Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” is problematic. He identifies key food issues we face today and their causes. This is important, but his supposed ‘solutions’ are subpar at best. He pushes for individualized effort, but just like many other issues we face currently, the issue of food has become systemic, so individual efforts will have little to no effect. … Read more »
Images of genetically good looking people surrounded by (unhealthy) food that promises “fitness” is the epitome of how dysfunctional the Western diet is. I used to watch Fabio’s ‘I can’t believe it’s not butter!® ’ commercials all the time when I was little. No matter what channel I was watching, I could always expect an appearance from the hunky… Read more »
Industrialized Food and the Problem of Supermarkets While farmer’s markets and community gardens may be on the rise in U.S. cities, the vast majority of U.S. households still buy their food from chain supermarkets and supercenters, regardless of income level. Supermarkets provide a fast and accessible way to satisfy your hunger – one twenty minute trip can provide everything from… Read more »
My previous understanding of the holistic consequences of the Western diet was drastically challenged by Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food. Specifically, Pollan argues that analyzing the Western diet in terms of the chemical compounds of separate nutrients does not fully represent the habits and norms of the food culture itself. Often, the harmful effects of the tendencies of Western… Read more »