You Are How You Eat

by Mark R. Vogel

Eating, one of life's most simple and basic pleasures has been transformed into a daily agony. Additionally, the person deprives them self of certain gastronomic pleasures in order to appease their oppressive internal master.

This person probably carries their self-depriving and guilt-laden proclivities into life's other venues as well.

On the contrary, the Id based person inverts the food guide pyramid and laughs in the face of death. These gluttonous individuals eat whatever they like unfettered by Puritanical trappings.

The only pangs they feel are hunger, not guilt. Food is to be brazenly enjoyed. Tomorrow they'll worry about paying the piper. Id based eaters are more likely to be epicures and savor a wide variety of foods.

They have no issues with any food source such as animals. Their position on meat consumption is eloquently demonstrated by a quote from the famous chef Anthony Bourdain: "You're slower than me, you're stupider than me, and you taste good. Now pass the salt."

Extrapolating to the world at large, these hedonistic individuals suck the marrow out of the bone of life.

Finally the Ego based eater strives for balance. They can allow themselves to indulge without guilt but do so in moderation. They tend to have few issues with food and the concerns they do have tend to be more reality based.

You won't find them boycotting veal but they know excess fat consumption will add to their girth. The Ego based individual knows the dangers of the extremes. They probably seek the same kind of balance and compromise in all they do.

Of course, people don't fit neatly and uniformly into such categories. Most individuals inevitably display an array of the three dimensions. They may be somewhat reserved in one area of their life and indulgent in another for example.

But it is probably fair to say that most of us lean one way or another. So the next time you need to assess someone's personality, such as a prospective employee or romantic partner, take them out for a meal.

Notice if they order a salad and a diet soda, the rack of lamb with a bottle of Bordeaux, or the chicken breast with one glass of white.

As for me, Billy Joel summed it up best: "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints; the sinners are much more fun."