Thomas Jefferson tried to warn us about big cities, but we ignored him. Now modern science confirms Jefferson’s concerns. From Newsweek:
Humans are not well adapted to live in modern cities—and this may be having a big impact on our health and wellbeing.
This is the claim of evolutionary scientists from Loughborough University, England and the University of Zurich, Switzerland who say “rapid industrialization” has reshaped human habits so dramatically that our biology may no longer be able to keep up.
“For most of human history, our biology was shaped by natural environments, but industrialization has rapidly transformed the world around us—faster than our bodies can adapt,” Danny Longman, senior lecturer in human evolutionary physiology at Loughborough, told Newsweek.
Jefferson regarded densely populated cities as threats to human health and happiness, as well as being detrimental to the morals and liberties of citizens. He saw big cities as a threat to the agrarian, self-sufficient lifestyle he saw as fundamental to a republic. City mobs, warned Jefferson, not only spread disease, as he witnessed in the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia in 1800, but contributed to alienation from nature and other citizens.
Again, science confirms Jefferson’s fears. From the Newsweek article:
“Day-to-day, chronic background noise, crowds, traffic, digital overstimulation and limited access to natural spaces keep the stress response system switched on. This elevates anxiety, worsens sleep and impairs concentration. Over time, these constant stressors contribute to mental-health problems, cardiovascular strain, cognitive impairment, immune dysregulation and reduced reproductive health,” Longman explained.
What’s the solution? Cities aren’t going away, but we can mitigate the harm they do by making our surroundings more natural and conducive to socializing and proper exercise. Pedestrian-friendly walkways and nature trails are a great start. And each of us must open our eyes to who and what we really are.