… why some people buy organic foods but insist that other people should buy chemically grown food. Why would you choose to purchase organic and sustainably grown food, yet want other people to have the option to spend money on food that isn’t sustainably grown. Perhaps these people are making these purchases for status reasons? I just don’t understand. What is even more confusing is when chemical/conventional farmers choose to purchase organic foods for their family? Why would you choose organic but grow conventional?
Can anyone help me understand this?
Food has always shown class. That’s why white bread is the cheapest bread even though it’s the hardest to produce: because it had to be milled so finely it was only the food of the wealthy, but the industrial revolution gave everyone the ability to eat like kings, making easy to make multi-grain breads more expensive than more difficult to make white bread due to supply and demand.
The demand for PREPARED organics without the large supply creates a separate food class that is enabled to maintain their normal lifestyle without making any sacrifices. Organics can cost the same as conventional, even cheaper (which we find the case), but you have to buy whole vegetables and…GASP…cook every day.
I think that the larger part of the food problem is a cooking/canning/preparation problem. We simply have no idea how to cook and preserve food—which is why conventional preservative based foods are so appealing.
Bring back Home Economics!
Hey Thom,
Thanks for the comments. I think your observation about prepared organics is very astute. And recognizing that our inability to cook adds a huge element into the food equations. But can you think of why a conventional/chemical farmer would opt for organic foods? To me, this is another example of a class issue. It sounds to me like these farmers who do this might be saying, “I’ll take the time to shop for, purchase, and eat this organic produce, but you over there, you should eat this non-organic produce that I’m producing.” Or perhaps the farmer is growing a commodity crop that has such little traceability to it’s end product that is no way to know where the corn, soy, or wheat ends up. We all strive to make the “best” decisions for ourselves and our families, so why wouldn’t you want that for everyone?
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I imagine that many conventional farmers are trapped in conventional products: they have taken out vast loans and leased large equipment for the production of industrial agricultural commodities, and if they ever thought about switching the pressures of bank loans and the loss of government subsidies would make switching useless. There is no choice to go organic: you either keep the conventional farm or lose it.
Thom- Excellent thoughts. I think the trapped mindset is probably very overwhelming. What’s worse is when this is coming from the subconscious. I would love to see stronger “Transitions” programs helping farmers who want to move into sustainable (non-petroleum based). I hope that people will be able to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
I think people are inherently selfish. For whatever reason they might decide that they don’t want their family eating chemical laden food, but they’re comfortable growing and selling it because they can, they’re familiar with that and perhaps know how to work the subsidies or whatever else they’re used to. And since that’s been providing for their family just fine, they’re going to go with it since switching over might cause some interim instability for the family.
I think the average human being will choose whatever they perceive gives them more value (which many people associate specifically with quantity, although some could be looking for the best health benefits or the best caché with others) and they’ll choose whatever they perceive as requiring the least amount of work on their part (whether or not that’s true and whether or not that might hurt other people — especially when those people are far away and out of site).
I think culture plays into it heavily. If the culture is of a certain opinion, people will often lean toward that despite evidence that here might be a better way. So a person might hang out in circles where organic food is more glamorous to eat. But their work life, which is distinct from their home life, has a different culture where conventional foods are the norm. I am often amazed at the ability of people to disassociate one part of their lives from another part. It makes me wonder where I am doing the same. 😛
OK, enough rambling from me. 😉 Time to roust the kids out of bed and shove them off to school.
Hi Meg,
Thanks for your thoughts. I like your thoughts about how we often choose things based on our previous experiences. You said, “And since that’s been providing for their family just fine, they’re going to go with it since switching over might cause some interim instability for the family.” A person’s current situation may not be the most ideal for them and their family, but in their mind it is better off than trying to rock the boat and make a drastic change.
I also like what you said about value. We all make decisions base on our set of values (eg: quantity vs. quality). I think it is really hard for a person to change these values when they have existed for so long. Do you think that there are ways to help people with adjusting their values in a way that doesn’t make them feel threatened?
>Do you think that there are ways to help people with adjusting their values in a way that doesn’t make them feel threatened?
I wish I knew of a way. The only thing I’ve found that seems to work so far is to live my life according to my beliefs and to explain them to people when they ask (and not a moment sooner). They generally tend to think I’m a crazy wacko at first. Then as they get to know me and find out how utterly boring and normal I am, even though I still have crazy wacko beliefs, they tend to find it easier to accept them a little, even if they don’t agree with them.
But it’s rare to find someone who actually wants to discuss the differences of opinion, explore them, and sometimes even come to agree with you on some of them (or vice versa).
I find that most people still wish I’d do some things in private (like not eating meat. It just tears some people up at church potlucks when I don’t have meat on my plate). *sigh*
Meg- I think your idea of “live my life according to my beliefs” is the most valuable approach. Some people have the ability to grab the attention of large masses of people, but most of us don’t. I wonder if sometimes we set our sights too far in the distance, as if we are wanting to jump right to the place where people are making conscious decisions about the food that doesn’t involve “cheapest” to be the only factor. It reminds me of the story of the little girl on the beach tossing washed up starfish back into the ocean. When told that she couldn’t save them all and that it didn’t matter, she replied, “It matters to that one.” I think that the sustainable food movement needs this perspective. The corporate food-stuff sellers would look at the beach and make their decision on whether it’s profitable to save the starfish. If it’s not profitable, then they leave them alone- to die. The sustainable food movement is able to walk the beach and rescue all that we can, because our driving force isn’t money- its the health and well being of our family, friends, and neighbors.
I’d agree with Thomas…food can be status. It’s a bit like music when I was in college. Some people always want to be the first on the wagon and want to enjoy the view before too many people get on. It’s cool to be prophetic and a visionary. So maybe ‘organic’ food is ‘punk rock’? People want to say they were eating it first?
Kris- leave it to you to come up with the phrase “Organic food is punk rock.” I like the phrase, but I have some small issues with the comparison to music. Food is something that sustains life. Choosing the wrong kind of music wont kill you- unless you are a raver hanging out in a metal bar. But the food we choose has lasting implications on our health.