Illusion: A Forgotten Feeling

We usually feel nausea when we are about to eat something we don’t like, but sometimes we can also feel nausea about an idea or lifestyle. Is nausea possibly a cultural thing?

We don’t talk much about nausea, even though it’s one of the basic lessons. When we want to eat something but notice an unpleasant odor, we automatically decide to throw it away. The same thing happens when we smell something unpleasant in the kitchen and automatically know that something is spoiled and we need to throw it away to protect our health. 

Do you remember the last time you felt nausea? How did you feel? Was it related to food? Did you try that food again? Would you be able to eat an insect? Do you think the nausea you feel about certain things is a cultural thing?

Nausea has been present in our lives since we were young. That’s why it’s important to know what’s behind this feeling. Sometimes there is something more lurking behind the nausea, like the way we experience the world. Let’s take a closer look at this.

When do we feel nausea?

We feel nauseous when we eat something contaminated or are close to it. Nausea is an adaptive reaction that prevents us from damaging our health in certain situations. But this feeling can also arise from a thought that makes us nauseous. Behind this feeling, then, lies the intention to avoid being contaminated with lies.

For example, when we open the fridge ready to eat a tasty slice of watermelon and find it half-spoiled, we just throw it away. Its pollution told us that it could make us sick. Another example is when we want to pour milk into coffee but smell something sour when we open the can. This results in us pouring the milk down the drain.

The awful appearance and smell of many foods tell us that it is best for us to throw them away rather than eat them as they can make us sick. In the same way,  we can consider nausea as an adaptive feeling that protects us from harmful situations.

According to various studies, nausea is related to the brain island. Injuries to this structure prevent a person from both experiencing this feeling and recognizing it in others.

Is there nausea about culture?

The feeling of nausea can vary between cultures. Despite the fact that it is a feeling that helps us avoid harm, it is true that certain things are culturally dependent. For example, some foods can cause nausea despite their non-toxicity. But it is important to note that this feeling is accompanied by its characteristic facial expression, which can be seen in people who are blind from birth. In addition, it has a typical physiological, psychological, and behavioral response.

For example, the Spanish national dish is paella, which contains shrimp. Although this food is considered delicious in Spain, very few Spaniards would be excited about the idea of ​​eating a plate of locusts. In some countries, however, insects are a real delicacy, just like paella in Spain.

Some recipe can taste delicious to one and terrible to another, even within the same country. Snails are a clear example of that. This feeling therefore also depends on the person’s own personality and the upbringing he or she receives.

It is true that there are many basic things that tend to make us feel nauseous, such as a disgusting smell, but it is important to consider the influence of culture. Depending on our culture, we may feel more or less nauseous about something.

Ideological nausea

Experiencing this feeling will no doubt help protect us from toxicity. But this feeling transcends food. Many people also express the feelings they feel about another culture, race, religion, and country, among other things.

Some people find other ideas toxic to themselves. They think those ideas can damage their beliefs or life in general. Such nausea promotes, for example, racism and xenophobia. If we consider other races and people to be toxic, we will fight them and avoid them.

According to the results of a study by Paul Rozin, a psychologist dedicated to studying this feeling, nausea is a fight against events that make us remember our animal nature.

Rozin and his colleagues pointed out that while nausea is a defense mechanism derived from the avoidance of spoiled food, it has gradually been separated from these elements. So we can feel nauseous when someone breaks our moral rules.

Moreover, according to these researchers, the fact that we feel nauseous towards people who express racism, beaters or other negative behavior may mean that we protect human dignity within the social order. What do you think?