The omnivore's dilemma

[patandchickens]

I forget who it was that said "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds"... (obviously I am not calling anyone's mind small; I'm just saying, an intelligent person need not be entirely consistent to be worth listening to)

As far as I can see, the only reason for this apparent "inconsistency" is his writerly compulsion to try to reduce things to a happy little 5 second soundbite for our dwarfish modern attention spans. (And I have no idea whether that was Pollan's idea, or his editor/publishers)

If you look at what he SAYS in the book, not just the happy little soundbite reduction of it, there is really no inconsistancy at all, as his email makes clear.

Honest, read the book.


Pat

 

[Reinbeau]

I forget who it was that said "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds"... (obviously I am not calling anyone's mind small; I'm just saying, an intelligent person need not be entirely consistent to be worth listening to)

As far as I can see, the only reason for this apparent "inconsistency" is his writerly compulsion to try to reduce things to a happy little 5 second soundbite for our dwarfish modern attention spans. (And I have no idea whether that was Pollan's idea, or his editor/publishers)

If you look at what he SAYS in the book, not just the happy little soundbite reduction of it, there is really no inconsistancy at all, as his email makes clear.

Honest, read the book.


Pat

Hear, hear!

 

[wifezilla]

I am not saying "Don't read him", just pointing out that this is one area I have an issue with him. He does provide a lot of good information, but this is one area where you may want to do additional research like I have.

 

[vfem]

Ok I have so much to say on the subject... BUT... what I think is most important is that he stood on the front lines and didn't blur the lines between what he saw, what other's say they see and what the government covey's to us.

Take out an Opinions that are there, and the facts still remain.

Personally, I don't think meat is good for you if the animal producing it is not healthy! PERIOD. Show me a grassfed, healthy non-hormone injected steer and MAYBE I will eat beef again. Honestly, at 15 I knew more them most people did because I questioned the industry. I stopped eating beef and pork. At one point I stopped poultry... but I admit I liked it and I added it back to my diet, along with fish. Now I buy free ranged or slaughter my own.

I also want to say, that anyone switching their diet because they WANT to, can... but the reality is, if we haven't changed our diet for generations back to the diet we have now... then we're just not at 100% health. If 17 generations of a tribe lived off of meat alone, I'm sure gen 18 will be fine living that way. The proof is in the steer on these feedlots. Feeding them corn they are not supposed to eat is relatively new still... we have generations of steer that will come and go long before they tolerate it well.

I think the same goes for vegan and veggie-heads. They are probably only 95% as well as they could possibly be.

Just had an arguement with my mom who thinks all this is 'made' up. She doesn't believe in global warming, she also thinks these 'feedlots' and farmers going broke selling corn is a lie. She thinks the government has our best interests in mind, and that me, my diet and this book is CRAZY!

Try growing up in that house!

So Wife, looking at your point... I agree with you, and I agree with him. I think its 2 or more views someone tried to wrap up into too short an explanation. Just like Pat said.

 

[freemotion]

Yup, I agree with all of you, mostly. I loved the book. I love that he takes the time to research and to EXPERIENCE the different "meals" that the book is based on.

If you need to agree with everything someone says in order to listen/read, you will be talking only to yourself! I love what Michael Pollan has to say, and I eat meat. I love what Weston Price taught and Sally Fallon has popularized (somewhat....with my family, at least!) but I have a few minor bones to pick with her...grass-fed, of course.

I wish everyone would read the book and see Food, Inc. The argument that most people cannot afford to eat a truly healthy diet is just a myth. We spend far less than anyone I know on groceries each month and we eat mostly great food. Our biggest issue is FINDING it. Healthy, wholefood ingredients and staples are disappearing from the stores.

If you find yourself getting bogged down in the corn section of the book, press on. If you find yourself not reading it anymore because you got too bogged down in the cornfields, skip to the next section. You simply MUST not miss the part about sustainable practices and how they are cost efficient and a modern farmer CAN make a living this way.....while honoring the "pigness of the pig."

 

[vfem]

Yup, I agree with all of you, mostly. I loved the book. I love that he takes the time to research and to EXPERIENCE the different "meals" that the book is based on.

If you need to agree with everything someone says in order to listen/read, you will be talking only to yourself! I love what Michael Pollan has to say, and I eat meat. I love what Weston Price taught and Sally Fallon has popularized (somewhat....with my family, at least!) but I have a few minor bones to pick with her...grass-fed, of course.

I wish everyone would read the book and see Food, Inc. The argument that most people cannot afford to eat a truly healthy diet is just a myth. We spend far less than anyone I know on groceries each month and we eat mostly great food. Our biggest issue is FINDING it. Healthy, wholefood ingredients and staples are disappearing from the stores.

If you find yourself getting bogged down in the corn section of the book, press on. If you find yourself not reading it anymore because you got too bogged down in the cornfields, skip to the next section. You simply MUST not miss the part about sustainable practices and how they are cost efficient and a modern farmer CAN make a living this way.....while honoring the "pigness of the pig."

Oh yes, I totally agree! I did not get bogged down on the corn section at all... I was completely in awe! Fasinated through and through actually. I, honestly, (don't know if anyone else wants to admit this) but I felt STUPID! I felt like an idiot who has been in the dark. I realized that we as Americans like to be that idiot in the dark though.

Better not to know...

So funny, I was raised being told repeatedly "Ignorance is no excuse" everytime I said "I didn't know." And now I feel like screaming that to our entire nation. And not just about our complete turning a blind eye to our food either... so many things we live like that. But that's another story for another day.

I have now moved on to the chapter about the Mill process, and I'm almost done with that. I plan to post my opinions on my blog as I go from here on out.

That's why I love my blog, I can scream my opinion out like I'm standing on a mountain... and who cares if only 5 people heard me.

 

[simple life]

I read that a while ago and I loved it!
He was on Oprah the other day. I know this sounds weird but I have never watched Oprah and someone called to tell me that Michael Pollen was going to be on so I checked it out, just in the nick of time.
When I caught the show they were already showing a clip of
Food Inc. and they had some discussion following that.
He did make alot of good points, common sense stuff about food rules which is actually is new book Food Rules.
It seems like a good book just from what they were sharing on the show. I am going to check it out, you don't have to agree with everything to read his books, I like his writing style and he keeps things interesting.
I am going to get that book tomorrow as a matter of fact, I'll let you know how it is.

 

[curly_kate]

I think the idea: "If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it." That's a good rule of thumb.

 

[digitS']

I don't have much to add here but I thought I'd toss in something recent and maybe the rest of you will enjoy looking at it. Anyway, I was immediately reminded of this discussion:

The Femivores Dilemma

This is from my neighbor, Craig, on his blog, Year of Plenty.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Steve's digits

 

[Reinbeau]

I don't have much to add here but I thought I'd toss in something recent and maybe the rest of you will enjoy looking at it. Anyway, I was immediately reminded of this discussion:

The Femivores Dilemma

This is from my neighbor, Craig, on his blog, Year of Plenty.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Steve's digits

They have to come up with some high-minded mental gyrations to come back around to homekeeping being a good, legitimate way for women to live. Gotta love it. But thank you, Steve, for posting this. It's good to know things might come around to some kind of sanity again - living well without overwhelming consumerism.