alt Hacker NewsThat's what I'm saying. It's not that people were stronger then, it's that, as many times throughout life, traits are revealed by circumstances, there's nothing particularly physiological about feeling the need to eat like hippopotamuses that have been deprived of food for months.
The unattractive, low-status man (or woman) has less trouble remaining faithful than the handsome, high-status man (or woman). Not because they are more virtuous, but because they are not as exposed to temptation. But fewer people justify the unfaithful than the “big eater.” And that's something society and culture have decided, for now.
> "there's nothing particularly physiological about feeling the need to eat like hippopotamuses that have been deprived of food for months."
There are many people who don't feel that need. They don't actively resist cramming cake into their mouths, they just glance at the cake disinterestedly and move on. Or eat a bit, and feel that's enough, and don't want more.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27936016 has discussions about the dramatic rise in obesity after ~1970; refined sugar, chocolate, butter, doughnuts, McDonalds, cars, TV, have been around longer than that. Could there be involvement from Glyphosate pesticide, from reduction in smoking appetite-suppressing cigarettes, Lithium contaminated water supplies, increased Vitamin A added to milk and grain supplies, rise in antibiotics used on farm animals, which causes some people to gain and retain weight more easily?