Utopian Society

 What if the government made all the decisions but what if they made the right ones?

What if they supported sustainable agriculture and holistic medicine instead of letting the chemical and pharmaceutical companies run amok in private industry? What if treatment decisions were based on understanding human physiology instead of statistical associations?

What if they passed a law making it illegal to manufacture or own firearms? There would still be plenty of bows and arrows and knifes so hunters could still provide food for their families. (If a guy with no arms can do it, anyone can. #MattStutzman)

What if they promoted the acceptance of people who did not conform to traditional gender roles instead of supporting genital mutilation and chemical castration? What if they endorsed a woman's right to choose what happens within her own body but encouraged her to make that choice before becoming pregnant?

What if income was based on the creation of value? If I can't eat it or wear it and it won't keep me warm at night, I'm not buying it. That is not to say that entertainment and sports and iPhones have no value, but those industries are making billions of dollars while farmers and ranchers (who provide the basic necessities of food and clothing) struggle to make ends meet. (Yes, clothing, because the only things that should be rubbing against human skin are cotton and wool.)

What if all prepared foods with more than five ingredients were banned from grocery stores and home economics was required curriculum in public schools? (Final project: seven-course formal dinner)

No one will probably read this blog, though because I am not a rich and famous social influencer. What does Kim Kardasian have that I don't? Lots of money? How much of that money did she acquire by selling useless and over-priced belongings to impressionable young (and perhaps some not so young) women, desperately trying to change their lives by acquiring more stuff?

Second Brain

I have recently learned that personality (and mental health) can be significantly influenced by the bacteria in a person's gut. This phenomenon is referred to as the gut-brain axis and seems to be primarily controlled by the vagus nerve.

So who are we really? Is our gut microbiome a part of ourselves or should we view it as yet another environmental stimulus that influences our decisions? It must be noted that the composition of this internal microcosm, as opposed to the environment at large, is highly correlated with diet, and as such, we have some control over it. Therefore, it appears healthy eating habits can result not only in physical benefits but also mental ones as well.