Why people identify happiness with food?

[Skyward]

^

When people eat together it releases a 'bonding hormone' or the 'We're more like friends now' hormone.

Or like the great philosopher Ugg Buggzugg said: 'Gur muk kork Gur moo' "We share food, we friends"

 

[GargoylesLegacy]

Oh, this is definitely a Thread for me.
Kay, so let me tell you, that when I was in my Teen Years I used to do "Comfort Eating" due to many many Problems in my Surroundings, "Family" and much other Things. (No, I dun want Pity or Anything, I just wanna tell you where I "know" the Stuff from that I will say in a Sec)
I ate a lot, because it did comfort me. The Reasons are / were pretty simple:
Sugar for Example makes you feel hyper and the sweet Taste makes "your World look brighter". Carbohydrates are known to "take away Fear" and Stuff like Fat can support those Things, since it is a so called "Flavor Carrier".
Food is one of those Things that can activate your "Reward-Center" in your Brain. That is why Food can be linked with Happiness.
So far for my Experiences.

 

[Skyward]

From what I find, I only get pleasure from eating if it tastes good AND I was hungry first. Even then I don't eat for the pleasure of it, and eat only enough to not be hungry for a while.

I can see where people associate food with comfort/pleasure though. (I associate it with base needs that continue survival. Like preferring warm over hold/hot or just shying from discomfort in general)

 

[FDG]

Because they find the taste of food pleasurable. It's tautological, yes, but individual preferences are...individual for a reason.

 

[Dali]

why hasn't anyone brought up the connection between food and social functions?

Often, when people go out with thier friends they get something to eat (or drink and then eat...) and at different family and holiday functions there's always food. Most happy occasions in human life are marked by food!

Like my association between standardized tests and food, most people just associate a warm feeling of happiness and friendship with food.

A sociologist friend once told me that a study was done where various social gatherings (e.g. outdoor activities... etc. I forget the rest) were 'tested' and and researchers found that the most effective way people bonded was over a meal. I concur.

EDIT: I just noticed Skyward had already posted something similar. My bad.

 

[Giggly]

Why people do that?

To me it looks like that more S and F you have you are more likely to think/feel this way. But I could be wrong.

For example: my mother asks me

She "Do you want ice cream"

Me: "No I don't"

She(confused):"Why don't you want to be happy?"

Me:About what you are talking about?

If you ask me this are probably the remains of tribal sociaty. We could even say society before 20. century.

In my life I have admited few times to some people that I don't create this link and every time my words created same kind of shock?

I am aware that by starting this thread I look like someone who is looking for attention.
So if someone thinks that. I can only say that I am really fuc*** up as the thread suggests.


So, why people link food and happines?

I am digging up this one since someone maybe has something to say.

To answer your question, I will give you two sets of answers so that you can pick what you like.

*********

Trying to get along mode(mask mode) :

1. When we eat food it engages at once both of our chemical senses, which are the sense of taste and smell.

2. It is the sense of smell, rather than taste, that makes us feel happy or sad or any other emotion.

3. Our sense of smell (also called Olfaction) is the only sense that goes directly to the limbic system, bypassing the cerebral cortex, the intellectual part of the brain, where as the other senses must register with the cortex before entering other parts of the brain.

4. Read about the limbic system here: Limbic system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

***************

Real me(I am not joking) :

When we eat we also smell our food too and it's the smells that comes from foods that makes us happy. The sense of smell (olfaction) was one of the earliest senses to arise in evolution and is well developed in animals. Olfaction is the process of the brain perceiving odor through the limbic system, and in humans and animals, olfaction evokes emotional reactions that can also result in strong behavior changes.

The limbic system is where our memories, instincts and vital functions are controlled and processed. Most memories are connected to smell -- flowers that grew in your yard as a child, the smell in your grandmother's house, chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, etc.The scent of a fresh rose can bring pure pleasure, while the smell of rotten fish or eggs can bring a nauseating reaction. Odor messages are one of the fastest ways to achieve psychological or physiological effects.

The sense of smell mostly acts on a subconscious level though, which is why you can't quite pinpoint why smells or foods you eat may make you happy. Now if you are suggesting that you never have emotional reaction from smells, regardless of the type of smell, then I'm not really sure why that is.

 

[SolitaryWalker]

Why people do that?

To me it looks like that more S and F you have you are more likely to think/feel this way. But I could be wrong.

For example: my mother asks me

She "Do you want ice cream"

Me: "No I don't"

She(confused):"Why don't you want to be happy?"

Me:About what you are talking about?

If you ask me this are probably the remains of tribal sociaty. We could even say society before 20. century.

In my life I have admited few times to some people that I don't create this link and every time my words created same kind of shock?

I am aware that by starting this thread I look like someone who is looking for attention.
So if someone thinks that. I can only say that I am really fuc*** up as the thread suggests.


So, why people link food and happines?

People identify happiness with anything that evokes positive emotion, especially on a profoundly unconscious level. Our ancestors, ever since monkeys derived positive sentiment from eating. Thus, a positive sentiment has been associated with food on a profound level. Secondly, our personal experiences have led us to believe that food leads to positive sentiment. We associate food with happiness because we associate food with positive sentiment on a deeply unconscious level.

 

[Dali]

The sense of smell mostly acts on a subconscious level though, which is why you can't quite pinpoint why smells or foods you eat may make you happy. Now if you are suggesting that you never have emotional reaction from smells, regardless of the type of smell, then I'm not really sure why that is.

If you have anosmia, you're pretty much screwed, eh?

 

[Anja]

Here's a crass thought:

I still have a sneaking suspicion that, sexual urges aside, men's obsession with mammaries dates tosubconscious memories of being warm, fed and comforted.

I know. I know. Bless Frood's warped little brain.

So does it then follow that men who say they aren't obsessed with bewbs (prpl's word) were formerly infants whose moms screamed at dad while they breastfed? Heh.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Hmm I see that you are still under impresion of a particular thread. I will raise that one from the dead also. (since it is not finnished)
But your analogy is good.


I am not suggesting that it never happend to me that smell caused some kind of emotion or memory but it looks to me that this trait is much weaker in me then in people around me.
I can sense smell without problem but I don't get excited over it.

First thing that is to be blamed for this is probably my F/T raito.

 

[Anja]

Hmm I see that you are still under impresion of a particular thread.

Most observant, Anti!

 

[01011010]

Do get me wrong I eat normaly (3 main meals a day) it is just that I don't link that to any joy.

Same here. Food is fuel. That's it.

People may see food as an emotion because food is usually the centerpiece of celebrations for the majority.

 

[booyalab]

To me it looks like that more S and F you have you are more likely to think/feel this way.

Yes. One thing I've noticed about my mom, the lone sensor in my family, is that she's the only one who wants to talk about what or where we should eat next time right after we've just left the restaurant. Everyone else objects and acts like they're going to vomit, but she still does it. She's not even overweight or anything. I think sensors are more likely to get excited about the prospect of food.

 

[ewomack]

I'm afraid of my food. At least since I had a diet-related health scare. After all the ingested goo was removed from my diet and the doctors put their probes here and there and... there... my health returned quickly. Now I have a negative Pavlovian reaction to certain foods. Even seeing them on the shelves, safe in their boxes, makes my innards twinge... whew...

 

[blanclait]

correct me if i'm wrong but
aren't sensors more likely to cope stress by physical means, eg food? i think i read that somewhere. (fat ceo STJ's )
i enjoy certain food, but its not that gratifying. i feel its more the occassion than the food itself.

I too don't get when people are obssessed about food in caf.