I can understand salt as it's such a simple and effective flavor enhancer, but how pepper get paired with it to be the go to basic seasoning?
More can always be written, but this discussion might be of interest: "I understand the hostorical importance of salt, but how did black pepper get to be so common?" by /u/Flubb and /u/yodatsracist . It's from the FAQ section "Food seasonings" .
This is not to discourage discussion. More questions, data, and debate are welcome.