--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...[H]uman beings are neurologically…" description: "\"“...[H]uman beings are neurologically ill-designed to be modern Americans. The human brain evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in an environmen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/michael-lewis-705_chocolate-cake_h-uman-beings-are-neurologically-ill-des_2716251.png" --- # ...\[H\]uman beings are neurologically ill-designed to be… ![“...[H]uman beings are neurologically ill-designed to be modern Americans. The human brain evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in an environment defined by scarcity. It was not designed, at least originally, for an environment of extreme abundance... Even a person on a diet who sensibly…” quote by Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/michael-lewis-705_chocolate-cake_h-uman-beings-are-neurologically-ill-des_2716251.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/michael-lewis-705_chocolate-cake_h-uman-beings-are-neurologically-ill-des_2716251.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/michael-lewis-705_chocolate-cake_h-uman-beings-are-neurologically-ill-des_2716251.png) > ““...\[H\]uman beings are neurologically ill-designed to be modern Americans. The human brain evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in an environment defined by scarcity. It was not designed, at least originally, for an environment of extreme abundance... Even a person on a diet who sensibly avoids coming face-to-face with a piece of chocolate cake will find it hard to control himself if the chocolate cake somehow finds him... When faced with abundance, the brain's ancient reward pathways are difficult to suppress. In that moment the value of eating the chocolate cake exceeds the value of the diet. We cannot think down the road when we are faced with the chocolate cake.”” [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human brains evolved for scarcity, making modern abundance like chocolate cake hard to resist, undermining self‑control. **In simple terms:** Our ancient brains struggle with modern excess. Key Takeaway Design environments that limit temptations. Themes biology abundance self‑control Mood analytical thoughtful Type psychological practical When to use this quote - dieting - consumer behavior - marketing strategies Key Concepts neuroscience behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - How does scarcity shape your choices? - What strategies help you resist excess? A Different Perspective Abundance can overwhelm rational decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abundance Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance-brain-2846523/) [Beings Neurologically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-neurologically-2846524/) [Brain Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-ancient-1513230/) [Brain Evolved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-evolved-409277/) [Chocolate cake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chocolate-cake/) [Human brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-brain/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Value Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-eating-2846525/) ## Related quotes > [The possibility that empathy resides in parts of the brain so ancient that we share them with rats should give pause to anyone comparing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/the-possibility-that-empathy-resides-in-parts-of-the-brain-so-ancient/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [Working out the social politics of who you can trust and why is, quite literally, what a very large part of our brain has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/working-out-the-social-politics-of-who-you-can-trust-and-why-is-quite/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“the brain evolved a built-in negativity bias. While this bias emerged in harsh settings very different from our own, it continues to operate inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-hanson/the-brain-evolved-a-built-in-negativity-bias-while-this-bias-emerged/) [Rick Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-hanson/) > [The mammalian brain evolved exquisite place memory because that was essential for survival. This is why squirrels have such a good memory for where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/the-mammalian-brain-evolved-exquisite-place-memory-because-that-was/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Time is an abstraction which, on earth, exists only for the human brain it has evolved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/time-is-an-abstraction-which-on-earth-exists-only-for-the-human-brain/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [One of the primary reasons why the human brain has evolved to look so far into the future is so that we can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goldstein/one-of-the-primary-reasons-why-the-human-brain-has-evolved-to-look-so/) [Daniel Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goldstein/) > [“Our surmises regarding the subtle functions of neural processes within the brain are profoundly constrained by the fact that the brain did not evolve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/our-surmises-regarding-the-subtle-functions-of-neural-processes/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [The human brain has evolved the capacity to impose a narrative, complete with chronology and cause-and-effect logic, on whatever it encounters, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/the-human-brain-has-evolved-the-capacity-to-impose-a-narrative/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [Don't we introduce time as a means of becoming more evolved? The brain has evolved but is there evolution inwardly? Can the brain dominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/don-t-we-introduce-time-as-a-means-of-becoming-more-evolved-the-brain/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I believe that the brain has evolved over millions of years to be responsive to different kinds of content in the world. Language content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gardner/i-believe-that-the-brain-has-evolved-over-millions-of-years-to-be/) [Howard Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gardner/) > [It's fine to eat dessert when I want to eat dessert because that will give me the peace of mind I need. I'll know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-mendes/it-s-fine-to-eat-dessert-when-i-want-to-eat-dessert-because-that-will/) [Camila Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-mendes/) > [“The little things we value as mundane or pithy usually turn into the big things in hindsight…an “I love you” called out as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/the-little-things-we-value-as-mundane-or-pithy-usually-turn-into-the/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [Resisting a beautiful chocolate cake or a wonderful foie gras is as difficult as (the idea of) saying no to Paul Newman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/resisting-a-beautiful-chocolate-cake-or-a-wonderful-foie-gras-is-as/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [“What did you do?" said Charles. "You know that night all our shoes went into the hall," said Nirupam. "Well, we had a feast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/what-did-you-do-said-charles-you-know-that-night-all-our-shoes-went/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [Happy Birthday To Me,I just turned twenty three(23),I want a new Puppy, And I'll name it Julie:) Chocolate cake anyone all I have leftover,,,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/happy-birthday-to-me-i-just-turned-twenty-three-23-i-want-a-new-puppy/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) ## More by Michael Lewis > [“Crucial decisions are made, today as thousands of years ago, in terms of the intuitive guesses and preferences of a few men in positions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/crucial-decisions-are-made-today-as-thousands-of-years-ago-in-terms/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“You saw someone who reminded you of you, and then you looked for the reasons why you liked him. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/you-saw-someone-who-reminded-you-of-you-and-then-you-looked-for-the/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“At other places management says, ‘Well, gee, fellas, do we really want to bet the ranch on this deal?’ Lewie was not only willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/at-other-places-management-says-well-gee-fellas-do-we-really-want-to/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“BILLY WOULD SAY later that his wife left him because she was unnerved by his intensity—that she could even see it in his hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/billy-would-say-later-that-his-wife-left-him-because-she-was-unnerved/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [There was but one question he left unasked, and it vibrated between his lines: if gross miscalculations of a person's value could occur on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/there-was-but-one-question-he-left-unasked-and-it-vibrated-between/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“The author refers to a player's affected nonchalance and comments he is, "too young to realize you are what you pretend to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-author-refers-to-a-player-s-affected-nonchalance-and-comments-he/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A banking system is an act of faith: it survives only for as long as people believe it will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/a-banking-system-is-an-act-of-faith-it-survives-only-for-as-long-as/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [Some coaches believed they could judge a player's performance simply by watching it. In this they were deeply mistaken. The naked eye was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/some-coaches-believed-they-could-judge-a-player-s-performance-simply/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“No longer were the prices of ordinary mortgage bonds allowed to roam inefficiently, for they were now linked to the CMO market, in much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/no-longer-were-the-prices-of-ordinary-mortgage-bonds-allowed-to-roam/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“The difference between Strauss and Ranieri?” says one trader still at Salomon. “That’s easy. Strauss wouldn’t stoop to use the men’s room on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-difference-between-strauss-and-ranieri-says-one-trader-still-at/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“The only inexplicable aspect of the process was that economic theory (which is, after all, what economics students were supposed to know) served almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-only-inexplicable-aspect-of-the-process-was-that-economic-theory/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“It's not easy to stand apart from mass hysteria - to believe that most of what's in the financial news is wrong, to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/it-s-not-easy-to-stand-apart-from-mass-hysteria-to-believe-that-most/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“Dont worry about where i am , i'll let you know when i get there .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/dont-worry-about-where-i-am-i-ll-let-you-know-when-i-get-there/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [“Someone out there was using the fact that stock market orders arrived at different times at different exchanges to front-run orders from one market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/someone-out-there-was-using-the-fact-that-stock-market-orders-arrived/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) [Explore all 398 Michael Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) ## More Chocolate cake quotes > [Happy Birthday To Me,I just turned twenty three(23),I want a new Puppy, And I'll name it Julie:) Chocolate cake anyone all I have leftover,,,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/happy-birthday-to-me-i-just-turned-twenty-three-23-i-want-a-new-puppy/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [“What did you do?" said Charles. "You know that night all our shoes went into the hall," said Nirupam. "Well, we had a feast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/what-did-you-do-said-charles-you-know-that-night-all-our-shoes-went/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [Resisting a beautiful chocolate cake or a wonderful foie gras is as difficult as (the idea of) saying no to Paul Newman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/resisting-a-beautiful-chocolate-cake-or-a-wonderful-foie-gras-is-as/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [“The little things we value as mundane or pithy usually turn into the big things in hindsight…an “I love you” called out as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/the-little-things-we-value-as-mundane-or-pithy-usually-turn-into-the/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [It's fine to eat dessert when I want to eat dessert because that will give me the peace of mind I need. I'll know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-mendes/it-s-fine-to-eat-dessert-when-i-want-to-eat-dessert-because-that-will/) [Camila Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-mendes/) > [“Is that … chocolate cake?” “I thought you might need some.” “Need, not want?” A ghost of a smile was on her lips, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/is-that-chocolate-cake-i-thought-you-might-need-some-need-not-want-a/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [ “Welcome to Classic Chocolate Cake.    \[Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 35-40 minutes\] No baking recipe book, Paleo or otherwise, would be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-roberts/welcome-to-classic-chocolate-cake-prep-time-10-minutes-cook-time-35/) [Jack Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-roberts/) > [“The mood at the table is convivial throughout the meal. A dried-sausage and prosciutto plate gives way to briny sardines, which give way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-rosen/the-mood-at-the-table-is-convivial-throughout-the-meal-a-dried/) [Ali Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-rosen/) > [“There is nothing, she would think, more delicious that the icing of bought chocolate cake, eaten in the silence and privacy of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-is-nothing-she-would-think-more-delicious-that-the-icing-of/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“Grace and chocolate cake can cover a world of awkwardness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jo-baker/grace-and-chocolate-cake-can-cover-a-world-of-awkwardness/) [Lisa-Jo Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jo-baker/) > [“The images swirled through her. She needed to bake. Cake. A layered chocolate cake. With vanilla buttercream frosting. The images were as clear as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-francis-lee/the-images-swirled-through-her-she-needed-to-bake-cake-a-layered/) [Linda Francis Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-francis-lee/) > [“It’s quite simple, really. Someone offers me chocolate cake or donuts or something, I kind of black out, then come to and I’m covered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-london/it-s-quite-simple-really-someone-offers-me-chocolate-cake-or-donuts/) [Ophelia London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-london/) > [Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar, it makes you gag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-without-emotion-is-like-chocolate-cake-without-sugar-it-makes-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He’s like that one extra slice of chocolate cake, another drink when you know you’ve already had too much, a hit—just a small bump,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-waltz/he-s-like-that-one-extra-slice-of-chocolate-cake-another-drink-when/) [Vanessa Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-waltz/) > [“Kissing Jack was dangerous, like drowning in something that tasted good. He was like the artery-clogging chocolate cake she couldn’t resist, heaven in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-usen/kissing-jack-was-dangerous-like-drowning-in-something-that-tasted/) [Amanda Usen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-usen/) [Browse all 141 Chocolate cake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chocolate-cake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...[H]uman beings are neurologically ill-designed to be modern Americans. The human brain evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in an environment defined by scarcity. It was not designed, at least originally, for an environment of extreme abundance... Even a person on a diet who sensibly avoids coming face-to-face with a piece of chocolate cake will find it hard to control himself if the chocolate cake somehow finds him... When faced with abundance, the brain's ancient reward pathways are difficult to suppress. 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