You Can't Cheat Nature
The Arrogance of Innovation: can we outsmart nature, or are we just cheating ourselves?
In an era of relentless innovation, we have advanced in ways that would seem like magic to our ancestors. Airplanes, groundbreaking medicines, and cutting-edge technology are a testament to human intelligence and ingenuity. But is this drive towards modernity blinding us to the essential truths of our existence?
Most times, the foundations of nature can’t be “tricked.” In the rush towards the future, have we forgotten the FOUNDATIONS OF BEING HUMAN?
The Four Pillars of Our Human Existence
These 4 things are so foundational to being human, they can’t be “hacked.” No matter how hard we try, I don’t believe we can use technology to outsmart these pillars.
🥩 FOOD
The food industry seems to be in a race to replicate nature artificially. But can synthetic substitutes ever equal the nutrient density of whole foods, red meat, eggs, seafood, and dairy? I don't believe we'll ever be able to craft fake foods that offer the same nourishment. Stephan van Viet, PhD has confirmed this with his cutting edge research on the ~70,000 secondary compounds in meat we are just beginning to understand. These will never be the same in a lab-grown product. Listen to my Peak Human episode with him.
😴 SLEEP
Sleep is an essential human function that cannot be shortchanged. No technological wizardry or "magic pill" can replace our inherent need for 6-8 hours of restorative rest. Sleep isn't merely about closing our eyes; it's a complex biological process that supports our overall health.
🏋️♂️ MOVEMENT
We are designed to move. Movement isn't an option; it's a necessity. Machines and tools can enhance our physical prowess, but they cannot replace the vital baseline of movement our bodies require. No "magical machine" can exercise for us. You need to do the work to get the results.
☀️ SUN
The sun has nurtured life on this planet for eons. Its rays provide essential vitamins and promote well-being. No artificial light can replace the natural glow of the sun. Living optimally means basking in natural sunlight, as we have always done.
What Can We "Cheat" Nature On?
It would be naive to deny our achievements. But it's worth reflecting on what we are genuinely achieving and what we might be missing.
Medicines: They are not cheating nature but leveraging it. Many modern pharmaceuticals are derived from natural sources, although some can be less effective or even detrimental.
Travel: Planes, trains, and automobiles are pretty awesome - so yes, we can travel great distances a lot more efficiently these days.
Comfort: We can assist nature with comfortable bedding and sleep-environment enhancements. But we're not cheating nature here; we still need our natural rest.
In Conclusion
Our relentless pursuit of progress has led us to believe we can conquer nature, especially in the realm of food. This hubristic approach has led us down a path filled with empty calories and nutrient-depleted options.
Processing foods into shelf-stable, convenient packages? Proven not to work.
Breaking down food into individual components and recreating them in labs? A futile exercise.
It won’t work… The temptation to outsmart nature persists. The lure of convenience and modernity might seem appealing, but at what cost?
Around every corner is another “hack” that marketers are selling you. You need to be aware of when it’s possible to do this, and when it’s just another scam.
The wisdom of our ancestors, the diets we evolved on, beckon us back to the old ways.
Nose to tail animal nutrition: It's not a trend but a timeless tradition.
Seasonal plant foods: Nature's bounty in harmony with the cycles of life.
The path to long-term health is not paved with shortcuts and artificial solutions. It's a journey aligned with nature, nourished by the very foods we evolved eating, guided by the principles that have sustained us for millennia.
Let's give in and admit defeat to nature when it comes to our fundamental existence. Let's go back to the old ways. Let's eat fresh, local, seasonal and live more naturally and closer to nature!
- Brian
p.s. If you liked this article please support our local, regenerative ranchers at Nose to Tail and consider being a paid subscriber (click below)
p.p.s. I’m working with some great people to revive the #Yes2Meat movement - subscribe to the excellent Substack here.
The recent documentary by Ken Burns on the American Bison exemplifies where we have gone wrong with regard to nature. For thousands of years the indigenous tribes of North America relied on the buffalo for their existence, using virtually every part of the animals that they took. In return they held a sacred relationship to the herds, leaving their management to nature. By the time the European settlers arrived the buffalo numbers were in the millions. As these new people pushed westward following their "Manifest Destiny", they killed the animals relentlessly until only two dozen remained. It destroyed the lives of those who lived here first, and reduced their numbers correspondingly. Our pursuit of progress has led to completely ignoring nature to the point that our population has created an overshoot situation. When this happens in nature, the population in excess dies off until it reaches a level consistent with available resources, or simply goes extinct. We're on a collision course to one of those outcomes.