big meals, overpopulation and independent thought
Today Fru prepared a very light meal. It was delicious and fairly healthy; I was completely satisfied. Most people I know would not have been satisfied by its size, and that got me thinking: Why do people in America eat so much?
The first thing I thought of is the stereotypical overpriced restaurant where you get a big plate with an exquisitely arranged, tiny bit of food. I've had this before; it's good because that dish is just a course and you'll probably be satisfied once all courses have been served. Rich people have it right; eat small portions of good things to satisfaction rather than large portions of anything to fill.
Why do we, being non-affluent, stuff ourselves? Naturally(?), this made me think of overpopulation in Asia. Actually I just had my Asian Studies final, where overpopulation is discussed. You see, the main reason why people have so many children is 1)personal security and 2)lack of education. In less-developed countries, more children mean more workers--which is equivalent to greater profit. Additionally, you can rely upon your children to provide for you when you are no longer physically able to continue in your hard labor. In countries where the emphasis has transferred from agriculture to technology, there is a marked decrease in offspring; It's perfectly normal for a professional couple in the US to opt for no children at all, relying upon their investments and other things for security.
Perhaps, I theorized while Fru listened, our food intake is similarly aligned. People who are materially poor visualize material excess as more food than you can eat. Conversely, I think that most rich people would not even have food on the list of things that symbolize wealth. So those of us from more modest backgrounds look at eating in a way that is indicative of the mentality from which we are raised. It therefore becomes a conscious decision for us to live like we want, rather than like the sum of our upbringing.
How many things in life to we really do out of our own inclination and not as a reaction of who we are? Should we be living our lives any differently?