A reader e-mailed me to point out that we humans have eyes in the front of our heads, as opposed to the sides, so our design is more like hunters than prey. Hunters need good front-vision eyes that help them focus on the prey. Prey need good side-view vision so nothing can sneak up on them.
So we’re designed as hunters. Unfortunately, we are very, very slow hunters.
Have you tried to outrun an animal lately? Those fuckers are fast. And I’m not talking about cheetahs and rabbits. I couldn’t catch a motivated woodchuck. I suppose I could catch a panda. But I’d have to run to China to do it. And I could probably catch a turtle, although it wouldn’t help much unless I brought my turtle opener.
For all other animal – the speedy ones – I would need some sort of weapon. Luckily we humans as designed to use tools.
But wait…
If it’s okay to include intelligence and the use of tools in the discussion of what we’re “designed” to eat, then I say we’re designed to be soy-loving vegetarians who take B12 and Omega-3 supplements. Our big brains figured out that we need that stuff and our tools provided them.
A number of Dilbert Blog readers proudly pointed out the obvious, that we’re omnivores capable of eating both meat and plants. Well, some cultures eat dirt too. As long as it’s in moderation, we can eat a lot of things. In fact, the perfect protein for humans to eat is other humans. So arguably we are best designed to be cannibals, as long as we only eat people who were going to die soon anyway.
The important question is what diet is best for us, without getting bogged down in the “designed for” swamp.
Some people who commented went so far as to assert that we NEED meat in our diets to be healthy. This is a popular view among meat-eaters.
Vegetarians believe that there is no science to support the belief that we NEED meat (not counting the B12 and Omega-3 supplements). And not counting any studies that were funded by the meat industry.
So let’s throw down.
Meat eaters, show me the links to studies supporting the view that eating meat in moderation is healthier than eating no meat.
Vegetarians, show us your links proving that a proper vegetarian diet is the healthiest.
For now, let’s leave fish out of this. I think both sides agree that eating some fish can be good in your diet. Vegetarians simply prefer to get those nutrients elsewhere. I want to see the meat eaters make their case with mammal and bird meat.
Remember, you meat eaters are not trying to show that a tiny bit of meat won’t HURT you. You’re trying to show that it’s actually healthier to have some meat than no meat.
Go.