Be Less Human by Dr. Zhuang Yang – A Heterochromatic Looks at the Human Condition

“How to be Less Human” by Luanne Oakes, PhD would be good for your diet if you can resist the temptation to eat it in one day. Ms. Oakes, a former certified nutritionist and registered dietitian, has been researching the relationship between nutrition and the body for the past twenty years. Through her research she has determined that there is an apparent link between a person’s proximity to environmental toxins such as air pollution and stress, and their susceptibility to chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In her new book, “How to Be Less Human”, she provides a comprehensive guide on how to eat healthy on a limited budget. While her basic information may not apply to everyone, anyone with a keen interest in eating healthier will benefit from her advice.

One of the most surprising and eye-opening chapters in this slimming down book is the chapter titled “The World Without Fear”. Ms. Oakes examines the ramifications of living a life where everything is acceptable, and not only acceptable, but revered. Humans are social animals, and when we walk into another human’s world, we expect them to be equally behaved as we are. However, the world becomes a very different place when humans interact with each other. This results in a tension and a sense of distrust that often leads to the elevation of one’s own negative traits, such as superiority, cruelty, anger, and jealousy.

This chapter explores the ways to reduce these negative traits through self-compassion, yoga, meditation, education, and writing. All of these techniques are designed to counter the “human condition”, and show how these deficiencies can be corrected and overcome. The tone of this book is very conversational, yet Dr. Oakes delivers her message with the assured manner of a professional researcher. If you want to know how to be less human, this book provides a unique perspective on the human condition that I don’t see anywhere else.