Comments on: Calorie-laden malnourishment

by: Sugar Preacher

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:21:27 +0100

Sorry, I am changing the vegan subject. BTW, it is a healthier lifestyle! However, I thought the food expenditure was the most interesting fact about these diets from around the world. The American family spends $341.98 for one week, while the family from Chad spends $1.23. We are consumers and sure like to spend money!!

by: Sugar Preacher

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:14:58 +0100

by: Unruly Duckling

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:46:41 +0000

Sally, of course veganism isn’t *the* solution to our social problems, but it one thing that some people can do to positively impact certain issues. I don’t believe that progress will happen unless all us do what we can as individuals while still working towards political and cultural change.

As I mentioned above, I am not a vegan, but I’ve made other personal choices hoping they will contribute to positive social change. I wouldn’t blame or criticize anyone for not making the same choices, but I will blame and criticize anyone who doesn’t try at all.

by: Sally

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:47:09 +0000

I think maybe you’re a little confused about what “social solution” means, Unruly Duckling. The politics of personal virtue is the opposite of a social solution. If people want to be vegans, that’s awesome, but I don’t think it’s really a solution to our social problems.

by: Unruly Duckling

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 23:19:35 +0000

In defense of Heather’s rather innocent comment about veganism, I didn’t see it as a prescription for poor people. Her comment came on the heels of condemnation of the subsidies the meat and dairy industries receive.

As Amanda said, “We should look to social solutions for this issue not just for the poor, but for the middle class as well.” One thing middle class people (or at least those who do care about equitable farm subsidies, pollution, animal rights, etc.) can do is stop supporting the meat and dairy industries.

I’m not a vegan, but I can at least respect its advantages.

by: me

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:38:27 +0000

Hm. A bit too harsh. Apologies.

Yes, the real problem is access to food. That is due to inappropriate subsidies (not subsidies per-se). If only there were a way to distribute them appropriately. Some kind of large, central organisation…
OF COURSE!
We should give all the money to a class-elected tyranny to distribute and LET THE MARKET DECIDE!
Damn that inefficient popularly elected type government! DAMN IT TO HECK!

by: me

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:25:27 +0000

To the vegan: a song for you.

by: epistemology

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:46:04 +0000

Only part of the problem is our agricultural and social welfare policies. These are aggravated by poor education. Indeed, miseducation. As noted above, the food pyramid is a cruel joke perpetrated by US industry and government and shamefully endorsed by experts who compromised their integrity by playing a part in a propaganda exercise. Shame on every doctor and scientist who participates; they kill more than doctors participating in executions.

Of course poor people could eat better than they do with the resources at hand, so could rich people. But our government has gone out of its way to teach ignorance on this subject.

Ignorance and lack of resources go hand in hand, one abetting the other.

by: Damian

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:27:14 +0000

The most vigorous studies in the UK have shown that poor people actually have the same opportunity for a good diet as wealthier people, so I don’t buy the argument here.

Just like I wrote earlier, too many people think "since I can X, everyone can X." Not everyone lives in the eaxact circumstances as you, and to even entertain the notion is offensive.

by: teac

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:04:03 +0000

They have the same kind of supermarkets as the US?

I visited something I fondly term “the bachelor food store” in Edinburgh. Most every food item was either frozen or dry-packaged, and virtually everything was sold as single-serving portions (space issues in apartments, I know). And the store was full of young adult men. And the store had closed by about 6:00 pm. (I went into other markets in London and saw similar phenomena, although a tad more fresh produce.)

Comparing the “bachelor food store” with these brand-spankin’-new 24-hour “Phat” Albertson’s in Vegas and suburban parts of California - that little shop in Edinburgh would fit in its entirety in those super-giant Albertson’s produce sections - with room left over.

So I’d have to back up your implication that the supermarkets are not the same UK to US.