Other needs from a caveman perspective

[Camptravis]

This site covers two basic needs (food and exercise) and looks at how we meet these needs based on how we evolved to meet them.  But, food and exercise are obviously not the only things people need.  I'd like to see what everyone else thinks about the idea of looking at other needs from the evolutionary perspective. Let's get creative

I'll start. We need clothing.  Why? To keep us warm and to protect our bodies from the elements.  At least that's probably why cavemen used them, especially in cooler climates.  What was available for them to use as clothing?  I'm thinking just animal furs and hides.  So should we start wearing only animal skins and furs?  Other than the fact that we could start a really cool retro-caveman fashion trend, I don't think it's necessary.  Unlike with food, I think our technology and progression has probably improved clothing over the years with cotton and synthetic materials, making it more useful than just animal hides.  I think modern clothing has improved our ability to protect our bodies from the environment because now we can go places, like everest or Antarctica, that might have been difficult if we had only caveman clothing.  We have warmer coats, underarmor type clothing(which can do a lot of different things), and generally more efficient clothing for any type of environment, so I think modern clothes meet our clothing needs just as good and probably better than ancient clothing types. But then again I would love to see runway models wearing moose furs like a caveman would

Something else I want to say is that I think that modern humans don't have any needs that they wouldn't be able to meet 10,000 years ago.  An obvious example is that we don't need television.  That is an extremely recent invention.  However, I do think people have a need for entertainment.  Thosands of years ago people probably got their entertainment from basic social interaction.  People probably told jokes to eachother and possibly told stories around the firepit.  TV is just a substitute for functional social interaction, just like modern foods are a substitute for paleo foods.

Ok I've said enough, what do you guys think?

[hegerhog]

I've thought a lot about this too, and I know what you mean. There are a lot of things that modern humans have that we may not 'need', like TV or radio. But on the other hand, our technology nowadays allows us to be even more effective in the world. Cell phones and email allow long-range, instant communication. Although bad for the environment, cavemen would probably have loved to have cars instead of walking everywhere. Even some foods, when you think about it, have evolved for more effectiveness, although they are obviously not "paleo". Things like protein powders, powerbars, and vitamin supplements, among other things, have made people nowadays healthy in their own way.

Sorry, just rambling. I know what I meant, but don't know if anyone else is gonna get it

[hegerhog]

Also like toothpaste and shampoo and things like that. Cavemen would kill for some of the things we have now...

[Camptravis]

Yah, but I think the only reason ppl have to brush their teeth in modern times is because their diets have so much carbs.  I even saw a study where someone went out and found that people who were hunter-gatheres had much better dental characteristics compared to people eating a modern diet even though they never brushed.  It all had to do with their diet.

I don't really know about the bathing habits of cavemen, but I would imagine that the only time they would wash was maybe when they would swim, but even then I don't know if it would be for the purpose of hygiene.  I wonder if ancient peoples groomed each other like some apes do today.  Does anyone else know anything about paleolithic hygiene habits? 

[Sarge]

I don't know about paleolthic people, but the habits of some of the American Indians of the previously centuries have been noted. I remember reading that the Lakota people regularly bathed.

[Alex Good]

 I generally prefer shorts and a t shirt in winter. Then again, my hands stop working after a while. Hypothermia's not that bad when you don't shiver.
Oh and I think cavemen need a bit of violence now and then.

[SidheDraoi]

going back to the toothpaste.... 

I have started doing a coconut oil/baking soda rub (i wouldn't call it a brush really) for my teeth and have been getting amazing result, just after a few days. my gums and teeth feel a lot healthier to me and my teeth arent as sensitive to hot and cold like they were just a week ago. very interesting to me to experience this.  just thought I would share hahaha

I think cavemen would have loved climate controlled caves 
and i feel like a cavewoman whenever I try to figure out my cellphone, gps, tv, etc... only thing i understand is my xbox hahahaha

[BigKhanz]

Ancient Celtic toothpaste: Salt scrub. Taste's horrible but it kills about everything and can polish the teeth without removing enamel.

Many ancients peoples' (including neolithic) avoided bathing because they believed it was unhealthy. And I'm sure that for many, they were right. How would they have realized that it was typhoid, dysentery or cholera that were making people sick and not the act of bathing? Even today, in the modern world, around 1.5million die annually from waterborne diseases.

[Sarge]

going back to the toothpaste.... 

I have started doing a coconut oil/baking soda rub (i wouldn't call it a brush really) for my teeth and have been getting amazing result, just after a few days. my gums and teeth feel a lot healthier to me and my teeth arent as sensitive to hot and cold like they were just a week ago. very interesting to me to experience this.  just thought I would share hahaha

Hmm, how does this coconut oil/baking soda rub taste?