Issue 1 Explore JFM 2017
Big Picture
Having money widens the choice. More choice is a deceptive term and does not always mean better life or well being. In fact as we explored, wider choice many lead to confusion and stress. Here are 3 seemingly unrelated concepts, in the big picture, that would majorly affect the way we see choices. Pleasure Trap, Omnivore’ s Dilemma and Resource Curse
Why is it difficult for children or adults to resist dense food- cakes, chips, pastries- and to find pleasure eating healthy- fruits and vegetables? Human beings like other animals have been living in nature, hunting and gathering in conditions of scarcity. We have biologically evolved to eat dense foods, and to eat as much as we can find. Imagine‘ as much as we can find’ in a supermarket. Our biology, thus is ill-equipped to deal with modern world of plenty. We have moved from‘ foraging for food / basic needs’. In the modern world, we need to forage for the‘ right food- our true needs’, else we risk falling into what Dr. Douglas Lisle calls the Pleasure Trap.
One glance through the supermarket aisles makes one wonder in awe about the amount of choice there is in food- an omnivore’ s delight? But a closer look reveals a different story. All the so called variety of options not only confuse the buyer, but they all have one or two common ingredient in sizeable proportion- corn and soya. They are present in the forms of sugars, thickeners, oils, in practically every commercially made food choice. Journalist Michael Pollan calls it Omnivore’ s Dilemma.
One would think having more resources would guarantee access to more options and hence progress and well being. In case of nations, one would imagine chancing on a goldmine or oil would ensure development and progress. Research shows it is just the opposite-‘ resource abundance’ leads to conflict, corruption and poverty. Despite their abundance in oil, diamonds and precious minerals, countries like Angola, Nigeria, Sudan show poor economic and health indicators. Some call this the Problem of Plenty or Paradox of Plenty. Economist Richard Auty called it Resource Curse.
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