Interview 1 (Keri Ann, professional musician/mother)
Keri-Ann shared that during her "expected" pregnancy the core emotions felt were excited, joyful, and scared. Even through all the laughter she had secret worries that every expectant parent goes through. She explained "Questions always overwhelmed me, I kept on asking myself if I was ready to do a good job. I wanted to be able to provide my child the same way my mother had. Being a bit of a perfectionist(laughter), it was much harder to let fate decide the outcome of the baby".
She described the process of being pregnant as "incomparable". She would constantly have to run to the restroom to urinate, nausea changed on day to day basis, but on the other hand it helped her allergies clear up. A significant change was found in her dietary habits, she would have strong cravings for a variety of foods which often altered throughout her pregnancy. "Near the last few months and the beginning of the pregnancy was the scariest since every day was full of surprises. My feelings and emotions would fluctuate at any given time, it made me very uncomfortable".
I found Keri-Ann's perspective on pregnancy to be quite normal in our standards. Many of the responses were expected more or less with a personal twist somewhere in the middle. As far as I can tell from the interview with her, the emotional aspect of the process seems to be very generic, but the environment really sways how extremely they are portrayed. When I first asked her if the pregnancy was expected or a surprise she answered expected which I find to be a bit odd. I've heard people state that they wanted to have a baby, but was surprised to hear that they were pregnant, but Keri-Ann wouldn't consider it an unexpected birth. This didn't stand out to me much until I read over the Q&A interview sheet. I think it can be controversial depending on the parent's mentality pre-pregnancy.
Interview 2 (My Mom)
My mom had me at an age that many parents would consider old. Being a 38 year old pregnant mother, she worried about her health and ability to give birth. What motivated her through the process was the urge to bless my older brother with a sibling to grow up with. The oldest sibling of a relatively large family with 3 younger sibling, 2 sisters and 1 brother, she supposed that growing up amongst siblings would be a happier and healthier way to live. "Being an older sibling brings wonders. It teaches responsibility at a very young age, and I think it helped me advance into becoming who I am now" she explained.
At the time of my birth, she faced many conflicts, especially financial issues. Prioritizing her health and my health over everything, she decided to take it easy and refrain from working while raising my brother. She commented on the situation saying "It wasn't the smartest move to raise a second child, but putting financial issues aside, it felt right". Living in a small studio apartment in the East Village with my Dad and my brother, she thrived to find a better life for me and my brother even if she would have to work harder than ever to pay back the loans. When I asked her why she did it she responded "Even if I have to hide my emotions and stress, at least it would make life easier for my kids".
Though I've heard my story millions of times, I always find it interesting that she never talks about the physical factors of being pregnant. I think what was happening around her was too much to stop and pity herself for going through the pain of giving birth. No matter who I ask, no one shares her birth stories like my mom, possibly because it is less personal being asked by her own son. It is hard to fit my mom's story into what is normal in our culture, but I think that living for your child/children should be a norm for any parent.
Interview 3 (Nancy, girlfriend's grandmother)
Like many pregnancies, Nancy had all the typical symptoms, cravings, and worries, but the main difference in this expected pregnancy was that her husband and Nancy herself were overly expecting a male son. This did not happen of course. To make things worse, her new born girl was born sickly. "The pregnancy was easy enough considering it was my first, but what I really can't get over is how much trouble I had accepting the fact that now I would have to care for this sick baby all by myself." She went through a very depressive state at that time, where she even furthered her actions by going to a few different hospitals to see if she could abort the baby even after birth. "I was young and scared, it was my first time dealing with such a big gift and a burden all at the same time. My mother told me, 'That's life,' but unfortunately, I was the type to give up very easily over the smallest of things. I know that what I did back then was very childish of me. Like many young adults who are transitioning into adults, I felt like too many things were happening at once and was being thrown in my face."
Possibly due to the generation gap, I found this birth story to be the most unique and impacting. I always thought that unconditional love was a must, but it is quite upsetting to hear how a mother could not love her child even after birth. It seems like their relationship had grown stronger overtime, but their is still partial regret. I guess personally experiencing the possible flaws in birth at a young age can overwhelm a mother's hopes and desires. This interview was slightly depressing but highly informative and insightful.
After hearing various perspectives and stories on birth, I am inspired to focus more on differences of pregnancies through the generations in American culture.
Sunday
Wednesday
HW 34
What I find to be the most striking about birth is how controversial it is for humans, but not for other non-human animals. A necessary process that keeps the population from depleting, a natural process, but it doesn't seem that way for us people. Due to us being more "advanced" we analyze and think too much, causing us to see from various angles such as the negative aspects of giving birth. All animals give birth to contribute to the resistance of extinction, but because we are the dominant species in smarts and numbers, we have the luxury to even choose what is needed in one's life. It really tells us how much of a team player we really are. It seems like with anything natural, our goal is to take it and exploit it until we have full control.
Other than the relations between animal birth and human birth, the psychological state of the mother undergoing the process and the newborn child. What do the babies feel when they first come out? A majority of the time newborn's tend to come out of the womb crying. For me crying implicates fear or pain causing me to assume that babies might possibly be feeling fear the moment of their birth, or possibly pain from the cold temperature of the outside world. It is hard to tell what a baby is thinking, when crying is one of the few ways they can communicate with another human.
Other than the relations between animal birth and human birth, the psychological state of the mother undergoing the process and the newborn child. What do the babies feel when they first come out? A majority of the time newborn's tend to come out of the womb crying. For me crying implicates fear or pain causing me to assume that babies might possibly be feeling fear the moment of their birth, or possibly pain from the cold temperature of the outside world. It is hard to tell what a baby is thinking, when crying is one of the few ways they can communicate with another human.
HW 17
I find this to be the most interesting unit that has been explored in class so far. Theres so much depth in the topic illness and dying. Though there are social norms and such that simplifies the concept so everyone gets the fundamental ideas of life after death and the process, but I think the significance comes from the possible variety of perspectives that are affected by so many things. The variety ranges from the religious views on death which can already trigger controversy over which belief is more plausible, and obviously the individual's hopes and desires that drives their imagination of a perfect death.
It also is a very open ended topic since the experience is a one time thing, and scientific research is very limited. This leaves us space to imagine and fantasize all we want. What I would like to believe is that death is the end of everything in an individual's life. Though the thought of losing everything and being forgotten scares everyone, I'd like to see it as an sea of nothingness. Once your dead, all emotions and memory fades away leaving no regret. Though this is completely a personal thought, it also helps me cope with life knowing that once the time comes I will feel nothing.
As for the illness portion of the unit, I think it is similar to what I fear most about dying, regret. Since you are still alive, you will feel emotions, and knowing that your body is failing on you it is probably very difficult to be optimistic. Though I have not experienced any illnesses that were life threatening, I still despise the helpless and weak feeling that runs through your body. Its as if the body is beginning to decay and hope is being sucked out of your body.
It also is a very open ended topic since the experience is a one time thing, and scientific research is very limited. This leaves us space to imagine and fantasize all we want. What I would like to believe is that death is the end of everything in an individual's life. Though the thought of losing everything and being forgotten scares everyone, I'd like to see it as an sea of nothingness. Once your dead, all emotions and memory fades away leaving no regret. Though this is completely a personal thought, it also helps me cope with life knowing that once the time comes I will feel nothing.
As for the illness portion of the unit, I think it is similar to what I fear most about dying, regret. Since you are still alive, you will feel emotions, and knowing that your body is failing on you it is probably very difficult to be optimistic. Though I have not experienced any illnesses that were life threatening, I still despise the helpless and weak feeling that runs through your body. Its as if the body is beginning to decay and hope is being sucked out of your body.
Sunday
HW 11
For the past 3 days, I have experimented with my dietary habits by pursuing a very strict vegan diet. Though at first I choose it since it seemed like the most easiest way to gain a new perspective on a very different lifestyle than mine, it took much more mental discipline than I expected. I made sure the night before I initiated my new short term diet that I consumed as much meat and fatty as possible, up to the point where I would've felt the craving to eat something lighter.
I was never a very picky eater, usually devouring everything that is handed to me as long as it looked, smelled, and tasted edible. Due to my love for food, It is a bit difficult to let the things I've read in Omnivore's Dilemma and seen in Food Inc. stop me from feeling that the way food is created today is 100% necessary and is totally fine since it is keeping us full and alive. I was hoping for some sort of epiphany that might help me gain a greater realization and insight into the unit, but not much changed even after successfully completing my diet. Meat tasted just as good when I didn't know the food industry's deepest darkest secrets.
One thing I did learn from this new experience is that Ariel's aunt was correct about these dietary habits working for some but not for others. I have always been very light and easy going about the food I eat, never keeping track of whether I am eating healthy or not. Going vegan, a hardcore alteration in my daily habit put strain on me mentally since it limited my decisions. If I am ever going to pursue this again, I will make sure to build it up slowly and be smart about the whole process.
Even though it wasn't especially fun at all, I still feel that going vegan is an worthwhile experience for meat lovers like me. It seems much easier to do than it truly is. The commitment that goes into the lifestyle is horrendous from my perspective, but I can see why people still choose it. The physical benefit of it is quite interesting, I felt it even after just two days of being a vegan. I should possibly think about doing it again for a longer term, maybe around a week or two but also restrict myself from smoking as well to see any drastic changes.
I was never a very picky eater, usually devouring everything that is handed to me as long as it looked, smelled, and tasted edible. Due to my love for food, It is a bit difficult to let the things I've read in Omnivore's Dilemma and seen in Food Inc. stop me from feeling that the way food is created today is 100% necessary and is totally fine since it is keeping us full and alive. I was hoping for some sort of epiphany that might help me gain a greater realization and insight into the unit, but not much changed even after successfully completing my diet. Meat tasted just as good when I didn't know the food industry's deepest darkest secrets.
One thing I did learn from this new experience is that Ariel's aunt was correct about these dietary habits working for some but not for others. I have always been very light and easy going about the food I eat, never keeping track of whether I am eating healthy or not. Going vegan, a hardcore alteration in my daily habit put strain on me mentally since it limited my decisions. If I am ever going to pursue this again, I will make sure to build it up slowly and be smart about the whole process.
Even though it wasn't especially fun at all, I still feel that going vegan is an worthwhile experience for meat lovers like me. It seems much easier to do than it truly is. The commitment that goes into the lifestyle is horrendous from my perspective, but I can see why people still choose it. The physical benefit of it is quite interesting, I felt it even after just two days of being a vegan. I should possibly think about doing it again for a longer term, maybe around a week or two but also restrict myself from smoking as well to see any drastic changes.
Tuesday
HW 10
Due to the ever so growing food production rate, we have become forced to mass produce food through ways that oppose the natural process of growth. We have become to rely on chemicals and pesticides in order to maintain and grow our crops and animals faster and more efficiently to keep the stomach of people in America full. Though problems often come up during the process, we do not step back to understand the faults of the artificial process, but we rely on it more in order to eliminate any possible threats or conflicts that may stop the business. Instead of removing chemicals that cause the problems, we add more in order to kill them off. Real genuine farmers are being overwhelmed by the growth of industrial corporate farmers.
One thing I always like about movies over books is the visual aspect. Instead of using our "imagination" we are directly given the actual process in action right before our eyes. It came out as rather much more disturbing in the movie than just reading the book. Based off the amount of information that is given, I still find books to be much more informative and easier to look back on. Movies offer you it at a faster pace but is much easier to absorb since its audible and visual aspects help me analyze it with ease, but rereading is one of the best parts about gaining information through reading. I think Omnivore's Dilemma was a wonderfully written book with minimal biased opinions, but it was still viewed through the eyes of Pollen who obviously had judgements on what he saw. Food Inc on the other hand offered the visual in which the viewers were able to react to, but also had commentary from the author of Fast Food Nation and Omnivore's Dilemma.
Though the book and the movie both illustrated a strong sense of disgust towards the system, I feel like my mentality towards it cannot be changed. It is something we have gotten ourselves into, and also seems like the only way for the growing population to survive. We outnumber the wild animals, therefore we have to grow our own animals and crops in order for us to consume. We are no longer hunter gatherers, we have evolved into farmers. It's just farming done at a faster pace.
One thing I always like about movies over books is the visual aspect. Instead of using our "imagination" we are directly given the actual process in action right before our eyes. It came out as rather much more disturbing in the movie than just reading the book. Based off the amount of information that is given, I still find books to be much more informative and easier to look back on. Movies offer you it at a faster pace but is much easier to absorb since its audible and visual aspects help me analyze it with ease, but rereading is one of the best parts about gaining information through reading. I think Omnivore's Dilemma was a wonderfully written book with minimal biased opinions, but it was still viewed through the eyes of Pollen who obviously had judgements on what he saw. Food Inc on the other hand offered the visual in which the viewers were able to react to, but also had commentary from the author of Fast Food Nation and Omnivore's Dilemma.
Though the book and the movie both illustrated a strong sense of disgust towards the system, I feel like my mentality towards it cannot be changed. It is something we have gotten ourselves into, and also seems like the only way for the growing population to survive. We outnumber the wild animals, therefore we have to grow our own animals and crops in order for us to consume. We are no longer hunter gatherers, we have evolved into farmers. It's just farming done at a faster pace.
Sunday
7d
Chapter 17
Precis: Slaughter houses are considered to be a bit barbaric for some people. This creates controversey over whether or not it should even be allowed since animals feel pain and suffer the same way we do. To justify this process which these animals must go through, the lives of animals should be treated with respect and kindness.
Gems:“The proper measure of their suffering, in other words, is not their prior experiences but the unremitting daily frustration of their instincts" pg 310
“If possessing a higher degree of intelligence does not entitle one human to use another for his or her own ends, how can it entitle humans to exploit non-humans for the same purpose?” pg 307
Thoughts & Questions: There is always the prey and the predatore, in our case we are usually always the predator. It's very natural that one must live off the life of others and us humans being at the top of the food chain, I believe it is already justified. If you feel pity for all the animals we eat, then they should stop complaining and just stop eating them personally.
Chapter 18
Precis: We were born hunter gatherers, we have always survived off the death of other animals. Even now many of us hunt animals and enjoy feeling the power of holding up our game. Yet when it comes down to the food industry, we see how barbaric the process of mass killing is.
Gems: “Only the hunter, imitating the perpetual alertness of the wild animal, for whom everything is danger, sees everything and sees each thing functioning as facility or difficulty, as risk or protection" pg 343
“Predator and prey alike move according to their own maps of this ground, their own forms of attention, and their own systems of instinct, systems that evolved..." pg 336
Thoughts & Questions: Hunting is a process of survival for all living beings, in one way or another. The origin of our survival and existence now is killing and consuming. The process is a natural cycle, yet people who want to protect nature see killing animals as a threat. To a certain extent it can be seen as animal cruelty, but if it is in order for us to survive it still should be considered very much humane. We do the same now, but in an accelerated speed while we raise our animals.
Chapter 19
Precis: Alongside hunting, humans have access to consuming plants and in order to do so we gather. Though the process is not as physically challenging as hunting for meat, we face dangers due to lack of identification.
Gems: “For the individual human, his community and culture successfully mediate the omnivore’s dilemma, telling him what other people have safely eaten in the past as well as how they ate it" pg 372
“If the soil is the earth’s stomach, fungi supply its digestive enzymes " pg 375
Thoughts & Questions: Our current system we use to make food is way too fast paced for gathering. Instead, agriculture has adapted us into growers of what we have gathered. Based off information brought down over the years of edible plants and fungi, instead of searching for them we grow it where ever we please.
It seems though, that mushrooms are much more interesting than they seem. The lunar energy that they say mushrooms consist of seems like an appealing idea, especially as a source of energy being pulled out of a fungi. Sounds like science fiction.
Chapter 20
Precis: By creating food out of meat from animals seems cruel at first, but consuming nature is a significant bond we have with the earth. We appreciate nature through consuming it and living with it.
Gems: “Reserving the historical trajectory of human eating, for this meal the forest would be feeding us again" pg 399
“Another thing cooking is, or can be, is a way to honor the things we’re eating, the animals and plants and fungi that have been sacrificed to gratify our needs and desires" pg 404
Thoughts & Questions: I find this chapter to be very liberating and especially unbiased. Instead of bashing on our new system of processing food, it reaches into the core of what food really is and its significance. I believe Michael Pollan executed the balance very smoothly.
Precis: Slaughter houses are considered to be a bit barbaric for some people. This creates controversey over whether or not it should even be allowed since animals feel pain and suffer the same way we do. To justify this process which these animals must go through, the lives of animals should be treated with respect and kindness.
Gems:“The proper measure of their suffering, in other words, is not their prior experiences but the unremitting daily frustration of their instincts" pg 310
“If possessing a higher degree of intelligence does not entitle one human to use another for his or her own ends, how can it entitle humans to exploit non-humans for the same purpose?” pg 307
Thoughts & Questions: There is always the prey and the predatore, in our case we are usually always the predator. It's very natural that one must live off the life of others and us humans being at the top of the food chain, I believe it is already justified. If you feel pity for all the animals we eat, then they should stop complaining and just stop eating them personally.
Chapter 18
Precis: We were born hunter gatherers, we have always survived off the death of other animals. Even now many of us hunt animals and enjoy feeling the power of holding up our game. Yet when it comes down to the food industry, we see how barbaric the process of mass killing is.
Gems: “Only the hunter, imitating the perpetual alertness of the wild animal, for whom everything is danger, sees everything and sees each thing functioning as facility or difficulty, as risk or protection" pg 343
“Predator and prey alike move according to their own maps of this ground, their own forms of attention, and their own systems of instinct, systems that evolved..." pg 336
Thoughts & Questions: Hunting is a process of survival for all living beings, in one way or another. The origin of our survival and existence now is killing and consuming. The process is a natural cycle, yet people who want to protect nature see killing animals as a threat. To a certain extent it can be seen as animal cruelty, but if it is in order for us to survive it still should be considered very much humane. We do the same now, but in an accelerated speed while we raise our animals.
Chapter 19
Precis: Alongside hunting, humans have access to consuming plants and in order to do so we gather. Though the process is not as physically challenging as hunting for meat, we face dangers due to lack of identification.
Gems: “For the individual human, his community and culture successfully mediate the omnivore’s dilemma, telling him what other people have safely eaten in the past as well as how they ate it" pg 372
“If the soil is the earth’s stomach, fungi supply its digestive enzymes " pg 375
Thoughts & Questions: Our current system we use to make food is way too fast paced for gathering. Instead, agriculture has adapted us into growers of what we have gathered. Based off information brought down over the years of edible plants and fungi, instead of searching for them we grow it where ever we please.
It seems though, that mushrooms are much more interesting than they seem. The lunar energy that they say mushrooms consist of seems like an appealing idea, especially as a source of energy being pulled out of a fungi. Sounds like science fiction.
Chapter 20
Precis: By creating food out of meat from animals seems cruel at first, but consuming nature is a significant bond we have with the earth. We appreciate nature through consuming it and living with it.
Gems: “Reserving the historical trajectory of human eating, for this meal the forest would be feeding us again" pg 399
“Another thing cooking is, or can be, is a way to honor the things we’re eating, the animals and plants and fungi that have been sacrificed to gratify our needs and desires" pg 404
Thoughts & Questions: I find this chapter to be very liberating and especially unbiased. Instead of bashing on our new system of processing food, it reaches into the core of what food really is and its significance. I believe Michael Pollan executed the balance very smoothly.
Thursday
7c
Chapter 11
Precis: When the rotational grazing process is used, all of it is fully natural. The animals fertalize and feed each other without any artifical chemicals being placed into what they consume. It is the most natural way of farming animals.
Gems: "Polyface is proof that people can sometimes do more for the health of a place cultivating it rather than by leaving it alone" pg 209
"In an ecological system like this everything’s connected to everything else, so you can’t change one thing without changing ten other things" pg 213
Thoughts & Questions: How much of the US population would have to start farming if we were to take away industrial animal farming? Would it even work in such a industrialized society?
I personally think of it as wishful thinking, that maybe we can fix the world. In all honestly I think we have become too far apart from nature to form a strong bond with it once more, it's what makes us "normal humans" today.
Chapter 12
Precis: Chicken slaughtering is a process that is done periodically which makes it still more or less a job able to be done by people. Slaughtering of chickens(though they are small animals)can be very unsanitary due to the mass number.
Gems: “Slaughter is dehumanizing work if you have to do it everyday" pg 233
Thoughts & Questions: Farming has changed too much over the years. It is no longer a relationship between human and nature, it is now just like any other job. A relationship between companies and money. The reason why I say this is because the industries don't care much for the consumers, changes are made to seem like it benefits the customers but in the end it is being made to benefit the buisness. By opening up slaughterhouses to the public, it would force these companies to clean up the process and make it seem more humane. It may completely reestablish a cleaner and safer food industry.
Chapter 13
Precis: By purchasing products straight from farms, the food is much more organic and fresh. It also supports the farmer and his lifestyle of supporting communities with food. It also allows an interaction to between the consumer and the grower that is rarely done today.
Gems: "I tell them the choice is simple: You can buy honestly priced food or you can buy irresponsibly priced food" pg 243
"We can, in other words, reject the industrial omelet on offer and decide to eat another" pg 257
Thoughts & Questions: Though this can't be done or I guess I should say won't be done by 100% of the population in the US, but it offers a chance for people to hop off the bandwagon and try something new and better in the sense of quality of food. It also supports the farmers that refuse to industrialize their buisness. It may be more expensive and limited, but after viewing the way animals are raised and slaughtered, If I had the chance to buy from a local farmers market or from a supermarket, I would be much happier and safer purchasing straight from the farmer.
Chapter 14
Precis: By feeding animals corn, we changed the natural system of both the animals and humans. For years we continued to feed on grass fed animals who offer much more nutrients resulting in healthier people. Such sudden alterations and forced evolutions of what people consume can lead to bad and lethal results as we see today.
Gems: “When chickens get to live like chickens, they’ll taste like chickens, too" pg 271
"we evolved to eat the sort of foods available to hunter-gatherers, most of whose genes we’ve inherited and whose bodies we still (more or less) inhabit" pg 267
Thoughts & Questions: The rapid growth in human population forced agriculture which led to industrialization of society. Though it does not mean we are bad people, we just created it in order to survive the change was too sudden. I believe the biggest change was not technology but agriculture. Once we stopped becoming hunter gatherers and became farmers we lost a significant mentality of what it means to live.
Chapter 15
Precis: Unlike all the hidden secrets we have today within the food industry, when we were hunter gatherers there were no secrets. It is immpossible to revert to the old method, but it is very crucial that we let people view the process of creating food.
Gems: “So even if we wanted to go back to hunting and gathering wild species, it’s not an option: There are far too many of us and not nearly enough of them" pg 279
Thoughts & Questions: Have we exploited the industrial system too much, or was it necessary for our survival?
Chapter 16
Precis: As humans we have choices in what we eat, since we are the top of the food chain. Though we have the meantality of "choice" it causes stress and confusion. Due to confusion society has created an unchangebale what to eat and what not to eat guideline that limit our acess to the large variety of foods.
Gems: “Cooking, one of the omnivore’s cleverest tools, opened up whole new vistas of edibility" pg 293
“The blessing of the omnivore is that he can eat a great many different things in nature. The curse of the omnivore is that when it comes to figuring out which of those things are safe to eat, he’s pretty much on his own" pg 287
Thoughts & Questions: I find the freedom of the omnivore is very nice since I enjoy food and its choices. Though the human mind is so complex that we are pressured by these decisions, with these strengths that not many other animals have there is always a side effect. If you were given the choice of taking out the omnivore's dilemma from your head would you? Do you believe life would be much easier?
Precis: When the rotational grazing process is used, all of it is fully natural. The animals fertalize and feed each other without any artifical chemicals being placed into what they consume. It is the most natural way of farming animals.
Gems: "Polyface is proof that people can sometimes do more for the health of a place cultivating it rather than by leaving it alone" pg 209
"In an ecological system like this everything’s connected to everything else, so you can’t change one thing without changing ten other things" pg 213
Thoughts & Questions: How much of the US population would have to start farming if we were to take away industrial animal farming? Would it even work in such a industrialized society?
I personally think of it as wishful thinking, that maybe we can fix the world. In all honestly I think we have become too far apart from nature to form a strong bond with it once more, it's what makes us "normal humans" today.
Chapter 12
Precis: Chicken slaughtering is a process that is done periodically which makes it still more or less a job able to be done by people. Slaughtering of chickens(though they are small animals)can be very unsanitary due to the mass number.
Gems: “Slaughter is dehumanizing work if you have to do it everyday" pg 233
Thoughts & Questions: Farming has changed too much over the years. It is no longer a relationship between human and nature, it is now just like any other job. A relationship between companies and money. The reason why I say this is because the industries don't care much for the consumers, changes are made to seem like it benefits the customers but in the end it is being made to benefit the buisness. By opening up slaughterhouses to the public, it would force these companies to clean up the process and make it seem more humane. It may completely reestablish a cleaner and safer food industry.
Chapter 13
Precis: By purchasing products straight from farms, the food is much more organic and fresh. It also supports the farmer and his lifestyle of supporting communities with food. It also allows an interaction to between the consumer and the grower that is rarely done today.
Gems: "I tell them the choice is simple: You can buy honestly priced food or you can buy irresponsibly priced food" pg 243
"We can, in other words, reject the industrial omelet on offer and decide to eat another" pg 257
Thoughts & Questions: Though this can't be done or I guess I should say won't be done by 100% of the population in the US, but it offers a chance for people to hop off the bandwagon and try something new and better in the sense of quality of food. It also supports the farmers that refuse to industrialize their buisness. It may be more expensive and limited, but after viewing the way animals are raised and slaughtered, If I had the chance to buy from a local farmers market or from a supermarket, I would be much happier and safer purchasing straight from the farmer.
Chapter 14
Precis: By feeding animals corn, we changed the natural system of both the animals and humans. For years we continued to feed on grass fed animals who offer much more nutrients resulting in healthier people. Such sudden alterations and forced evolutions of what people consume can lead to bad and lethal results as we see today.
Gems: “When chickens get to live like chickens, they’ll taste like chickens, too" pg 271
"we evolved to eat the sort of foods available to hunter-gatherers, most of whose genes we’ve inherited and whose bodies we still (more or less) inhabit" pg 267
Thoughts & Questions: The rapid growth in human population forced agriculture which led to industrialization of society. Though it does not mean we are bad people, we just created it in order to survive the change was too sudden. I believe the biggest change was not technology but agriculture. Once we stopped becoming hunter gatherers and became farmers we lost a significant mentality of what it means to live.
Chapter 15
Precis: Unlike all the hidden secrets we have today within the food industry, when we were hunter gatherers there were no secrets. It is immpossible to revert to the old method, but it is very crucial that we let people view the process of creating food.
Gems: “So even if we wanted to go back to hunting and gathering wild species, it’s not an option: There are far too many of us and not nearly enough of them" pg 279
Thoughts & Questions: Have we exploited the industrial system too much, or was it necessary for our survival?
Chapter 16
Precis: As humans we have choices in what we eat, since we are the top of the food chain. Though we have the meantality of "choice" it causes stress and confusion. Due to confusion society has created an unchangebale what to eat and what not to eat guideline that limit our acess to the large variety of foods.
Gems: “Cooking, one of the omnivore’s cleverest tools, opened up whole new vistas of edibility" pg 293
“The blessing of the omnivore is that he can eat a great many different things in nature. The curse of the omnivore is that when it comes to figuring out which of those things are safe to eat, he’s pretty much on his own" pg 287
Thoughts & Questions: I find the freedom of the omnivore is very nice since I enjoy food and its choices. Though the human mind is so complex that we are pressured by these decisions, with these strengths that not many other animals have there is always a side effect. If you were given the choice of taking out the omnivore's dilemma from your head would you? Do you believe life would be much easier?
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