Depends on what you step in...
Actually, all joking aside, the best reason to wear substantial shoes is to prevent injury and possible fatal infection.
If people with little toes and delicate feet wore shoes, they may have reduced their chances of dying of complications from a relatively minor foot injury and selectively survived better to pass on their genetic traits.
In my glory days, I could -run- down a gravel lane and not even wince.
My parents always made sure to keep my tetanus shots up to date because it was much easier than keeping me properly shod...:)
True, though the eeew factor helps to reduce some of the schkooshing in good. As I said in another one of my posts, I wore shoes to swim in mucky bottom lakes. ;o)
Actually, all joking aside, the best reason to wear substantial shoes is to prevent injury and possible fatal infection.
You are correct.
If people with little toes and delicate feet wore shoes, they may have reduced their chances of dying of complications from a relatively minor foot injury and selectively survived better to pass on their genetic traits.
Strong toes would also get this benefit. Shoes enter a population & puts weak toes on equal footing with strong toes.