{"id":180955,"date":"2019-10-21T15:35:49","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T22:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=180955"},"modified":"2019-10-21T15:35:54","modified_gmt":"2019-10-21T22:35:54","slug":"what-is-superior-what-is-inferior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/21\/what-is-superior-what-is-inferior\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Superior, What is Inferior?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why are we so hungry to discover the ‘best’ approach?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. The shortness of life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps we desire the ‘best’ approach in life in order to achieve more in our lives, given that our life is short and uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Desire to become stronger than others (competition)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps we want the best and the ‘best’ approach to something because we don’t want to feel like we are losing out compared to our competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example if you’re a professional powerlifter, you want the ‘best’ diet to maximize your lifts (to beat your competition).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. What if you’re not competing against anyone else?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cloud<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps then the better question is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can I personally function at my best?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Then you’re seeking every potential advantage to maximize your own personal self-development and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Is there an ultimate ‘best’ approach for everybody?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now I think this is where there is much hypocrisy in the public discourse on health, lifestyle, etc:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On one hand, experts say there isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. Yet they still say there are superior (and inferior) modes of doing things.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

5. Why is everyone so anti-meat nowadays?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"meat
Delicious brisket<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example I am watching this Netflix documentary called ‘The Game Changers’, which (I get the sense) the bias is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating a plant-based diet is SUPERIOR for your health, strength performance, etc.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is also echoed in contemporary literature and the popular media:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating meat is bad for you. It is ideal\/optimal to eat NO meats (or very little meats), and to optimally strive towards a vegetarian\/vegan diet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And if<\/em> you decide to eat meat (which is not necessary), it is best to eat non-red meats (chicken), and it is best to eat “low-fat” meats (chicken breast).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus the ideology is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Eating meat is bad for your health.<\/li>
  2. Eating red meat is supremely bad for your health.<\/li>
  3. You can stop eating meat all-together, and suffer no adverse health consequences.<\/li>
  4. By eating a vegetarian\/vegan diet, you will become HEALTHIER, STRONGER, and live longer<\/li>
  5. If animal-based foods are bad for us, then in theory, veganism should be ‘superior’ to vegetarianism (vegetarians still eat eggs which are technically animal-products, and still eat cheese, milk, and other animal by-products).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    I think the theory of Nassim Taleb [Antifragile] is probably best:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some days be a pure carnivore, and some days be a pure vegan.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    The goal isn’t to become 100% carnivore or 100% vegan — the goal is to ALTERNATE both. In simple terms, be an omnivore (eat BOTH meats, including red meats, AND plants).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Because it is true that by being a pure carnivore (or a pure vegan) you won’t die. But the question of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Which diet is ‘superior’ for longevity (how long you live until you die), health (bodily energy and vigor)?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    6. Leave others alone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    From a very pragmatic perspective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We must allow others to make their own decisions (respect their freedom of choice). However we must also strive to share as much accurate\/truthful knowledge and information with others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    I call this ‘truthiness<\/a>‘. There isn’t an ultimate truth, but there is certainly a hierarchy of levels of truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, what is a superior diet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Eat nothing but Twinkies for 1 week.<\/li>
    2. Eat nothing but Sirloin Steak for 1 week.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Obviously the sirloin steak will be superior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Superior how so? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      First: Body composition.<\/strong> Obviously if you eat nothing but Twinkies for a month, you’re going to put on a TON of excess adipose tissue (body fat). If you eat nothing but Sirloin Steak, I would surmise you might actually lose<\/em> body fat (your body will enter a state of ketosis<\/a>, which means your body will start using your body fat stores for energy).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Second: Energy levels and focus.<\/strong> Obviously if you’re eating nothing but Twinkies for a week, you will have less energy and focus. Why? The ‘glycemic index<\/a>‘ of Twinkies (sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch) is FAR HIGHER than the glycemic index of sirloin steak. This means immediately after you eat a Twinkie, the insulin response in your bloodstream is insanely high. This means immediately after eating (many) Twinkies, you will probably get a ‘sugar crash’ (short period of having more energy, then a period of feeling extreme exhaustion, which makes you want to take a nap). Whereas eating fatty red meat you get less of an insulin response (meat doesn’t have a glycemic index, as it has no carbohydrates).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You might be wondering “What about calories?” I will tackle the calorie myth in another post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      7. Always be skeptical of the truth, and ruthlessly self-experiment for yourself.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      “I have sought by myself.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      The apex of practical wisdom is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Science cannot discover the ultimate truth by ‘proving’ a point, it can only be used to DISPROVE a point (Karl Popper’s notion of ‘falsification’).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      Therefore, be EXTREMELY skeptical of any claims you hear from others. Listen to your own BS detector, and ruthlessly self-experiment for yourself. Be your own human hamster for yourself, and never stop striving for a deeper truth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      ERIC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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