This was very interesting and educational, especially to this behaviorist who, in conceptualizing addiction, gives more causal status to outside-the-skin environmental contingencies (which undoubtedly affect internal events, we just don’t often discuss how). Always interesting to read the perspective of those who look more toward brain workings before the external environment, as we end up saying the same things, just with emphasis on different causes. I liked the sentence, “Free will doesn't exist if there's no reward in it.” Clever and true! I also liked your points about the effects of the GLP 1 drugs’ efficacy pointing to broken environmental contingencies as the ultimate cause, rather than something structural about the organism. Thanks for the great read!
As always, I take a very biological perspective and clearly there are other major contributors too. I guess I conceptualise it as seeds and fertile and infertile ground for those seeds to grow.
As a vet (veterinarian), I spent a lot of time looking at herd health. Usually, if a herd is all sick in the same way, vets think "what are we doing wrong?" rather than "why are these animals' bodies so poorly evolved?"! I think that it's a message that sometimes gets forgotten in human health!
I love this, as usual! Thanks Guen :) Was just pondering and interested in your thoughts… we have so much to learn from different cultures, especially more traditional cultures - the differences can seem so vast and overwhelming, so I really appreciate how you chunk it down for us. What (if anything!) do you think these cultures we’re learning from can learn from us? What great things should we build on here?
While I was away, I was grateful for many WEIRD practices - the big ones being sanitation and vaccination. When people drink dirty water frequently, their intestines stop being able to absorb food and micronutrients as well - environmental enteropathy is a major contributor to wasting and stunting. It's one of the reasons that I'm currently raising money for UNICEF to install pumps in a village: https://www.justgiving.com/page/guen-bradbury-1
And vaccination is incredible. There are so many diseases that we are now pretty complacent about because most people are vaccinated. One of my children is immunosuppressed, and so having such incredible vaccination schemes here protects all the children, and extends their protection to her as well.
So yes, management of communicable diseases is something that we do very well in our culture. That's why most of my stuff is on non-communicable ones. :) The great thing though is that it's not a zero sum game - better management of communicable diseases isn't at odds with better management of non-communicable ones. That's why I really want to help parents to get the best of both worlds. :)
The conspiracy to never mention porn amongst female academics continues.
:D Absolutely! Could have also mentioned vaping, social media, etc., but can't see those are quite as relevant to the early childhood years...!
Happy to be educated though. :)
This was very interesting and educational, especially to this behaviorist who, in conceptualizing addiction, gives more causal status to outside-the-skin environmental contingencies (which undoubtedly affect internal events, we just don’t often discuss how). Always interesting to read the perspective of those who look more toward brain workings before the external environment, as we end up saying the same things, just with emphasis on different causes. I liked the sentence, “Free will doesn't exist if there's no reward in it.” Clever and true! I also liked your points about the effects of the GLP 1 drugs’ efficacy pointing to broken environmental contingencies as the ultimate cause, rather than something structural about the organism. Thanks for the great read!
As always, I take a very biological perspective and clearly there are other major contributors too. I guess I conceptualise it as seeds and fertile and infertile ground for those seeds to grow.
As a vet (veterinarian), I spent a lot of time looking at herd health. Usually, if a herd is all sick in the same way, vets think "what are we doing wrong?" rather than "why are these animals' bodies so poorly evolved?"! I think that it's a message that sometimes gets forgotten in human health!
Really enjoyed your comment - thank you!
I love this, as usual! Thanks Guen :) Was just pondering and interested in your thoughts… we have so much to learn from different cultures, especially more traditional cultures - the differences can seem so vast and overwhelming, so I really appreciate how you chunk it down for us. What (if anything!) do you think these cultures we’re learning from can learn from us? What great things should we build on here?
Oh such a great question!
While I was away, I was grateful for many WEIRD practices - the big ones being sanitation and vaccination. When people drink dirty water frequently, their intestines stop being able to absorb food and micronutrients as well - environmental enteropathy is a major contributor to wasting and stunting. It's one of the reasons that I'm currently raising money for UNICEF to install pumps in a village: https://www.justgiving.com/page/guen-bradbury-1
And vaccination is incredible. There are so many diseases that we are now pretty complacent about because most people are vaccinated. One of my children is immunosuppressed, and so having such incredible vaccination schemes here protects all the children, and extends their protection to her as well.
So yes, management of communicable diseases is something that we do very well in our culture. That's why most of my stuff is on non-communicable ones. :) The great thing though is that it's not a zero sum game - better management of communicable diseases isn't at odds with better management of non-communicable ones. That's why I really want to help parents to get the best of both worlds. :)