Nasty, short and brutish
According to a new book by evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk, the palaeofantasy bubble has burst.
If you’re like me, you live with someone who has embraced the idea that cavemen had it right all along, and that emulating our construction of the healthier, more natural, more ‘harmoniously adapted’ palaeo way of life was the way to go. Bring on those weird running shoes, and a diet based on hunting and gathering (but with cheese).
According to the new research, it’s all relative. Taking a hard look at the evidence behind our preconceived notions of the Caveman Way has debunked many of the romantic notions currently held about life at the dawn of humanity. Most particularly, as Ms Zuk cautions: “There is a danger in thinking we know more than we do about what we really were like,” which we here at DV believe is a good reminder for anyone who does a lot of thinking about the past.
Even better, as the article continues on to say, Zuk gave her interview Friday from Hawaii, where she is doing research on crickets. How cool is that?
Article from the National Post via Past Horizons