In class Professor Litfin committed several days over the past few weeks to contemplative practices— ex. the raisins and the chocolates. Contemplation is something we don’t really think about nowadays in our society. This chance Professor Litfin provided in class was actually something that really spoke out to me. These processed food products are everywhere and are easy to find. However, never have I actually took the time to think about the food that we put into our mouths. It was a really special and different experience for me to actually think about the food and break down to its fundamental components. We were given raisins and had to put it in our mouths and not chew on it. We were to enjoy the savory components and the texture of the raisins. Professor Litfin then showed us an evolution video of the grape and raisin industry. Never have I thought about the process of how our food came to be, it surprised me that something so small and simple had to go through so much to just be in the stores around us. Not only that, the way technology revolutionized the industry, how they completely changed the way of harvesting and producing the product also surprised me.
Now over the last few weeks, I’ve actually paid more attention to the food that I’ve consumed. Before, to me, a simple raisin was merely just a snack. We take these things for granted and don’t really pay attention to them. Now as I look at it, it is much more. It incorporates man power, water, fertilizer, transportation, etc. It actually takes a significant amount of work and energy to get the snack into my hands. This makes me reconsider the things I purchase and more importantly allows me to contemplate on what I consume.
Response 2
Hi Kevin,
I like how you pointed out that we often take for granted the food we eat every day. This is so true-we have become so detached from the sources of food and the labor behind each snack or meal that it becomes alarming when we realize just how much we take for granted. I liked where you point out that it takes man power, water, fertilizer, transportation and other means of production to even create a single raisin! Each lecture that we’ve had this quarter has shed light on another aspect of the global commodity chain, production networks and political influences on the food that we eat. Sometimes, for me at least, it becomes an easy decision such as “yes, I’ll stop eating meat” or “I’ll stop buying non fair-trade products”, that arise when in lecture or when reviewing the readings. But I’ve found that its during contemplation practices specifically where I really feel a deep understanding of the material, and also a resulting sense of hopelessness or conflict as well. These are the moments where I can look into myself and see the person I am in relationship to food and to the environment. It seems like you’ve had a similar experience and you’ve even begun to pay more attention to the foods you’re consuming. I encourage you to think systematically and with Gaia theory as well. To think about the food that you eat not only in terms of the main elements of agriculture such as man power, fertilizer, water, etc, but also in terms of the soil and the complex microorganisms that make the soil and the air around us and all other parts of the environment as well. If you think about it, everything in this world is connected through years of biological history, considering that energy is neither created nor destroyed. For me, this results in an even deeper appreciation of the food that I eat, and subsequent conflict when I realize how much I take for granted.