I find it difficult to self-categorise. The Substack is a scattered map. Each post appears to examine something different. But together they reveal a coherent project: To increase man’s authorship over the conditions of his existence.

I recently started chewing on wooden sticks. Here’s why: One of the most underrated tools for oral health (inexpensive and has existed for thousands of years) - Neem chewing sticks Similar to Miswak but with far more effective gum protection & antibacterial qualities Poor oral health correlates with chronic inflammation, cognitive decline, periodontal disease, halitosis, gum recession, tooth loss, altered facial aesthetics, dysbiosis, looking like a British chimney sweep etc It’s evident by now that a healthy mouth is more than a dental issue Neem contains bioactive compounds including nimbidin, azadirachtin, nimbin, quercetin and various polyphenols with demonstrated antimicrobial activity against organisms implicated in plaque formation and gingival disease. Studies have shown neem extracts inhibit Streptococcus mutans, one of the primary bacterial species involved in dental caries. Clinical trials have reported reductions in plaque index and gingival index comparable to chlorhexidine-based interventions. A prepared neem stick frays into hundreds of fine fibres. Those fibres create a large brushing surface while simultaneously delivering phytochemicals directly into the gingival margin. The chewing process increases salivary flow. Saliva contains calcium, phosphate, bicarbonate, antimicrobial peptides and growth factors involved in enamel remineralisation and oral tissue maintenance. Modern humans consume dramatically softer foods than most ancestral populations. Jaw development is influenced by mechanical loading throughout development. regular chewing (through neem sticks) introduces mechanical work into an environment characterised by soft diets and minimal oral effort. The result is a tool that simultaneously: • Mechanically disrupts plaque • Delivers antimicrobial compounds • Stimulates salivary flow • Massages gingival tissue • Increases oral mechanical activity • Improves breath quality • May reduce gingival inflammation A surprising amount of modern optimisation consists of rediscovering interventions that survived centuries of selection pressure before we had the vocabulary (or reason) to explain why they worked.

The pursuit of longevity relies upon the assumption that more years means more life. More years does not mean more life. A week spent fully awake contains more life than a decade of mechanical existence. In most cases, an extended life span just means a prolonged interval between birth and death. You won’t be defined by how long you ‘occupied’ reality You will be defined by the extent to which reality was forced to acknowledge your existence