The Tall & Short of It

Article 38, Assignment 10

Is what we eat really a factor in how tall we are or does genetics play a part in the equation. In The Tall and the Short of It, Barry Bogin leads us to believe it is a mixture of both. He gives us argument supporting his thesis and it is sound argument. Mr. Bogin explains that humans have plasticity which enables us to grow to our surroundings and with what is available to us. Mr. Bogin down plays the importance of genes however, though he does give them a nod.

Mr. Bogin states on page 185 that the way to stop pygmies from being pygmies is to immigrate them to the U.S. but really is it that simple? I would argue not. Though the pygmy cultures may see an increase in height due to the better health and foods provided in the U.S. one would think these people would still remain on average smaller than there new U.S. counter parts or how else could we continue to call there original cultures pygmies. Wouldn’t they just be mal-nourished if they grew to average height once established in the U.S.? This would mean we would have to discontinue the use of the word pygmy in reference to their original culture. The continued use of the word gives meaning the culture really does have a genetic disposition to being shorter than average.

I would be interested to hear what Mr. Bogin has to say about my family, being how we are either short (below 5’5”) or tall (over 6’). My brother and I being a prime example of this, we grew up in the same house eating the same things and yet he is 6’4” while I am 5’3”. Mr. Bogins argument would have me to believe that somehow I didn’t get as much nourishment as my elder brother. I argue that this just could not be since we had the same diet growing up and were exposed to the same environment. Genes have to be a factor in this. This is not to say that Mr. Bogin doesn’t include genes in the equation, it just shows there is room for variance in the equation of height.