This is a question oft asked of me when I have the opportunity to present my research in Gnarples. The problem is that I truly have no precise answer. That is not to say that there is not answer, indeed, the truth is quite the opposite. There are many answers, none more correct than the next.
To clarify, Gnarpology is what I do. I study the gnarple. Gnarplism is more esoteric. It tries to apply the role of gnarples to the context of every day lives. I am wary of calling it a form of religion, or even a belief structure. I can outline how it works, but sociologist and colleague Dr. Whitney Richardson is the expert.
The most common form of Gnarplism is the recognition that the gnarple has a profound
role in the operation of the human body and a developed appreciation for this role. The way this appreciation is communicated varies wildly. For some, it is included in their daily prayers. Gnarplism is not inconsistent with the beliefs of Christianity. For others, the appreciation isn’t so tangible. One does not “appreciate” the lungs, but at the same time, each person is thankful for their existence. There is an extreme form of Gnarplism, essentially fundamentalism Gnarplism. These fundamentalisms espouse the idea that the gnarples are to be cherished and “shown” the appreciation. That means committing awkward contortions that test the gnarples, then massages that then show the gnarple that person is willing to bear some of the load.
This is a dangerous idea, for it could actually lead to the swelling of the gnarples. While the gnarples naturally change shape and grow from time to time, and size is not entirely indicative of the level of pain inflicted, I have found a correlation. Professional athletes often have massive gnarples for the first years of their career. Then drugs are used to temper some of the pain. This is helpful to some extent because the gnarples are not taxed so greatly.
Problems arise when the drugs are used for extended periods of time Drugs that reduce swelling like Ibuefrofin are fine. Morphine is not. The gnarples lose their ability to properly respond to pain. If the morphine is stopped abruptly, the gnarple can swell up to the size of a tire. The size isn’t visible because of the spongy nature of the gnarple and its ability to exist outside the skin. Cortisone shots are also dangerous because they result in a near complete numbings. Gnarples have been known to die in patients where cortisone was used too often.
A separate form of Gnarplism is the belief that gnarples positively affect decision-making. This is wholly unproven, but certain foods have been shown to improve gnarple efficiency, such as pickles and zuchinni bread. I suspect this has something to do with the chemical changes resulting from the preparation processes. The belief that gnarples improve brain function likely comes from the ability to focus better since the pain is reduced.
A third form of Gnarplism is the belief that gnarples are the existence of God within the body. In this case, some believe that high level of pain are a test by God of ones true faith.
This is obviously just a cursory glance at what Gnarplism is. It has nothing to do with the reality of Gnarpology, but some beliefs are strongly founded in reality. I hope that more information on this subject can be conveyed in the future.