Don't Look, Don't Touch, Don't Eat: The Science Behind Revulsion
by Valerie Curtis
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Every flu season, sneezing, coughing, and graphic throat-clearing become the day-to-day background noise in every workplace. And coworkers tend to move as far--and as quickly--away from the source of these bodily eruptions as possible. Instinctively, humans recoil from objects that they view as dirty and even struggle to overcome feelings of discomfort once the offending item has been cleaned. These reactions are universal, and although there are cultural and individual variations, by and show more large we are all disgusted by the same things. In Don't Look, Don't Touch, Don't Eat, Valerie Curtis builds a strong case for disgust as a "shadow emotion"--less familiar than love or sadness, it nevertheless affects our day-to-day lives. In disgust, biological and sociocultural factors meet in dynamic ways to shape human and animal behavior. Curtis traces the evolutionary role of disgust in disease prevention and hygiene, but also shows that it is much more than a biological mechanism. Human social norms, from good manners to moral behavior, are deeply rooted in our sense of disgust. The disgust reaction informs both our political opinions and our darkest tendencies, such as misogyny and racism. Through a deeper understanding of disgust, Curtis argues, we can take this ubiquitous human emotion and direct it towards useful ends, from combating prejudice to reducing disease in the poorest parts of the world by raising standards of hygiene. Don't Look, Don't Touch, Don't Eat reveals disgust to be a vital part of what it means to be human and explores how this deep-seated response can be harnessed to improve the world. show lessTags
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Don't Look Don't Touch Don't Eat is a study of disgust. Why do we find certain things disgusting. The author says that disgust is a natural defense that protects us from parasites and disease. It is seen in non-human animals as well. Valerie Curtis follows disgust to the development of manners in human societies and demonstrates that manners also help protect against disease and contamination.
One thing she did not answer is why some societies are disgusted by certain foods while others find them a delicacy. Consider rotten meat or half developed duck eggs that are eaten in some places but would repel me.
One thing she did not answer is why some societies are disgusted by certain foods while others find them a delicacy. Consider rotten meat or half developed duck eggs that are eaten in some places but would repel me.
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