Fighting biology

Ashwin Goyal

Nov 18, 2023

Body: "See that cake, brain? We need to eat it right this instant! What if this is our last chance for food? We could actually starve! This is crucial, a matter of life or death – eat it NOW.”

Brain: “Hold on, body. Are you really concerned about running out of food? Check this out – I have an app that can order any food, from anywhere in the world, soufflé or sushi is literally minutes away. You're still operating on an ancient scarcity mindset. You act as though we're in a prehistoric wilderness, foraging for berries and roots. But times have changed. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, a tiny fraction of Earth's land is enough to cultivate food for billions of people. It’s a remarkable triumph of human innovation.”

Body: [Burps with satisfaction.]

Feeling envy

His shiny new car, my latest tech toy; his promotion, my job switch. Every move demands a countermove. I’m not sure about where I’m going, and I suspect he doesn’t have a clue either. So we both look at each other, engaged in this silent dance, each

Telling myself lies

”Everything happens for a reason,” I tell myself, trying to inject some hope into the echo of bad news. ”I'll be stronger because of this,” I continue, my voice growing firmer with conviction. The thought that this mishap is actually a blessing in disguise is strangely comforting. The