For my project i chose an experiential study. I decided to become a vegetarian for 48 hours because it is a topic i felt was discussed in the unit a lot. At first my parents were against it, in middle eastern culture meat is very popular. My parents grew up eating lamb, beef, and chicken A LOT OF CHICKEN (when i visited egypt over the summer i had chicken almost everyday, so when i told them i was gonna be a vegetarian my mother didn't understand what it meant. After explaining it to them they weren't exactly supportive of it but understood.
The first meal i had as a vegetarian was at lunch (since i do not usually eat breakfast), i went to whole foods with Abdul. I looked around the market to find it very crowded which is when i thought to myself a lot of people must like eating healthy food. I continued walking through the store and started to see cupcakes and cookies, which threw me off a bit i assumed all the food in whole foods was just vegetables and fruits and all the stuff you think of when you imagine a healthier diet. I remember asking someone who works there why they have all these sweets and cookies and other types of unhealthy foods and he responded "we have a litttle something for everyone, eating sweets doesn't always have to be a bad thing, and eating vegetables isn't always a good thing". I was surprised, the thought never came to mind, could candy and sweets be healthy as well. I continued walking until i reached the precooked buffet area, i found a box and precided to look around. What caught my eye was the vegeterian dumplings and some salmon pasta salad. I then walked over and waited in line until i came to the counter (i noticed that the lines and registers were organized in an assembly line, which was interesting), where the man weighed my food and came out to only $6 which is much less than a subway sandwhich or some chinese food.
In class we always talk about how fast food is processed and how terribly they treat the animals and the workers and all the nasty chemicals they pump into them and i understood on an intellectual level but i don't think it affected me emotionally. After class i would still go out to lunch and get General Tsao chicken, or a burger with fries and i wouldn't think twice about what it was doing to my body. Although being a vegeterian for 48 hours probably isn't going to stop whats happening to the animals and to my fellow man (and woman), i think its the first step to helping fight whats going on.
After being a vegetarian for 48 hours i conducted my own little experiment for a day and decided to compare how i felt after being a vegetarian and after being a meatatarian. I wanted to know how it would effect my mood, my behaivior, and my energy level. I discovered that after being a vegeterian i was in a lighter mood, i was more focused and controlled. I was less cranky in the morning, and when i came into class after the first day i had much more energy (maybe a little too much). after being a meatatarian my mood completely changed i was cranky all the time, i didn't feel like talking to anyone and i definelty had less energy. I wouldn't be able to stay awake after a meal and i couldnt stay focused in class at all.
After the experiment i realized how important it is to eat a healthy diet, i felt better and i acted better. When eating an unhealthy diet life seemed less exciting. I think this experience has changed my view on the world. My initial thoughts on being a vegeterian is that it would be very strict and boring but i soon discovered that it can be exciting, i learned that like everything else if you keep and open mind anything can happen (corny but true). Next time i will hopefully get more time to explore different homemade vegeterian options. This experience was wonderful, and after being a vegeterian for 48 hours i didn't want to give it up, This has become more than just an assignment it has become a life changer, i have decided to become a full vegetarian. I love the feeling of having more energy and being in a better mood all the time. Instead of living until 60 maybe ill live until 80 or 100. After explaining all of this to my parents they decided it was a good idea and support what im trying to do.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
HW # 12
Many of the dominant social practices in our society - practices that define a "normal" life - on further investigation turn out to involve nightmares and industrial atrocities.
Argument 1:
Major claim- Unhealthy food and eating habits are becoming a very standard part of the many people's lives today.
Supporting claim- These unhealthy eating habits and food sources are causing an increase in the amount of people who are getting sick in America.
Evidence-> Obesity epidemic
Evidence-> Diabetes
Evidence-> Diabetes in children
Supporting claim- Food practices in our society continue to get worse.
Evidence-> Continued expansion of fast food restaurants.
Evidence-> Continued increases or maintenance of per capita mea.
Evidence-> Continued of corn based practices such as Fish farming
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thesis and Possible Project
Thesis 1: The nightmarish industrial atrocities of mass production are becoming more and more normal to the average person and are largely contributing to sickness in Americans.
Thesis 2: America is becoming a country that relies on fast food because of the nightmarish industrial atrocities that are integrated into our lives and seem normal.
Possible project
Thesis 2: America is becoming a country that relies on fast food because of the nightmarish industrial atrocities that are integrated into our lives and seem normal.
Possible project
- Become a vegetarian for 48 hours
- Academic paper on how halal and kosher food vs organic food
Thursday, October 21, 2010
HW 10 - Food, Inc. Response
1.
Precis-
Current food production is largely a response to the growth of the fast food industry. The production of food overall has changed more since the 1950's than the several thousand years before. Today the food production industry is controlled primarily by a handful of multinational corporations, whose goals are the production of large quantities of food at low direct costs (most often subsidized) resulting in enormous profits, which then gives these few companies a greater control over the global food supply. The health and safety of the food itself, of the animals, of the workers, and of the consumers are often overlooked by the companies, and are often overlooked by government in an effort to provide cheap food. The answer that the companies have come up with is to throw more science at the problems by pumping the animals with more and more chemicals. The Global food source is in danger but can be saved with more resposibility on behalf of the major companies like tyson that control this food.
2.
Although the movies was based on the book there was alot in the movie that you couldn't get from the book. The movie (obviously) had visuals which gave you more of a real feeling when seeing what was happening, it is similar to when someone tells you something, but you never really understand it until you see it with your own two eyes. An example of this was the chicken slaughter, in the book i did read about it and i understood it but when i saw that scene in the movie i had a much more intense feeling of sadness and remorse. The movie could show you the way that these large companies treated these workers and how the treated the animals that you and i eat. The book however offered a more depth idea of what is going on. The movie generalized a lot of what was happening and didn't touch upon many specifics while the book was more of a first person view on what is going on, an exmaple of this was the final chapter where michael pollan gave a very emotional evaluation of his experience.
3.
The thoughts that are still with me is why hasn't the government done anything about this. I feel like the men we put in office aren't as concerened with this as we are even thought they eat the same food that we do. I also want to know if those in charge of these large companies eat the food they produce and if not what do they eat. The feeling that dominates me is anger. I want to know how they can treat the animals and workers the way they do and how could i let them put all this disgusting food into me. I almost feel betrayed by this country, the fact that the governement can talk about serving us the people and keeping us safe than go right around and feed us such unhealthy produce. This country has cast an illusion on us, telling us that we are "land of the free", when sure we are free to vote for our president and choose where to live but not to choose who makes our food (don't get me wrong i love this country it just seems unfair that these companies are essentially poisoning us and there is nothing we can do about it).
Although i am upset, i have accpeted the fact that this is what is happening and realized that the only way to avoid eating this bad food is to change who grows it by either growing it myself or buying from a green market or whole foods. The truth is maybe it is our fault. We have chosen to be oblivious to this, we assumed that there was nothing wrong and that was wrong. We should have investigated this situation much earlier. Im not saying not to trust them i am simply saying why trust them when you can know for sure.
Precis-
Current food production is largely a response to the growth of the fast food industry. The production of food overall has changed more since the 1950's than the several thousand years before. Today the food production industry is controlled primarily by a handful of multinational corporations, whose goals are the production of large quantities of food at low direct costs (most often subsidized) resulting in enormous profits, which then gives these few companies a greater control over the global food supply. The health and safety of the food itself, of the animals, of the workers, and of the consumers are often overlooked by the companies, and are often overlooked by government in an effort to provide cheap food. The answer that the companies have come up with is to throw more science at the problems by pumping the animals with more and more chemicals. The Global food source is in danger but can be saved with more resposibility on behalf of the major companies like tyson that control this food.
2.
Although the movies was based on the book there was alot in the movie that you couldn't get from the book. The movie (obviously) had visuals which gave you more of a real feeling when seeing what was happening, it is similar to when someone tells you something, but you never really understand it until you see it with your own two eyes. An example of this was the chicken slaughter, in the book i did read about it and i understood it but when i saw that scene in the movie i had a much more intense feeling of sadness and remorse. The movie could show you the way that these large companies treated these workers and how the treated the animals that you and i eat. The book however offered a more depth idea of what is going on. The movie generalized a lot of what was happening and didn't touch upon many specifics while the book was more of a first person view on what is going on, an exmaple of this was the final chapter where michael pollan gave a very emotional evaluation of his experience.
3.
The thoughts that are still with me is why hasn't the government done anything about this. I feel like the men we put in office aren't as concerened with this as we are even thought they eat the same food that we do. I also want to know if those in charge of these large companies eat the food they produce and if not what do they eat. The feeling that dominates me is anger. I want to know how they can treat the animals and workers the way they do and how could i let them put all this disgusting food into me. I almost feel betrayed by this country, the fact that the governement can talk about serving us the people and keeping us safe than go right around and feed us such unhealthy produce. This country has cast an illusion on us, telling us that we are "land of the free", when sure we are free to vote for our president and choose where to live but not to choose who makes our food (don't get me wrong i love this country it just seems unfair that these companies are essentially poisoning us and there is nothing we can do about it).
Although i am upset, i have accpeted the fact that this is what is happening and realized that the only way to avoid eating this bad food is to change who grows it by either growing it myself or buying from a green market or whole foods. The truth is maybe it is our fault. We have chosen to be oblivious to this, we assumed that there was nothing wrong and that was wrong. We should have investigated this situation much earlier. Im not saying not to trust them i am simply saying why trust them when you can know for sure.
Monday, October 18, 2010
HW 7D
Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 17-
Precis-
Vegetarianism is more popular today than it has been, not to mention the growing populatiry of animal rights, which seems strange considering the fact that we have been eating animals for tens of thousands of years without too much concern for how ethical it is. Humans are creatures of reason and the great thing about that is reasonable creatures can find an excuse for almost anyhting, which includes eating animals or not eating animals but the bigger question is do you want to base your moral code on the natural order? Murder and rape are natural, too. Animals on factory farms have never known any other life than that; the rightest thought is that the proper measure of their suffering is not their prior experience but instead the daily frustration of their instincts. Animal suffering is a very confusing issue because we dont know whether being eaten is painful or not because we don't know what goes on in their minds, however vegeterianism is not an unreasonable response to the the reality of killing animals.
Gems-
(Page 309) "If i believe in equality, and equality is based on interests rather than characteristics, then either i have to take the steer's interest into account or accpet that i am a speciest"
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis- Hunting, its what most kids dream of, being able to venture into the woods with an rifle in your hands and seeing traces of your prey on the leaves of the tree next to you or on the ground is a very exciting feeling, it makes you a more alert person. When hunting i was mentored by Angelo who has been hunting here for years, and to be honest part of me didn't want to go but i had tried my gun out before at a shooting range in the oakland hills in which after my shoulder was aching for weeks but after i felt as if i was ready for a gun of my own (a .270 winchester). The plan was to hunt boar in the northern part of Sonoma county, driving to the spot we were going to hunt angelo kept mentioning the different spot where a pig hunt happened and it seemed that every spot had a story. During our hunting expedition we encountered a group of pigs and we slowly raised our guns to our shoulders, richard got down on one knee and did the same, i got ready to pump my gun but it was too late richard already shot and wounded one, i had not been ready to shoot and why is that, maybe it is because of my failure to have a bullet in the chamber reflected some unconscious reluctance about doing what i asked myself to do. I recieved word a moth later that angelo and i would go hunting just us this time, during this hunt i whot my first pig and the feeling i expected to feel was Remorse but i did not (not until later at least), the feeling i had was absolute joy.
Gems-
(Page 343) "My emotions were as surging and confused as the knot of panicked pigs had been on this spot just a moment before."
(Page 353) " The one emotion i expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse, or even ambivalence. All that would come later, but now, i'm slightly embarrassed to admit, i felt absolutely teriffic."
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
Mushroom foraging, obtaining this produce is almost dangerous because of how easy it is to get lost, Mushroom are prey to many creatures which is why some have developed the ability to camouflage itself. Mushrooms belong to the Fungi kingdom which are very mysterious. It is unknown why they they grow where and when they grow, the gender, or how to consistently tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous. The chemical properties of fungi are also mysterious, they can cause hallucinations and other sicknesses. Though they are mysterious foraging mushrooms is a very benificial experience to be a part of.
Gems-
(Page 380) "It was such a feeling of empowerment, to feed yourself by figuring out the puzzle of nature"
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
I have been preparing a meal for Angelo, Sue, Anthony, Richard, Judith, Isaac, and myself all week, the meal was made out of only ingredients that i had either grown, foraged, caught, or hunted. The meal included Wild Sonoma Pig, Local Garden Salad, Wild East Bay Yeast Levain, etc... Compared to the standard of my guests this meal wasn't amazing, but it was the emotion and thoughtfulness of the meal that was great. This meal shows the potential of how food can really be and the lack of fast or industrial food in this meal is a reminder of how truly pure a meal can be.
Gems-
(Page 411) "We eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and what we're eating is never anything more or less than the body of the world."
(Page 400) "Industrial and domestic, hard and soft, metal and meat: This place was a lot like Angelo himself"
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
Vegetarianism is more popular today than it has been, not to mention the growing populatiry of animal rights, which seems strange considering the fact that we have been eating animals for tens of thousands of years without too much concern for how ethical it is. Humans are creatures of reason and the great thing about that is reasonable creatures can find an excuse for almost anyhting, which includes eating animals or not eating animals but the bigger question is do you want to base your moral code on the natural order? Murder and rape are natural, too. Animals on factory farms have never known any other life than that; the rightest thought is that the proper measure of their suffering is not their prior experience but instead the daily frustration of their instincts. Animal suffering is a very confusing issue because we dont know whether being eaten is painful or not because we don't know what goes on in their minds, however vegeterianism is not an unreasonable response to the the reality of killing animals.
Gems-
(Page 309) "If i believe in equality, and equality is based on interests rather than characteristics, then either i have to take the steer's interest into account or accpet that i am a speciest"
Thoughts and Questions-
- This chapter really made me question whether or not eating organic or polyface food is as "good" as i thought. i felt as thought eating meat is an act of violence, i feel guilty for have ever eaten a chicken or a burger. What if we lived in a world where we were kept as animals in factories awaiting slaughter, would our opinions be taken into consideration and if so would someone act upon these opinions.
Precis- Hunting, its what most kids dream of, being able to venture into the woods with an rifle in your hands and seeing traces of your prey on the leaves of the tree next to you or on the ground is a very exciting feeling, it makes you a more alert person. When hunting i was mentored by Angelo who has been hunting here for years, and to be honest part of me didn't want to go but i had tried my gun out before at a shooting range in the oakland hills in which after my shoulder was aching for weeks but after i felt as if i was ready for a gun of my own (a .270 winchester). The plan was to hunt boar in the northern part of Sonoma county, driving to the spot we were going to hunt angelo kept mentioning the different spot where a pig hunt happened and it seemed that every spot had a story. During our hunting expedition we encountered a group of pigs and we slowly raised our guns to our shoulders, richard got down on one knee and did the same, i got ready to pump my gun but it was too late richard already shot and wounded one, i had not been ready to shoot and why is that, maybe it is because of my failure to have a bullet in the chamber reflected some unconscious reluctance about doing what i asked myself to do. I recieved word a moth later that angelo and i would go hunting just us this time, during this hunt i whot my first pig and the feeling i expected to feel was Remorse but i did not (not until later at least), the feeling i had was absolute joy.
Gems-
(Page 343) "My emotions were as surging and confused as the knot of panicked pigs had been on this spot just a moment before."
(Page 353) " The one emotion i expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse, or even ambivalence. All that would come later, but now, i'm slightly embarrassed to admit, i felt absolutely teriffic."
Thoughts and Questions-
- This chapter really made me feel as if i was in pollan's shoes. i could feel more of a connection with him, and maybe it was because of the fact that i have always wanted to go hunting myself. I thought it was nice to see him try something fast-paced and completely new, it really showed you the depth of his character and revealed that he is really a curious kid on the inside.
Precis-
Mushroom foraging, obtaining this produce is almost dangerous because of how easy it is to get lost, Mushroom are prey to many creatures which is why some have developed the ability to camouflage itself. Mushrooms belong to the Fungi kingdom which are very mysterious. It is unknown why they they grow where and when they grow, the gender, or how to consistently tell the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous. The chemical properties of fungi are also mysterious, they can cause hallucinations and other sicknesses. Though they are mysterious foraging mushrooms is a very benificial experience to be a part of.
Gems-
(Page 380) "It was such a feeling of empowerment, to feed yourself by figuring out the puzzle of nature"
Thoughts and Questions-
- This chapter made me think about the mushroom farmer i met at the green market in union square. She was intelligent and was very passionate about her mushrooms. She said "Mushrooms are a wonder in themselves", which at the time i didn't quite understand but after reading this chapter i did. She was saying the experience of growing and foraging mushrooms is an exciting experience. i would like to see her again and maybe go to her farm and experience it for myself.
Precis-
I have been preparing a meal for Angelo, Sue, Anthony, Richard, Judith, Isaac, and myself all week, the meal was made out of only ingredients that i had either grown, foraged, caught, or hunted. The meal included Wild Sonoma Pig, Local Garden Salad, Wild East Bay Yeast Levain, etc... Compared to the standard of my guests this meal wasn't amazing, but it was the emotion and thoughtfulness of the meal that was great. This meal shows the potential of how food can really be and the lack of fast or industrial food in this meal is a reminder of how truly pure a meal can be.
Gems-
(Page 411) "We eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and what we're eating is never anything more or less than the body of the world."
(Page 400) "Industrial and domestic, hard and soft, metal and meat: This place was a lot like Angelo himself"
Thoughts and Questions-
- This chapter was very passionate. I felt as if Pollan was very concerned with this meal and how perfect it was going to be. This meal was was not industrial so i thought it was eaten without as much woory or guilt. Pollan's experience's throughout the book really meant something and i would like to experience the same. Hopefully over the summer i can work on a farm myself or go hunting and explore what michael pollan explored and experience what pollan experienced.
Friday, October 15, 2010
HW 9 - Freakonomics Response
In Freakonomics Many different tools were used to provide us with insight on all the topics that were touched upon during the movie, however the 3 that i thought were used the most were finding evidence,asking quesitons, and evaluating the truth. Evidence was an extremely large part of this movie in fact without evidence the movie would not be as convincing as it was. The evidence although almost always statistics i felt gave the viewer more of a connection with what was going on, kepping them involved in the movie rather than just watching it. An example of evidence was during the sumo wrestling portion of the movie where the protaganists showed us that sumo wrestlers would engage in cheating each year tournaments occur to decide the rankings. All tournaments have the same structure: 15 bouts in 15 days for each wrestler, an 8-7 record provides a ranking increase of one place and a 7-8 record decreases a wrestler’s ranking by one spot. With the eighth win worth the most, a wrester going into the final with 7-7 has more to lose than one with 8-6. So if a two wrestler's with those scores fight each other the person with 8-6 would throw the fight and the person with 7-7 would win resulting in a score of 8-7 and 8-7 and both fighters would go up in ranking. The second tool they used was asking questions. An example of this would be during the name portion of the movie when they asked two scientists whether or not your name would determine your life. The protaganists also asked regular people what type of person would have what type of name (Tyrone is a more african american name while Scott would be more of a white name).The thrid tool used was evaluating the truth. An example of this was the ENTIRE MOVIE, The whole movie was about evaluating whether or not something was true. The protaganists wanted to know whether or not a name determines what kind of life you will have or if there was cheating in sumo wrestling or even if paying teenagers money would encourage them to do better school.
The source of evidence they mostly rely on is Statistics, in fact all of there arguments where based on statistics or the production of statistics. This is innovative because it gives the viewer a very new perspective on whatever subject is being discussed. It also genralizes the subject making something very large much more manageble for observation.
Freakonomics does serve as an inspriation and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices because it provides a good template on how to do so. In Freakonomics they asked a lot of questions of both scientists and regular people and did their own investigation into some subjects. In our investigation of foodways i feel that we need to ask more questions to reveal the answer and the right questions reveal the truth. These questions we pose whether to a scientist who specialize in the field or to a normal person all contribute to the larger idea of what is the truth. however non of these questions matter if we dont provide evidence. Without evidence questions and answers would be meaningless, but with evidence we can prove that our answers are right and that the questions we asked provide us that answer.
The source of evidence they mostly rely on is Statistics, in fact all of there arguments where based on statistics or the production of statistics. This is innovative because it gives the viewer a very new perspective on whatever subject is being discussed. It also genralizes the subject making something very large much more manageble for observation.
Freakonomics does serve as an inspriation and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices because it provides a good template on how to do so. In Freakonomics they asked a lot of questions of both scientists and regular people and did their own investigation into some subjects. In our investigation of foodways i feel that we need to ask more questions to reveal the answer and the right questions reveal the truth. These questions we pose whether to a scientist who specialize in the field or to a normal person all contribute to the larger idea of what is the truth. however non of these questions matter if we dont provide evidence. Without evidence questions and answers would be meaningless, but with evidence we can prove that our answers are right and that the questions we asked provide us that answer.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
HW 7C
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 11-
Precis-
Joel Salatin's farm is independent. He keeps the farm natural by being as uninvolved as he possibly can. He allows the farm to do only what it can handle and for the farm to use its own resources to preserve itself. There isnt a need for many machines or anything that can pollute because of the self preservation like an ecosystem so there is not much pollution. Since the production amount is so high there is no need to worry about how its going to keep itself preserved.
Gems-
Gems-
"I asked Joel how much food Polyface produces in a season, and he rattled off these figures: 30,000 eggs, 12,00 broilers, 800 stewing hens, 50 beeves (representing 25,00 pounds of beef), 250 hogs (50,00 pounds of pork), 800 turkeys, 500 rabbits."
Thoughts and Questions-
Thoughts and Questions-
- If Joel got more involved in his farm would it become less productive and less natural?
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 12-
Precis-
If there is one aspect of farming that everyone including farmers don't like, it is slaughtering. The slaughtering of animals we eat usually takes place behind closed doors, Joel Salatin insists on slaughtering his own chickens and would slaughter his other animals if he could however under an old federal exemption, farmers are still permitted to process a few thousand birds however most other animals must be processed in a state federally inspected facility. Working with Joel in the slaughter house really brought to my attention how much the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) biases its rules towards large processing plants. Joel Salatin believes that slaughtering of his chickens is almost ritualistic, when i stepped away form the killing area Joel came up to me and said that slaughter is dehumanizing work if you have to do it everyday in fact Temple Grandin, the animal handling expert who's helped design many slaughterhouses, has written that it is not uncommon for full-time slaughterhouse workers become sadistic.
Gems-
"You have just dined, and how ever scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity."
Thoughts and Question-
- Reading this chapter made me realize that farming is not all beautiful and that the chicken i had for lunch or the burger i had for dinner were all living creatures once that were then slaughtered and yet i still eat them without even thinking about that. (This makes me want to become a vegetarian)
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 13-
Precis-
The Polyface farm is a purely local farm that produces eggs, chicken, beef, pork, and other produce. It saves energy and resources, reformes the global food system and preserves what is called Relationship marketing. Polyface food costs about 1 dollar per pound which is the same as the insdustrial market's prices. Joel salatin offers would be the cheapest available if you count the hidden costs (enviornment, water pollution, antibiotic resistance) which is why Allan Nation (the editor of the Stockman Grassfarmer) states that a buisness cannot be half industrial and half artisanal.
Gems-
(Page 240) "Don't you find it odd that people will put more work into choosing their mechanic or house contractor than they will into chosing the person who grows their food?"
Thoughts and Question-
- Joel's thoughts on citites surprised me but what really surprised me is his brothers thoughts on Joel's efforts to prevent the evil in the world from spreading. It was almost like he no longer believes in what joel is trying to do.
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 14-
Precis-
I gathered goods from the Polyface farm so i can make dinner for a family whose friendship i have valued for many years. I slow roasted two chickens, made a souffle, and prepared a salad and corn. This meal was very nutritous and of much better quality. This meal was not a result of genetic breeding, feeding corn to animals, using pesticides or chemicals, or keeping organisms from being themselves and being natural.
Gems-
(page 273) "But souffle has a spiritual sense, too, as in the breath of life (in English the word "spirit" comes from breath), which seems fitting, for isn't the souffle as close as cookery ever comes to elevating matter into spirit?"
Thoughts and Questions-
- This chapter was paticularly good because it made me really appreciate the way meals are prepared and how the way the animals are treated could affect the meal (not to mention how hungry it made me). When you know ingredients are truly pure with no chemical involved and you see the time and energy spent in preparing the meal it gives the meal a more honest feeling. i am hoping to try and prepare a meal like that sometime soon.
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 15-
Precis-
I decided to create a meal out of the shortest possible food chain (this includes foraging, hunting, and growing food myself) which would be a very beneficial learning experience for me. I was hoping to experience the feeling of killing another creature and being directly connected to other natural systems, of preparing and consuming a meal in full consciousness of what is involved. However because of my lack of knowledge in these aspects and my recent move this endeavor became more difficult. With the help of a hunter education course and of my friend, Angelo, i will achieve my goal; in the meantime i am satisfied with with observing what is and isn't edible looking in nature.
Gems-
(Page 278) "She made it sound like it wouldn't take much for a kid to get himself killed snacking in the woods"
(Page 280) "Somehow I doubted I would feel quite at home stalking game in the woods, but it was reassuring to think that in doing so I would be contesting only my upbringing, not my genes"
Thoughts and questions-
- This chapter really gave me insight into Michael Pollan's true character. It Revealed his inner child which was more likely to want to eat form the fruits of his labor than a grown man. Many Children would be intrigued by the idea of living in the forest and surviving with nothing but your two hands and feet, i know i would love too.
- Pollan has many child like qualities like his curiosity and questions everything which is very endearing, and not only does he have these qualities he uses them in his approach to everything.
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 16-
Precis-
Humans are very unique bread of creature and have a very unique set of eating tendencies and habits. Humans have a very large brain relative to their stomach size (your eye is larger than your stomach), which is an effect requiring a varied diet in addtion food selection, and sensory capabilities.Humans also require food that is not just good to eat, but culturally pleasing, ethical, affordable, or even popular; generally, we decide if a food is "good to eat" based on taste, and social acceptance. Americans wonder why other countries so often succeed in being healthy without an obsession with food. Other cultures consistently feast upon combination's of foods that are nutritious like eating soy sauce with rice, and maintain customs like eating only what is cooked at home.
Gems-
(Page 288) But rats and humans require a wider range of nutrients and so must eat a wider range of foods, some of them questionable. Whenever they encounter a potential new food they find themmselves torn between two conflicting emotions unknown to hte specialist eater, each with its own biological rationale: neophobia, a sensible fear of ingesting anything new, and neophilia, a risky but necessary opennness of new tastes"
Thoughts and Questions-
- It is our evolved traits that once kept us alive and healthy that now doom us to things such as diabetes and obesity. Our tendency for favoring sweetness once helped us find good sources of substainance is now causing health issues while we stil tend to avoid bitter foods which causes a lack of vegetables and important nutrients in our diet. it is our own development that has hurt us.
- We humans have an incerdible ability to adapt to new situations and enviornments so why dont we adapt to this one.
Monday, October 11, 2010
HW 7B
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 6-
Precis-
Today the obesity epidemic has spread over the entire United States. In the early 19th century Americans began drinking more than ever which lead to the purchase of corn whiskey, a cheap and superabundant drink. David Wallerstein served on the board of directors on at McDonald's, but in the fifties and sixties he worked for a chain of movie theaters where he came up with the idea of super sizing because of the realization that people would want to buy more popcorn and soda if it all came in one huge serving. Today the rate of type 2 diabetes and obesity is higher than ever and this is because of energy dense foods becoming the cheapest foods in the market.
Gems-
(Page 105)"They don't want to look like gluttons"
(Page 105)"Going for seconds make people feel piggish"
Thoughts and questions-
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 7-
Precis-
Most people today eat industrial meals, whether it's pizza hut, KFC, McDonald's or even homemade food prepared from ingredients bought at the supermarket. Healthier items on the menu gives people an excuse for going to these fast food places "But mom, you can get the salad..." is what a child who wants to eat fast food could say, in fact one in 3 kids eat fast food every day. Fast food is comfort food to many people, in fact scientists say that fast food gives you a jolt of carbohydrates and fay,which is now believed to relieve stress and cathe teh brain in chemicals that make it feel good. Most of the foods in McDonald's and other fast food chains contain something in common, which is a dependance on many ingredients containing corn and other (sometimes toxic) synthetic ingerdients.
Gems-
(Page 110) " The Marketers have a term for what a salad or veggie burger does for a fast-food chain: Denying the Denier. These healthier menu items hand hand the child who wants to eat fast food a sharp tool with which to chip away at his parents' objections."
Thoughts and Questions-
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 8-
Precis-
Grass, what we see as the beautiful soft pillow of nature is not always the reality of it, most farms in america do not have the grass we all know and love. Joel Salatin however is one of those very few farmers that still holds on to that beauty by having an organic farm where every organism plays a role and helps with the productivity of the farm. Most farms in america even those that are considered to be organic do not have such a dependence on nature to keep them running. The idea of being organic is not taken seriously by other farmers which is why they can claim to be organic but still not shift to using organic methods.
Gems-
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 9-
Precis-
Many food brands advertise that they are organic an even give great stories about where there products come from, but today the counter culture has becoming more attached to the less accurate definitions of organic. Being organic is very controversial because of the dangers that could come with being organic, for example chickens are defensless and very vulnerable to infection ane yet the fedral rules say an organic chicken should have access to the outdoors. Both organic and non organic foods have there differences but it is not always organic food that has a better difference, Taste for example a freshly picked conventional produce is bound to taste better than and organic produce that has been riding in a truck for 3 days, however not all organic food makes a difference, yes an animals feed affects how it will taste but whether that feed is organic or not doesn' really make a difference.
Gems-
(Page 142) " If i were a dictator determined to control the national press, Organic Gardening would be the first publication i'd squash because it's the most subsersive. I believe that organic gardeners are in the forefront of a serious effort to save the world by changing man's orientation to it, to move away from the collective, centrist, superindustrial state, toward a simpler, realer, one-to-one relationship with the earth itself."
Thoughts and Questions-
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 10-
Precis-
Grass is a very classic part of american culture whether it is mowing the lawn or feeding it to the cows. Grass is especially important to grass farmers like Joel Salatin. Joel calls his pastures the "salad bar", and for his cows this is a major source of food. Grass farming is a relatively new part of american agriculture that has begun a practice referred to as "Management-intensive grazing" which is periodically moving livestock to fresh paddocks, to allow pastures to re grow. Grass is a healthier source of food for cows than corn is but is used less even though a well managed patch of grass captures more solar energy and therefore produces more biomass than a cornfield and this is because industrial agriculture is cheaper and more convenient.
Gems-
(Page 203) "The farm and the family comprised remarkably self-contained world, in the way I imagine all American farm life once did."
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
Today the obesity epidemic has spread over the entire United States. In the early 19th century Americans began drinking more than ever which lead to the purchase of corn whiskey, a cheap and superabundant drink. David Wallerstein served on the board of directors on at McDonald's, but in the fifties and sixties he worked for a chain of movie theaters where he came up with the idea of super sizing because of the realization that people would want to buy more popcorn and soda if it all came in one huge serving. Today the rate of type 2 diabetes and obesity is higher than ever and this is because of energy dense foods becoming the cheapest foods in the market.
Gems-
(Page 105)"They don't want to look like gluttons"
(Page 105)"Going for seconds make people feel piggish"
Thoughts and questions-
- Should all the foods that are contributing to type 2 diabetes and obesity be stopped from being produce any longer?
- Is it really the fault of the company's producing all these unhealthy portions or is it the fault of the consumers for choosing to buy them?
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 7-
Precis-
Most people today eat industrial meals, whether it's pizza hut, KFC, McDonald's or even homemade food prepared from ingredients bought at the supermarket. Healthier items on the menu gives people an excuse for going to these fast food places "But mom, you can get the salad..." is what a child who wants to eat fast food could say, in fact one in 3 kids eat fast food every day. Fast food is comfort food to many people, in fact scientists say that fast food gives you a jolt of carbohydrates and fay,which is now believed to relieve stress and cathe teh brain in chemicals that make it feel good. Most of the foods in McDonald's and other fast food chains contain something in common, which is a dependance on many ingredients containing corn and other (sometimes toxic) synthetic ingerdients.
Gems-
(Page 110) " The Marketers have a term for what a salad or veggie burger does for a fast-food chain: Denying the Denier. These healthier menu items hand hand the child who wants to eat fast food a sharp tool with which to chip away at his parents' objections."
Thoughts and Questions-
- Today more than ever people i am becoming more and more concerned with through what foods corn gets into my body and hopefully next time i eat corn it will be straight from the cob and not from a bag of chips.
- Why do americans not realize how much corn is infused into our lives?
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 8-
Precis-
Grass, what we see as the beautiful soft pillow of nature is not always the reality of it, most farms in america do not have the grass we all know and love. Joel Salatin however is one of those very few farmers that still holds on to that beauty by having an organic farm where every organism plays a role and helps with the productivity of the farm. Most farms in america even those that are considered to be organic do not have such a dependence on nature to keep them running. The idea of being organic is not taken seriously by other farmers which is why they can claim to be organic but still not shift to using organic methods.
Gems-
(Page 126)"Salatin is the choreographer and the grasses are his verdurous stage; the dance has made polyface one of the most productive and influential alternative farms in America".
(Page 132) "That's all the Indians ever wanted - to keep their tepees, to give their kids herbs instead of patent medicines and leeches....the Western mind can't bear an opt-out option. We're going to have to refight the Battle of the Little Bighorn to preserve the right to opt out, or your grandchildren and mine will have no choice but to eat amalgamated, irradiated, genetically prostituted, barcoded, adulterated fecal spam from the centralized processing conglomerate".
Thoughts and Questions-
- Joel Salatin isnt a go with the flow kinda guy and i respect him for that. He values his own opinions over the opinions of others and the fact that the way he lives is an extension of his worldviews really tells you that he believes in what he says.
- Joel Salatin lives by his opinions but if he had a different occupation or lifestyle would his opinions be the same?
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 9-
Precis-
Many food brands advertise that they are organic an even give great stories about where there products come from, but today the counter culture has becoming more attached to the less accurate definitions of organic. Being organic is very controversial because of the dangers that could come with being organic, for example chickens are defensless and very vulnerable to infection ane yet the fedral rules say an organic chicken should have access to the outdoors. Both organic and non organic foods have there differences but it is not always organic food that has a better difference, Taste for example a freshly picked conventional produce is bound to taste better than and organic produce that has been riding in a truck for 3 days, however not all organic food makes a difference, yes an animals feed affects how it will taste but whether that feed is organic or not doesn' really make a difference.
Gems-
(Page 142) " If i were a dictator determined to control the national press, Organic Gardening would be the first publication i'd squash because it's the most subsersive. I believe that organic gardeners are in the forefront of a serious effort to save the world by changing man's orientation to it, to move away from the collective, centrist, superindustrial state, toward a simpler, realer, one-to-one relationship with the earth itself."
Thoughts and Questions-
- Why is it that organic food is not taken as seriously as it should be by americans today.
- I feel as if even though organic foods are becoming more and more popular fast food is not becoming less popular and in fact the proof of this is the obesity epidemic and the rise of type 2 diabetes.
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 10-
Precis-
Grass is a very classic part of american culture whether it is mowing the lawn or feeding it to the cows. Grass is especially important to grass farmers like Joel Salatin. Joel calls his pastures the "salad bar", and for his cows this is a major source of food. Grass farming is a relatively new part of american agriculture that has begun a practice referred to as "Management-intensive grazing" which is periodically moving livestock to fresh paddocks, to allow pastures to re grow. Grass is a healthier source of food for cows than corn is but is used less even though a well managed patch of grass captures more solar energy and therefore produces more biomass than a cornfield and this is because industrial agriculture is cheaper and more convenient.
Gems-
(Page 203) "The farm and the family comprised remarkably self-contained world, in the way I imagine all American farm life once did."
Thoughts and Questions-
- Could the reason that farmers don't feed there cows grass is because grass does not receive a subsidy check from the government?
- If grass did receive a subsidy check what would happen to corn?
HW 8 - Growing Our Own Food
Growing the sprouts was a very unsatisfying task at first, however as i began to see the progress that the sprouts achieved it was terrific (until i realized that was the only progress they would make). After a while the sprouts began to stop growing, which really hurt my morale and made me feel like the sprouts were more of a pesky task and less of the adventure they were at the beginning. My mother has a small garden on the balcony of our apartment and so im used to watching seeds not flourish into what you are hoping they will be but i have also seen the growth of beautiful flowers so i have felt that sense of pride and accomplishment when you give life to something by yourself through your sweat and effort, and it is a very humbling feeling. When attempting to grow the sprouts i came to the realization that its is a sacred event and americans have forgotten that. Plants are living organisms and so when you are growing them your giving life to something and people have forgotten this too. Although the sprouts did not fully grow they were surprisingly tasteful. I put them on a roast beef sandwhich and i actually enjoyed it.
 |
| Roast beef and swiss cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread |
Monday, October 4, 2010
HW 7
Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma, Chapter 1-
The basic supermarket in the U.S. doesn't show itself as having very much to do with nature yet however it contains decorations of plants and animals. I question where all the meats and plants originally came from which leads me to a corn field. I then Discuss the importance and large role corn plays in what we eat and also talk about the science behind corn and how it is in almost everything we consume. I then inform the reader about how corn "Is the Hero of its own story." and that "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us." I reveal that the success of corn is almost predetermined and how corn has evolved to make farmers less dependent on themselves and more dependent on corporations to reproduce the corn.
Gems-"Is the Hero of its own story." "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us."
I address the farming aspect of corn and how that plays a role in its growth. I then discuss again the science behind corn but more so through the farming aspect which, gave it more of an agricultural perspective. I also assert that corn was a large reason for the loss of diversity in what is grown on farms today. I then talk about the economical and political side of farming and the state it has put him farmers in.
Gems- "The chickens and cattle disappeared from the farm , and with them the pastures and hayfields and fences."
Precis-
I discuss the grain elevator which is obviously and elevator that vertically transports George Naylor's corn. I talk about the process of the grain elevator which actually contains multiple types of corn heaped in one pile. I also talk about corn as a commodity and the history of it in america. I then discuss the ecnomic aspect of the farming of corn and the price each bushel is worth. I the state the part that large corporations such as Cargill and ADM play in the role of transporting corn and providing the resources that farmers need to grow the corn and also where the corn ends up when its done with its journey.
Gems-
Page 58 "If they saw dry grains of maize scattered on the ground, they quickly gathered them up, saying: our sustenance suffereth, it lieth weeping. if we should not gather it up, it would accuse us before our lord. it would say. 'O, our lord, this vassal picked me not up when i lay scattered upon the ground.Punish him!' Or perhaps we should starve."
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
Cows are given corn bushels to eat instead of grass which is their natural diet. Cows go through poor medical conditions, they are forced to inhale feedlot dust and stand in there own feces.Cows also have to be given protein and large amounts of drugs because of the corn they are being forced to eat because it sickens them. On the feedlot the cows eat until they weigh enough to be eaten.
Gems-
Page 68: "The short,unhappy life of a corn-fed feedlot steer represents the ultimate triumph of industrial thinking over the logic of evolution"
Thoughts and Questions-
Precis-
Although we produce 10 billion bushels of corn a year we eat a very little amount of it, in fact we are each only responsible for eating about a ton per year. Food processing was a blessing, we learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second which corn has been a beneficiary of. Food security a few years ago meant something completely different than it does today, much of the work today is highly secretive. Food is becoming a technology and we are moving into the 4th age of food processing where everything will contain more of whatever science has determined to be the good stuff.
Gems-"We learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second."
"In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a late-model processed food that isn't made from corn or soybeans."
Thoughts and Questions-
The basic supermarket in the U.S. doesn't show itself as having very much to do with nature yet however it contains decorations of plants and animals. I question where all the meats and plants originally came from which leads me to a corn field. I then Discuss the importance and large role corn plays in what we eat and also talk about the science behind corn and how it is in almost everything we consume. I then inform the reader about how corn "Is the Hero of its own story." and that "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us." I reveal that the success of corn is almost predetermined and how corn has evolved to make farmers less dependent on themselves and more dependent on corporations to reproduce the corn.
Gems-"Is the Hero of its own story." "Corn has succeeded in domesticating us."
- How Does the evolution of corn over time show the devolution of its self dependence?
- This chapter gave me a new perspective on the role that corn plays in my everyday life.
I address the farming aspect of corn and how that plays a role in its growth. I then discuss again the science behind corn but more so through the farming aspect which, gave it more of an agricultural perspective. I also assert that corn was a large reason for the loss of diversity in what is grown on farms today. I then talk about the economical and political side of farming and the state it has put him farmers in.
Gems- "The chickens and cattle disappeared from the farm , and with them the pastures and hayfields and fences."
- This chapter raised my awareness on the struggles of farmers today.
- Why not throw all the corn away and start to diversify what types of plants are growing on the farm.
Precis-
I discuss the grain elevator which is obviously and elevator that vertically transports George Naylor's corn. I talk about the process of the grain elevator which actually contains multiple types of corn heaped in one pile. I also talk about corn as a commodity and the history of it in america. I then discuss the ecnomic aspect of the farming of corn and the price each bushel is worth. I the state the part that large corporations such as Cargill and ADM play in the role of transporting corn and providing the resources that farmers need to grow the corn and also where the corn ends up when its done with its journey.
Gems-
Page 58 "If they saw dry grains of maize scattered on the ground, they quickly gathered them up, saying: our sustenance suffereth, it lieth weeping. if we should not gather it up, it would accuse us before our lord. it would say. 'O, our lord, this vassal picked me not up when i lay scattered upon the ground.Punish him!' Or perhaps we should starve."
Thoughts and Questions-
- Is the grain elevator the most efficient way to transport the corn?
- Why are companies involved in corn at all?
Precis-
Cows are given corn bushels to eat instead of grass which is their natural diet. Cows go through poor medical conditions, they are forced to inhale feedlot dust and stand in there own feces.Cows also have to be given protein and large amounts of drugs because of the corn they are being forced to eat because it sickens them. On the feedlot the cows eat until they weigh enough to be eaten.
Gems-
Page 68: "The short,unhappy life of a corn-fed feedlot steer represents the ultimate triumph of industrial thinking over the logic of evolution"
Thoughts and Questions-
- When Cattle are fed corn does it affect the offspring's health, the milk it produces, or the taste of the meat?
- The way they treat the Cattle gives me a disturbed feeling. My country clearly does not have any care for the cattle who give so much to us.
Precis-
Although we produce 10 billion bushels of corn a year we eat a very little amount of it, in fact we are each only responsible for eating about a ton per year. Food processing was a blessing, we learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second which corn has been a beneficiary of. Food security a few years ago meant something completely different than it does today, much of the work today is highly secretive. Food is becoming a technology and we are moving into the 4th age of food processing where everything will contain more of whatever science has determined to be the good stuff.
Gems-"We learned to salt, dry, and cure during the during the first age of food processing, and then to can, freeze, and vacuum-pack in the second."
"In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a late-model processed food that isn't made from corn or soybeans."
Thoughts and Questions-
- I am feeling as if the american society is becoming more and more a victim of its own intelligence. We continue to develop new way to make food more convenient and cheap for the stereotypical american which is always on the go and constantly in a poor person mentality and takes away from the healthiness that should be part of the american culture. Instead of eating processed food why not grow some of your own fresh vegetables and fruits and/or buy fresh groceries and cook at home.
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