Why Aren’t We Hunter-Gatherers?
In a quickly advancing society, the ease at which we acquire food might not be as much of a good thing as you think.
By Bianca Llerena with art by Brooke lambrecht
Since the dawn of human life, with evolution catapulting our civilization into a world of packaged foods and microwavable meals, humans have completely strayed from their authentic and humble beginnings of being hunter-gatherers. Instead of the gratification that comes with a successful hunt and/or gathering after a long day's work, the average American is left with frozen waffles and canned tomatoes to fill the hole of dissatisfaction. The degree at which masses of people rely on another has never been so high, which begs the question: How long can this unbalanced relationship between consumption and distribution last?
This new era consisting of an exaggerated ease at which we acquire our food has led to a world where overconsumption is not just possible but expected. With all of the power given to just a few corporations, the type of food and its cost is completely in their hands. On another note, agriculture, which is heavily relied on for food, is the leading source of pollution around the world. While this may seem somewhat defeatist, with the possibility of a genuine recommencement of being solely hunter-gatherers, we could once again return to a simple and honest civilization that collects its own food.
Hunting and gathering, an ancestral lifestyle, consists of hunting animals and foraging for vegetation. Taking time out of your day to enjoy the weather outside and gathering berries has never sounded so peaceful. Going on a hike with some of your closest friends in search of dinner could help heal your relationship with the earth as well as with the animals that we currently indifferently consume. So although it may seem somewhat far-fetched or even impossible, remember that just a mere 12,000 years ago, humans lived completely off of the earth with no reliance on grocery stores or frozen pizzas.