HW 5 - Dominant Discourses Regarding Contemporary Foodways in the U.S.

             When one thinks about contemporary foodways in the U.S., one often finds them self thinking of health, be it their own, or that of the masses. Why do we jump to the topic of health? It's the dominant discourse regarding foodways of the United States. Who says so? Definitely not us, we're no corporate public relations rep, or a nationally recognized doctor. We simply observe from the sidelines. What is a discourse? In lamens terms, it's a discussion. It's a discussion where the topic at hand is thoroughly analyzed, and is, well, discussed. A 'dominant' discourse, is the discussion crafted by the people who lead that discourse, and then that becomes the socially accepted way of discussion on the topic. 

             The dominant discourse of food, is more often than not, about health. It's a constant struggle. Like anything else in life, it's a cycle, a never ending cycle. A doctor or scientist, (or anyone else who has a million degrees just to tell you that you're fat) will release a study saying that this food has this much trans fat and ups your chance of obtaining heart diseases, or this food is so awesome, it has fiber, whole grains, it was pulled from the dirt, and not put through a shitload of machines (it tastes like shit, but that's ok, it's good for your colon!). Then after that study is released, good old McDonalds put's pressure on the marketing department, and the guys who 'engineer' the food, to make some new thing that screams hip, modern, and healthy, so long as it doesn't cost over 5 cents to make. So, you can see the discourse. McDonald's or any other fast food giant, will claim their products are healthy, while doctors will claim otherwise. Regardless of the discourse however, people will continue to buy into both 'healthy' foods and the 'unhealthy' foods.

             Why do we take food so seriously? Because it's one of the three things we need to survive. Water, food, shelter. So something that is essential to human survival will hold more of an audience than anything else. We care about what we put into our bodies, because there's a standard that one must live up to. There are seldom people in the world who are 100% happy with their appearance, and everyone is always trying to change something. And what you eat can have a huge effect on that appearance. Pay attention to what people say about food, because regardless of what you may think, it is relevant to your life. 

HW 4 - Your Families' Foodways

In Ireland, when my parents were growing up, everything they ate was healthy. My father’s family owned a farm; so every day they would eat 100% homegrown food. Their meat was fresh, their milk was fresh, vegetables, fruit, and everything was homegrown. As for my mother, her father had a vegetable garden, so her diet was heavily based around homegrown vegetables. They never ate fast food, or any of the processed foods that have now become commonplace in the modern diet. They both claim that ate way healthier then, than they do now. And are positive that they ate healthier than I do now. I don’t disagree whatsoever.

Their practices in eating were heavily based around the family aspect. They always ate together around the dinner table, lively with discussion. My mother was made to come home everyday from school during lunch to eat at home. The idea of a family meal is very strongly enforced.  Our ideas about food differ a lot, my parents believe in eating healthy, and I don’t really care.

HW 3 - Food - Fast Food Insights and Green Market Realizations

        The Green Market in Union Square is a hot spot in New York for organic goods, it's constantly bustling with people. It has a lot for people trying to go 'healthy'. But, the real question is, Can it compete with the fast food chain McDonald's? That has a location directly across the block. I think not.
        McDonalds, or any fast food establishment for that matter, is indeed fast food. You can grab a burger that's ready to eat and far cheaper than the free range beef sold across the street.
        McDonald's' speed is a huge factor in attracting patrons. But it does lack the health factor, the organic hype that is growing by the day. These two places are similiar in one way however, the lie to sell. The "wild" arugala in the green market was not wild, only the seeds were, but saying that they're "wild" just sounds better. McDonald's lies too.They put up a front that they're doing good things for the world, ie Ronald McDonald House Charities, while I don't doubt that they are truthfully helping people, they're food probably leads to more cholestrol and heart problems than any other. But they do however have a response to the health-conscious wave, they have a line of fruit smoothies that seem healthy, and they also have salad options.
        The people I talked to were from the meat market, and didn't have nice things to say about McDonald's. One man working at the 'Free Range Beef' stand commented on the chain's treatment of livestock "They fatten them up [with hormones], while we let our cows roam free without adding hormones"
This has been a topic of controversy, not only surrounding McDonalds, but the fast food business in general.
        Personally, I do prefer McDonalds, when you have somewhere to go you can't dilly-dally in the green market admiring the natural organic produce, nor am I willing to spend that type of money. I can just as easily grab lunch or breakfast in McDonald's in a matter of seconds or minutes, spend half as much money, if not less, and not have to cook it. The health factor is huge, but is it really worth that amount of time and money? I don't think so.

Post #1: HW 2 - FOOD - INITIAL THOUGHTS

Jay McCarthy

FOOD

Initial Thoughts

        Food is not just something we need. There’s a whole sociology surrounding it. People eat this and then depending on who they are, where they come from, and who they WANT to be. When we were hunter gatherers and such, we’d just kill animals and eat them. Simple as that. 

        Cause and effect have changed the way we eat and the way we think about what we eat and how we eat. Such as the supply and demand for beef and chicken. Population over the past few decades has grown substantially, so the demand for food is higher, which leads to the mistreatment of animals and the use of hormones and such, which then leads to the demand for organic goods and vegetables. Which will then lead to cost cutting, thus continuing the cycle of food, and the controversy surrounding it. For such a seemingly simple thing, there are a lot of problems that come with it.