Generally, the word “orthorexia” refers to a condition in which people become so obsessed with improving their health that their health actually suffers. I see this as a form of perfectionism that has leached into other areas of life, and I think we are absolutely surrounded by it.
If I’m not mistaken, the late 1800s or early 1900s saw the birth of self help books. I suspect this was a symptom of broader changes happening in society, perhaps even a late result of the industrial revolution, when specialization became the dominant paradigm of labor. “Specialists” of various factors of life appear to have popped up, offering guidance on the “proper” way of doing any manner of things, and people flocked to these specialists hoping to improve their lives (something that has probably existed for a very long time, in other forms).
Fast forward to today, and people are absolutely fucking obsessed with doing everything just such, sometimes literally treating their systems as the keys to longevity, even if they’ve never thought things through to this point. Avoiding harsh chemicals is a smart thing to do, but will it add 20 years to your life? I mean, if it involves not swimming in a lagoon of mine water runoff, maybe, but if it involves avoiding trace chemicals in certain foods? I don’t know, man, I kind of doubt it. I won’t say there aren’t any substances that run that risk, but I think the idea that obsessive avoidance will take your life expectancy from 80 to 100 is pretty narrow-minded considering life’s complexity. But whatever.
I’m starting to notice this all around me. I was at a friendly get-together recently when one fitness-minded individual turned up to eat burgers and opted out of the bun (nothing wrong with that), saying, “Oh, I pay close attention to what I eat”, which was playfully countered by another fitness-minded attendee who said, “Well, so do I [but I’m still eating the bun]”, which caused me to chuckle a little. I mean, isn’t that the truth? Nothing against the first guy, but it’s like, there’s a million perfectly legitimate ways to go through life, but I think we get stuck looking for the “right” way when there is no “right” way, very generally speaking.
Nuance. So few people dig into the nuance. Too many people have sold their souls to TikTok and Reels. Give me black and white. Don’t make me think! Just tell me the answers! I don’t eat X food, it’s bad for you, Dr. Dumbass said so!
Take money, for example. Long ago, I thought there must surely be some key behaviors that clearly defined what it means to be good with money. But you really don’t have to think about it all too hard to realize that these principles fail to make sense the moment you remove them from most situations. I’ve known people who truly pissed their money away, sure, but I’ve also known people who needed to fucking spend some money on themselves, too. You can’t honestly say that being good with money means not spending any money, because there are a lot of paranoid old farts out there who die with millions, fearful to their very last day that they’ll lose even a fraction of it. I don’t know precisely how to characterize this phenomenon, but I certainly wouldn’t characterize it as being good with your money. This is only one of dozens of examples you or I could probably think up.
But…it’s appealing to find someone (or something) who “has all the answers”, some guru to guide the way, or an investment vehicle that you for some reason feel personally attached to. Now, I’m not going to say that there aren’t some key principles that are generally quite useful, but every person has such a unique life and personality and history that you really have to look at the overall picture to gauge what the better ways to approach money may be for that person.
My fear for this world is that we are losing the messy critical thinking that helps us navigate life. We stopped going to the expensive blacksmith who could make almost anything, and started going to the cheap manufacturer, who controlled what was or was not for sale. (this is actually a HUGE discussion)
By and large, I’m convinced that the most orthorexic individuals are deeply fearful inside, and need some kind of “system” to make them feel good about themselves. “Oh, I pay close attention to what I eat”. But so what? What precisely is that accomplishing in your life, and why do you need that to set you apart?
I was a self-righteous dick in highschool and college. There were things I truly hated about myself, but I had good behavior, so latched onto that as the only thing giving me self-worth. I condemned a lot of people in my heart. There are words I wish I could take back. Then the truth hit me in my early 20s, and everything changed. (I guess I started working early in the morning, and I agreed to work for a denarius. Good money if you can get it, no?)
Is your orthorexic good behavior the only thing fueling your sense of self worth?
I run every morning! I don’t eat sugar! I don’t buy those things! I don’t drive those cars! I am productive every day! I am busy because I am important!
Oh, yeah. That’s what I’m calling out. Everywhere. Fucking everywhere.
That’s all for today, but maybe there’ll be a part 2 later. (I finally feel up to writing again!)