I had more than a good laugh at this insightful LA Times editorial Keep your self-righteous fingers off my processed food -- latimes.com. I guess I am an elitist food snob.
Charlotte Allen does have a very good point about artisinal products being too expensive. I definitely do not want people's food to become more expensive. I simply want the federal government to stop subsidizing the same crops that are contributing to the obesity epidemic (among other things) in this country.
Here are my thoughts as a product designer...
It's great that we have a lot of affordable products to choose from. The problem with too many cheap goods is that there are just too many of them and it's spreading this culture of cheapness. Living life cheaply, especially if you don't have a choice about it, is sad and demeaning and worst of all, it's infectious. You would never want to be hired by somebody just because your cheap? So why is it OK for China to exploit their population for cheap labor? I HATE that armies of overseas workers are wasting their lives toiling in factories to make loads of cheap crap for me. I wish they had more fulfilling work to do!
As a manager...
looking at the landscape of America right now, there is absolutely no reason why more states can't have more thriving, sustainable agriculture. This argument that people like Alice Waters are elitist is silly. One shouldn't need to live in Berkley, CA to enjoy perfect produce. It just takes planning. There is no reason that New jersey cannot truly be the Garden State. The real problem, I think, is that most people don't care about their food. If they stopped fixating on being cheap then then we can start talking about real sustainability for their health and the environment. I think Michael Pollan & Alice Waters are visionary.
Personally...
Asking me to accept without criticism the bounty of cheap food in the US right now is like asking a lung cancer patient to breathe second hand smoke simply because he is the minority. Not to mention it would be ignorant of any educated person to ignore the environmental impact of our agricultural system right now. I don't want to eat cheap food. Especially because I know better but mostly because I like feeling good thanks. I've never been on a diet in my life and I still get carded because I look about 18 years younger than I am. Cooking for me *is* entertainment, I do it better than most professional cooks, and I don't need some cheap-ass company cutting costs on my meals! My burgers & fries are hands down better than any restaurant burger, anywhere, and made from scratch are almost as inexpensive as Mac Donalds.
Call me an elitist snob but I don't want to hear your whining about food in 20 years when it's no longer feasible to export dinner from thousands of miles away. At the very least people like Charlotte Allen won't get invited to my fabulous dinner parties any time soon.
Charlotte Allen does have a very good point about artisinal products being too expensive. I definitely do not want people's food to become more expensive. I simply want the federal government to stop subsidizing the same crops that are contributing to the obesity epidemic (among other things) in this country.
Here are my thoughts as a product designer...
It's great that we have a lot of affordable products to choose from. The problem with too many cheap goods is that there are just too many of them and it's spreading this culture of cheapness. Living life cheaply, especially if you don't have a choice about it, is sad and demeaning and worst of all, it's infectious. You would never want to be hired by somebody just because your cheap? So why is it OK for China to exploit their population for cheap labor? I HATE that armies of overseas workers are wasting their lives toiling in factories to make loads of cheap crap for me. I wish they had more fulfilling work to do!
As a manager...
looking at the landscape of America right now, there is absolutely no reason why more states can't have more thriving, sustainable agriculture. This argument that people like Alice Waters are elitist is silly. One shouldn't need to live in Berkley, CA to enjoy perfect produce. It just takes planning. There is no reason that New jersey cannot truly be the Garden State. The real problem, I think, is that most people don't care about their food. If they stopped fixating on being cheap then then we can start talking about real sustainability for their health and the environment. I think Michael Pollan & Alice Waters are visionary.
Personally...
Asking me to accept without criticism the bounty of cheap food in the US right now is like asking a lung cancer patient to breathe second hand smoke simply because he is the minority. Not to mention it would be ignorant of any educated person to ignore the environmental impact of our agricultural system right now. I don't want to eat cheap food. Especially because I know better but mostly because I like feeling good thanks. I've never been on a diet in my life and I still get carded because I look about 18 years younger than I am. Cooking for me *is* entertainment, I do it better than most professional cooks, and I don't need some cheap-ass company cutting costs on my meals! My burgers & fries are hands down better than any restaurant burger, anywhere, and made from scratch are almost as inexpensive as Mac Donalds.
Call me an elitist snob but I don't want to hear your whining about food in 20 years when it's no longer feasible to export dinner from thousands of miles away. At the very least people like Charlotte Allen won't get invited to my fabulous dinner parties any time soon.
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