Part 2/11:
For most of human existence, our ancestors thrived as hunter-gatherers, focusing solely on immediate needs. Their economies were centered on the here and now—harvesting what was available, hunting game, and gathering edible plants. There was little emphasis on future planning because survival depended on mastering the land's resources day-by-day.
This lifestyle, it turns out, is highly efficient and sustainable when resources are abundant. Hunter-gatherers possessed remarkable skills in harvesting and hunting, living with relative ease compared to later societies. While climatic shifts and genetic bottlenecks suggest periods of hardship, broadly speaking, their way of life was straightforward and well-adapted to their environment.