Primordial Instincts

Recently I had a very interesting conversation with a stranger I met on the metro. The climactic point of the conversation came when discussing man's instincts.  An interesting concept was posed: Can it be that our anger and our violence stems from the consumption of meat? Red meat.  Absurd? Perhaps not.  I, for one tend to be very temperamental. I also happen to ingest a lot of meat.  When I first met V he said to me: "I've never met anyone who loves steak as much as you do."  The Nuer tribe's diet consist of mostly beef.  They also happen to be warriors, fighters.  My husband is Mediterranean and his diet consists mostly of salads, vegetables and fish.  He is also very calm and rational.  The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is rumored to be a vegetarian.  I do not know him personally but I am certain he is super calm.  Can it be that my carnivorous nature is what triggers so much of my anger and my need to attack?  I looked for studies and I could not find any conclusive data aside from the obvious ie: higher mortality rates.  I am not sure if my theory is correct but I have decided that for the next month I will not eat any red meat.  I will keep a journal and track my journey. After all I was trained to practice evidence based medicine so why not?  Who knew that class would be so important?  All I've ever wanted is inner peace maybe this will be the answer.  Also, no one can guarantee that the meat we are ingesting is free range or grass fed only, a lot of that cattle is injected with steroids and hormones and we are eating that meat hence also ingesting those same steroids.

The animal in me (exhibit A) Rawr . . . Versace, Christian Louboutin, Current Elliot