and Thou shall exercise every day. He had to tell people to rest one day a week and the Psalm 23 prays for God to set a table before us and for our cups to runneth over.

What are your food traditions? In my family if you don’t pig out at a holiday it just isn’t a holiday. Meat must be served at every meal. Wine must accompany dinner and some lunches. Bread is to be eaten before dinner, at dinner and at any other time day.

I am working on trying to change the cultural pattern that I have learned from birth. I have a taboo on eating in fast food restaurants and am working on a taboo against eating out at all. I met a woman who says the smell of Mexican food makes her sick. I wish I could get there. I would like to re-demonize alcohol and I could become a vegetarian. I am sure if I did these things I would lose weight.

Now you are probably thinking that those kinds of taboos will take all the fun out of life. That is exactly Hayek’s point: cultural traditions prevent us from satisfying our animal desires. He doesn’t voice an opinion as to whether these traditions are inherently good or bad but simply asks if they are functional or not: Will a society have a better chance of flourishing with these rules? Spend some time with grade school children if you don’t believe that we have a problem with our dietary rules in this country. Obesity is a more immediate challenge to our civilization than global warming or Iran.

The bottom line is you must develop some food and exercise traditions that will help you manage your weight. You can’t rely on just understanding your body’s chemistry. Over time, if you work at it, the new traditions will become strong enough to override your instinctual urges.

Keep Running!