TIL that eating dirt was common in the U.S. South until the 80s. People ate a handful a day, often seasoned with vinegar and salt.

Wudi@feddit.uk · 4 days ago

TIL that eating dirt was common in the U.S. South until the 80s. People ate a handful a day, often seasoned with vinegar and salt.

Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org · 2 days ago

The cause of the cultural behavior usually has a purpose though.

Yeah, but not necessarily one that is still relevant or even ever actually worked towards whatever goal there originally was. Cultural inertia is like that.

So it probably at some point had a purpose, but that purpose (whatever it was) might or might not apply any more or even be total nonsense.