Although I had not thought of food as pop culture before, after the class discussion today and more recognition of it, I can now see how the empire permeates the entire food industry.
Yesterday at the dining halls, there were many vendors presenting their various foods in order to have us vote and hopefully be chosen to be featured in our dining halls. This was a very interesting experience. As soon as I walked into Commons, I could feel it in the air, something different: competition. Admittedly, I was drawn in. The smells, the sights, the sounds - it brought me into a new atmosphere, and rather than going to line one, picking what looked the most tasty and sitting down with my plate and drink, I skipped the like and headed straight to the booths that were giving away free food. Quickly I realized I would not be able to carry everything that was given out, and I grabbed a tray - for the first time this year. I also had no problem grabbing as many samples as possible, even some milk (I don’t even like milk). It was not until I was sitting down that I realized how much I had actually taken, most of which I ended up not eating, and how much trash it generated. It was fun, but...
But how? How did these vendors suddenly make me want to take more, eat more, consume more?
But is it worth it? Is all of this interesting food worth the trash, trans fat, and harm to the environment?
But - we fell for it. There was a line at every table, we all ate it, we all talked about it, even the nasty protein milk (which the vendor explained “isn’t even dairy until you open it, so if you put it your backpack and it warms up, you can just chill it again”)
But, there is also an alternative, which we must remember. There is a way to combat this idea of consuming without thought. We all make mistakes, but we can also all take steps.
Discussion Questions:
- Does the hype of food take away our rational thoughts of what we are eating?
- What would happen if we as a country chose a better way? Would we be able to fight the big companies that control the industry at this moment?
That is so true...And this happens more in America than Other countries..I work in the dinning hall and i sometimes am told to be the one to throw all the left over pizza away..and other stuff like rice, pie, and whatever is left goes to the trash..I couldn't handle it anymore and just ended up giving up that job because every time i threw 4-5 trays of pizza it tore my heart as i remembered the kids in my parents mission field who don't have any food to eat..except for the porridge we are able to suppply to only 200 people each time...I think this is a culture differents as well..
ReplyDeleteInteresting observations, Sam. What did this experience say about how the dining hall sees students? Do they see them primarily as consumers? Or is Calvin offering a different vision, seeing students as part of the same community as the staff at the dining hall? From your description, it seems like the former. What would it look like if it were the latter?
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