Exploring the Impact of Scarcity on Health and Behavior with Michael Easter

Added: Jan 8, 2024

Evolution and Scarcity Brain

Easter explains that humans evolved in a world where food was scarce and hard to find. They had to hunt and gather, expending energy to obtain the energy needed for survival. However, in the last 100 years, there has been an abundance of food, engineered to be delicious and easily accessible. This abundance has led to challenges in managing food consumption, leading to issues such as obesity and related health problems.

Hunter-Gatherer Lifestyle

To understand the impact of scarcity on nutrition, Easter decided to live with the Chumani, a group of hunter-gatherers in Bolivia. He was drawn to this group because they were found to have low rates of heart disease. The Chumani are hunter-horticulturalists, consuming a diet that includes meat, carbs, and plants. Their diet consists of simple, minimally processed foods, and they avoid ultra-processed foods.

Impact of Diet on Health

Easter observed that the Chumani's diet, while not conforming to popular diet trends, seemed to contribute to their overall health. Their diet, consisting of one-ingredient foods, appeared to be a key factor in their ability to avoid diseases such as heart disease and Alzheimer's. The simplicity and lack of hyper-palatable, ultra-processed foods in their diet seemed to play a significant role in their health outcomes.

Food Choices and Obesity

Easter discusses the impact of food availability, palatability, and pleasure from eating on obesity. He highlights a study by Kevin Hall at the NIH, which found that people consumed more calories and gained weight when eating ultra-processed foods compared to minimally processed foods. The speed of consumption and hyper-palatability of ultra-processed foods were identified as factors contributing to overeating.

Adopting the Chumani Diet

After returning from living with the Chumani, Easter decided to adopt their diet for a month. He committed to eating foods with just one ingredient, mimicking the simplicity of the Chumani's diet. He found that many of the foods in his pantry did not fit this description, and he had to make significant changes to his diet. Despite initially losing weight rapidly, he found that he had to force-feed himself to maintain his weight, as the simplicity of the diet led to reduced caloric intake.

Understanding the Scarcity Loop

Easter continues by explaining the concept of the scarcity loop, which consists of three components: opportunity, unpredictable rewards, and quick repeatability. He uses the example of slot machines to illustrate how this system can lead to addictive behaviors, as players have an opportunity to win money, receive unpredictable rewards, and quickly repeat the behavior.

The Scarcity Loop in Other Behaviors

The scarcity loop is not limited to addictive behaviors related to gambling and drug use. Easter explains how this system is also present in other aspects of modern life, such as social media, dating apps, financial apps, and online shopping. He highlights how these platforms use elements of the scarcity loop to keep users engaged and addicted to their services.

The Moral Failing Model vs. the Brain Disease Model

Easter discusses the two main models of addiction: the moral failing model and the brain disease model. The moral failing model views addiction as a result of a lack of moral character or self-discipline, while the brain disease model sees addiction as a chronic and relapsing disease resulting from changes in the brain.

Counterexample from Vietnam Vets

Easter provides a counterexample to the brain disease model by discussing the experience of Vietnam veterans with heroin use. Despite being addicted to heroin while in Vietnam, almost all of the veterans were able to produce clean urine tests to return to the United States. This suggests that addiction may not completely obliterate a person's capacity to make choices and decisions.

Understanding the Opioid Epidemic

Easter discusses the current opioid epidemic in the US, which has led to an increase in deaths of despair, including accidental overdoses, alcohol-related deaths, and suicides. He explains that the potency of substances like fentanyl has contributed to the rise in overdose deaths, particularly when the drug is unknowingly mixed with other substances.

The Use of Methadone in Addressing Opioid Addiction

Easter explains the use of methadone as a treatment for opioid addiction. Methadone is a long-acting synthetic opioid that can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms in individuals addicted to opioids. It is used as a form of medication-assisted treatment to support recovery from opioid addiction.

Material Possessions

Material possessions are also discussed, with Easter explaining the evolutionary drive to accumulate stuff and the abundance of items in today's world. He delves into the concept of gear versus stuff, where gear adds meaning to life while stuff is often purchased as an impulse with the aim of projecting a certain image. The excessive accumulation of possessions can lead to clutter, impacting focus and increasing anxiety. Easter notes the value of boredom and the need to infuse it back into daily life to foster creativity, observation, and ideation.

Scarcity vs Abundance

The conversation continues with an example of Lego toys and how Easter's children have more toys than he did. While the children derive enjoyment from building Lego kits, Easter wonders if he is depriving them of the scarcity he experienced with only one Lego set. However, he finds that his children derive more enjoyment from loose Lego pieces, fostering creativity and exploration. This leads to a conversation about the value of exploration and the reasons behind Homo sapiens' propensity for exploration. Easter discusses the exploration gene and its prevalence in nomadic societies, highlighting the role of internal rewards in driving exploration.

The Attention Economy

The conversation then shifts to the implications of an attention economy shaped by negative news, where 90% of news tends to be negative despite potential improvements in the world. The podcast explores how natural selection favors negativity bias and the attention-grabbing nature of negative stimuli. The discussion moves to the influence of social media on politicians and the impact of feedback on behavior. Easter explains the behavioral training aspect of social media; where politicians gradually increase negative tweets to garner more attention and engagement.

The concept of the attention economy is further examined, with Easter and Attia contemplating whether human evolution has wired individuals to seek information or the truth. They discuss the feeling of clarity and certainty provided by conspiracy theories, which offer a grand narrative to events where the truth may seem insignificant. The example of the JFK assassination is cited, highlighting the appeal of conspiracy theories despite overwhelming evidence pointing to a single shooter.

The Impact of Abundance on Well-being

Easter continues by discussing the abundance of comfort that modern society offers, and how this may actually be detrimental to human health and happiness. He talks about the paradox of plenty, where despite having access to more comforts and conveniences than ever before, people are not necessarily happier or healthier. He mentions the increase in rates of chronic diseases and mental health issues, which suggests that the abundance of comfort has not translated into overall well-being.

Easter uses the example of air conditioning and its impact on human health. While air conditioning provides comfort, it also reduces the body's ability to regulate its internal temperature, leading to potential health issues. He also discusses the impact of technology on sleep, citing studies that show the negative effects of screen time on sleep quality.

Scarcity as a key to living a meaningful life

Easter explores the idea of embracing scarcity as a way to live a more meaningful life. He highlights how scarcity can lead to resilience and creativity, as well as a deeper appreciation for the things that are limited. He mentions the concept of "too much of a good thing" and how excess comfort can lead to complacency and a lack of fulfillment.

The podcast also delves into the evolutionary basis of scarcity, citing examples of how our ancestors had to contend with scarcity and how it shaped their behavior. Easter discusses how human physiology is adapted to handle scarcity, and how the modern abundance of comfort may be at odds with our evolutionary heritage.

Happiness and the pursuit of meaning

The discussion then turns to the topic of happiness and the pursuit of meaning. Easter raises the question of how to define happiness, highlighting the intricate and elusive nature of this concept. He explores the idea of happiness in the context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the role of enjoyment, satisfaction, and a sense of purpose in achieving happiness.

Easter shares his experience of visiting a Benedictine monastery and living with the monks to gain insight into their happiness despite living a life marked by austerity and self-denial. He discusses how the monks' commitment to a greater purpose and their willingness to endure hardship for that purpose may hold lessons for achieving happiness and fulfillment.

The cycle of human resilience

Easter delves into the cycle of human resilience, discussing the interplay between hard times, resilience, and the human will to live. He reflects on how modern society's abundance of comfort may diminish the necessity for resilience and the will to live, and how this contrasts with the experience of individuals facing scarcity and adversity throughout history.

He shares his personal experience of preparing for a potentially dangerous assignment and the realization that the challenges and uncertainties he faced in that context had a life-giving quality that contributed to a heightened sense of presence and awareness.

Takeaways and future explorations

Easter concludes by emphasizing the importance of finding a balance between comfort and discomfort, and the significance of seeking purpose and meaning in life. He suggests that engaging in activities that require presence and focus, such as outdoor experiences or volunteering, may provide opportunities for personal growth and resilience. He also highlights the role of solitude and its potential for self-discovery and reflection.