our evolutionary legacy

[Guest guest]

from FOOD FOR THOUGHT: COMPASSIONATE COOKS NEWSLETTER

March 20, 2007

 

A new article in Newsweek (called " Beyond

Stones & Bones: The new science of the brain and DNA is rewriting

the history of human origins " ) dispels (yet again) the myth

that early humans were meat-eaters. Faulty evidence, specious

speculations, male-dominated anthropology studies, and a denial that

humans were actually the prey and not the predator - all perpetuated

the myth that our early evolutionary selves were macho meat-eaters and

hunters.

 

I've said many times before, particularly in response to people

like Michael Pollan, who insist that if we don't eat meat we're

" denying our evolutionary heritage, " that even though that's

STILL not a good enough reason to keep eating animals, we never seem

to remember that we came AFTER the large predatory animals - as food

for them!

 

Thanks to this article, the new studies it refers to, and a

revised exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, Michael

Pollan can begin to eat his words. Here's an excerpt from the

article:

 

"They [one early species in our evolution] had small teeth good

for fruits and nuts, but not meat. (The available prey was enough to

make one a confirmed vegetarian: hyenas the size of bears,

saber-toothed cats and other mega-reptiles and raptors.) That suggests

that early humans were more often prey than predators, says

anthropologist Robert Sussman of Washington University, coauthor of

the 2005 book " Man the Hunted. " The evidence is as stark as

the many fossil skulls containing holes made by big cats and talon

marks from raptors.

 

The realization that early humans were the hunted and not hunters

has upended traditional ideas about what it takes for a species to

thrive. For decades the reigning view had been that hunting prowess

and the ability to vanquish competitors was the key to our ancestors'

evolutionary success (an idea fostered, critics now say, by the male

domination of anthropology during most of the 20th century). But prey

species do not owe their survival to anything of the sort, argues

Sussman. Instead, they rely on their wits and, especially, social

skills to survive. Being hunted brought evolutionary pressure on our

ancestors to cooperate and live in cohesive groups. That, more than

aggression and warfare, is our evolutionary legacy."

 

I really encourage people to feel confident enough to debunk the

myths about eating a plant-based diet. Even if we couldn't demonstrate

that early humans were meat-eaters (I really do think the point is

moot), we have all the reasons and resources in the world to eat low

on the food chain and do so healthfully and confidently. But because

there are so many - both high- and low-profile people - using our

early ancestry as a *reason* to eat animals, I think it's important to

respond with the type of research outlined in this article.

 

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