Humans evolved to have different "drugs of choice" as a survival mechanism. If everyone sought the same rewards, groups would quickly deplete a single resource. This once-adaptive trait now makes us vulnerable to a wide array of modern, hyper-stimulating temptations.

As alcohol consumption declines, cannabis-infused drinks are entering the mainstream and displacing traditional alcohol sales. In markets like Minnesota, these new beverages already account for over 15% of total alcohol sales, signaling a massive shift in consumer preference.

The debate over food's future is often a binary battle between tech-driven "reinvention" (CRISPR, AI) and a return to traditional, organic "de-invention." The optimal path is a synthesis of the two, merging the wisdom of ancient farming practices with the most advanced science to increase yields sustainably without degrading the environment.

For millennia, humans consumed weak, fermented beverages in communal settings, providing natural limits. The recent inventions of distillation (high-potency alcohol) and cultural shifts toward private, isolated consumption have removed these biological and social guardrails, making alcohol far more dangerous than it was historically.

Despite narratives of decline in the West, the global alcohol industry is thriving. This resilience comes from two key trends: consumers "drinking less, but better" by choosing more expensive, premium beverages, and the rapid growth of alcohol consumption in large emerging markets, especially among young people and women.

A 50% heritability for alcoholism is linked to how one's brain responds to alcohol. Individuals genetically predisposed to feel more stimulated ('fun') from drinking are at higher risk, while those who feel sedated are more protected. The risk is about the positive reinforcement loop, not an innate tolerance.

Primatologist Richard Rangham's theory posits that early hominins used fire for cooking. This made food more energy-efficient to digest, freeing up metabolic resources that enabled the evolution of our larger brains. We didn't just get smart and then cook; we cooked, and that's how we got smart.

Unlike wildlife conservation, which prioritizes non-interference, preserving agrobiodiversity requires consumption. Reviving, cultivating, and herding ancestral grains and livestock creates a market and an economic incentive for their survival, following the principle: "to save it, you've got to eat it."

By down-regulating the prefrontal cortex, alcohol makes lying more difficult and lie detection easier. This cognitive impairment serves a social function, fostering trust between suspicious parties by creating a state of enforced honesty. This explains its historical role in negotiations, treaties, and social bonding rituals.