Some of the arguments reduce to simple observations of generic, widely known human motives, so much so that they become unfalsifiable. Others, such as the idea we get too much medical care to signal we’re being well taken care of by our allies, are just implausible and ignore a wide variety of closely associated behaviors that don’t fit that theory—like the widespread phenomenon of “self-medicating” with vitamins and alternative remedies, a $40 billion industry, or other diet and lifestyle practices that signal a preoccupation with *self*-care. Or consider the fact that people often both conceal important medical problems or discuss them endlessly with anyone who will listen. There’s always an ad hoc explanation that can account for opposite tendencies, but it’s hard to know how seriously to take them.
Review from The Elephant in the Brain →