darkpine

Researchers from the University of North Florida found in 2016 that participants, after running a short course with flat targets to step on, had measurably better working memories when they performed the task barefoot.

Lately I've been going unshod. Initially, going barefoot was intimidating due to the fear of standing out, but then "nothing happened". I now find myself completely devoid of any inclination to wear them. It's fascinating the extent of sensory feedback the brain receives from exposing the nerves in the feet to the outer world. Each foot has thousands of nerve endings. They should be providing the brain with information about the world- as do our hands- yet from a young age we constantly wrap them in warm, cushioned, and stiff layers of socks and shoes. The equivalent is like wearing oven mitts in order to "protect" the hands every time one leaves the house.

Shoes have a protective role to play in certain harsh environments. However, prevalent foot problems such as plantar fasciitis and fallen arches are commonly only seen in shoe-wearing populations. The over-wearing of shoes may be doing more harm than good. I propose that due to capitalistic interests and historical correlations with upper class status, shoe-wearing has become socially required to an extent that does not serve the health of the average person.

Anyways, I firmly believe there are advantages to be gained from eschewing footwear, unless completely necessary. I will continue to go completely barefoot when possible, and have made my own mocassins for occasions where footwear is required. I'm also taking a perverse pleasure in committing social suicide and wearing "ugly" shoes that do not convey any form of social status. It has been liberating to deprogram my beliefs that "shoes are necessary and I must buy them" and "bad things will happen without shoes".

I agree. The article is practically an ode to consumerism. Much better to find the middle ground of making do with the things we already own, not throwing everything out a la minimalism, or buy buy buy a la maximalism so trumpeted here.

I don't think there's people walking around in t-shirts that say 'neurodiverse'.

However, I've definitely had interactions with co-workers or classmates that think they are the most special and the most smart, to the detriment of their ability to work with a team. Not sure if that's 'neurodiverse' or just bad manners.

In certain online forums there's also a tendency to laud highly intellectual but somewhat antisocial behaviours, and to talk down about 'neurotypicals'.

Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!

Wonder where all humankind's code will go in the coming centuries. There won't even be a fallen statue in a desert as testament to our creations.

The fear of having any natural body odor in today's society is incredibly widespread. It's almost impossible to find information on the negative effects of our practices of putting ultra-scented substances on our skin via deodorants and perfumes, in our hair via shampoos, on our clothing via scented detergents, etc. Yet everywhere you look, there are vested corporate interests telling us that we stink, are repulsive in our natural state, and so on. This is why it's so difficult to find people willing to forgo these products, and then to admit it and report on the results. Sure, basic hygiene is important. Shower after working out. Brush your teeth. Comb your hair and rinse your scalp. I use to unquestioningly shampoo my hair every few days until I noticed I had to wash more and more frequently, as it started getting greasy quicker. In 2017 I decided to go cold turkey on using shampoo. The first few months were rough. But over time, my hair and scalp biome has normalized, and rinsing with warm water is enough to remove any grease build-up. My hair is also a lot healthier - less split ends and less dried out than before. Deodorant is a much more difficult beast to escape from. B.O. in the workplace is definitely worse than a greasy looking ponytail. However, with the lockdowns, I've been experimenting with skipping the deodorant. So far I can't say I like the results, but I wonder if it's again the kind of thing that takes a while to normalize. Either my nose will become numb to it, or the bacteria in the skin will calm down after being tampered with for so long. It's a little shocking to think I've been smearing a costly cocktail of chemicals on my pores for more than half my life, and barely even recognize my own scent. Crazy to think that we might be blocking an important subconscious source of information on the people in our lives.