Erin Buch - Summaries and Comparison

"The Abominable Pig" Summary

In “The Abominable Pig”, American anthropologist Marvin Harris demystifies the Jew and Moslem’s traditional gastronomic aversion to pork. Pork, prolific and energy efficient, produces more meat than most other animals. So why has this animal been entirely forbidden from most religions? Harris suggests it is not fear of filth, illness, or the unknown that promotes the disinclination towards the pig, but rather economical, environmental, and political incentives.

One previous misconception characterized by the Old Testament is that pigs are filthy and that those who consume it are filthy, too. However, their “filth” only reflected how the pigs were raised in that their lack of sweat glands coerced them (in the extreme heat of the Middle East) to bathe in their own excrement. What about the other animals, like chickens, goats, or dogs, who were as dirty or dirtier? Harris contends that it is not fear of filth that caused the prohibition of pigs, but a deeper-rooted motive. A second reason claimed by religious authorities was that pig is unhealthy and “unwholesome”. While they maintained a weak excuse as to why pork should be avoided, their rationale was justified when it was discovered eating undercooked pork would lead to trichinosis. However, this obstacle could easily be overcome by thoroughly cooking the meat. Why then, was pork specifically prohibited in the Koran and Old Testament?

Anthropologist Mary Douglas declares pork was avoided for the fact it was not what people were used to, that it was “out of place”. Yet pork may only have been out of place because of Leviticus taxonomy. While it is true that Israelites never herded many pigs, Harris contends Leviticus taxonomy is the way it is because of three reasons. For one, avoiding pig is economically well reasoned. Because pigs shared the same diet as humans, they had a negative net output. Ruminants were a better alternative in that they could digest grass and straw, which humans could not. This is why densely populated areas disliked pork because only rich people could afford feeding the pig. What’s more, pigs, solely used for their meat, are essentially useless without being able to be milked, used for clothing, or used for pulling plows.

Second, the environment did not favor pigs. Human behavior created an environment increasingly benevolent towards ruminants. Pigs needed forests and cooler weather to survive, but since the goat was more favored, forests were depleted and replaced with grazing land for ruminants.

Lastly, pigs were prohibited to allow for the growth of religious influence. Knowing that prohibiting pigs would help the people, people began to put more trust in the religion. For instance, Islam couldn’t enforce laws where pig cultivation was big, creating a “geographic limit” to areas that were hot and dry. Likewise, Christian areas are more densely forested because they are allowed to eat pork, indicating religious spread.

All in all, the ban on pigs worked because it complied with previous popular practices that worked economically and environmentally, a ban that would never have grown to be averted on dietary laws alone. As Harris puts it, people needed a “taxonomic principle connecting traditional preference and avoidance into a comprehensive cognitive and theological system”. Ultimately, Harris' resourceful explanation of food behavior in religion urges people to question traditional eating habits instead of just faithfully obeying.

Summary of "Deciphering a Meal"

Mary Douglas, an anthropologist, argues in Deciphering a Meal, that animal taxonomy is analogous to the social structures that govern the people who follow it. She creates precise tables representing Hebrew classifications of edible and inedible food and relates it to the different levels of holiness and integrity discernible in religion and society. Ultimately, Mary Douglas attempts to discover the rationale behind the many rules of animal taxonomy.

To begin with, Douglas connects sex with food. In marriage, the mixing of peoples was not accepted, and even considered “villainous” if one married outside one’s community. This symbol of “dirt and promiscuity” was one that projected itself unto the dog, an animal unfit for the table. Likewise, the abominable pig is unfit to eat for this same reason. While the pig eats carrion and fails to chew cud, what also distinguishes pig from being fit is the fact that non-Israelites eat it. So supposedly, by consuming pork, one engages in a miniscule representation of exogamy.

This sense of excluding impurity also extends to descent. For instance, those who are first born are only allowed to serve the temple and are given a certain authority. Correspondingly, the first born of flocks and herds are fit for the altar. For those just conceived, the afterbirth is prohibited because it represents youth and the unity between mother and offspring. As one can see, descent insinuates the degree of holiness and purity. Other examples of the taxonomy’s religious likeness include the fact that work animals must regard the Sabbath and animals that consume carrion are defiling because “blood belongs to God alone” since “there is life in blood.”

In conclusion, Mary Douglas offers a structural analysis of food taxonomy. She reiterates the notion that the social values ruling human connections translate into daily life, including what we eat. All in all, the essence of Mary Douglas’ argument is, “the ordered system which is a meal represents all the ordered systems associated with it."

Comparison

Animal taxonomy and dietary behaviors has long been a subject of inquiry and discussion. Anthropologists Mary Douglas and Marvin Harris both set out to answer questions concerning the aversion of specific animals - such as pigs - in Semitic religions, but do so in different manners. While both give a concrete response as to why these animal taxonomies are prevalent in Semitic religion, their approach and findings differ considerably.

To start, both Douglas and Harris focus on the systems founding the taxonomy. However, the systems each focus on is different. Douglas is more abstract in her analysis, as she focuses on the principles that structure the society. She offers tables and images representing the religious system of morals and purity. Harris, on the other hand, shapes his argument on economical, political, and environmental systems, an area outside the sphere of metaphysics. Harris’ argument relies on the basis that taxonomy is based on incentives revolving around these systems.

Subsequently, these approaches extracted different reasons why the animal taxonomy is as it is. For Douglas, because the structure translates onto the taxonomy, the classifications reflect the behaviors of the society, as well as the degrees of holiness. For Harris, the taxonomy is as it is because ultimately, religious authorities wanted to expand their influence by dietary laws, laws that would help instill a sense of security and trust through its assistance.

These differences in taxonomy justification are established in their explanations of the aversion to pig. Douglas relates the prohibition to sex, stating that eating a pig was considered defilement, a form of exogamy. For the simple fact that the pig was different (since it was eaten by non-Israelites), eating the pig was like the mixing of persons in matrimony, and therefore must not be eaten. All the same, Harris concludes that the pig’s alienation lies in its taxonomy, so the taxonomy in general should be questioned. He claims the taxonomy is as it is based upon traditional aversion to the pig in that pigs were not economically and environmentally ideal for cultivation. Pigs priced higher despite their efficiency because their environment did not provide the best conditions for them.

In conclusion, Harris and Douglas both bring tenable arguments to the table ;) . While Harris and Douglas both differ in their approaches and findings, they both focus on the systems – though different – that underlie the animal taxonomy governing many diets.

For Tuesday, September 7, by noon

For Tuesday, you are responsible for two posts:

1. The first is your revision of the Barthes/Mead summary, originally posted for Tuesday, September 2. Please revise according suggestions in Behrens. Remember, the first line of the summary must be an accurate representation of the author's thesis. Use the form of the example summary given in Behrens. In addition to focusing on the thesis, be sure to track the stages of thought. This requires careful, active reading, and a thorough (though not full) understanding of the text being summarized. Post your revision as a comment to your original post.
2. The second assignment requires that you choose two of the three required readings (Levi-Strauss, Harris, Douglas), do a summary of both, and then perform a brief comparison of the two. This is the basic action for any comparative projective. Before the comparison can take place, a summary of the things being compared must be made. What you will notice is that your summary will have to serve your comparison, so the details you choose to compare will first appear, in some way, in the summary. Before reading or writing for this assignment, please read the assigned readings in Behrens on comparison (pp. 179-81). Keep in mind that the focus of this assignment should be quality summaries. At this point the comparison is a secondary matter. Please post your response as a new post.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Please post your questions as comments to this post, so we can, if necessary, have a running dialog and record of the questions asked.

Roland Barthes

Roland Barthes states the different ways food is used in the eyes of psychosociologists and historians, not just economic. It starts out by looking at sugar. Why doest he U.S. consume twice as much sugar as the French? Psychosociologists would look at the relation between the standard of living and sugar consumption. Where as historians would want to know how sugar has evolved into the American culture. M. Perrot has also found that changes in taste have had more of a change in the middle-class food habits then economic factors. It has also been found that what makes food exclusive are not necessarily the costs, but mostly how it can be used and the result after preparation. Taste, and not money, also contributes to whether the food is in a certain social group. For example, lower-income persons like sweet where as upper class prefer bitter.

Barthes claims that our entire world is involved around food. Advertising plays a major role in what we eat with three themes. First, each food has a function. Second, there are feelings of inferiority are attached to certain foods so people try to stay away from them. And third, how healthy the food is, based on modern nutritional science. Food is also a way to show power, what you eat has a significant effect on your social status. Food is no longer just for nutritional value; Barthes believes that it will soon have more and more functions.

Roland Barthes

In "Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption" Roland Barthes discusses how food should not be seen as insignificant. He says that psychosociology focuses indirectly on eating habits and should be paid more attention. In fact, food and culture are hugely related such as sugar in America. It has become common to have sugar in almost all American food and is so popular there are even songs. Yet in other cultures such as the French culture, sugar does not play a large part. He describes how culture influences tastes and so does class. Barthes goes on to say how food is a “situation”. Coffee for example, became associated more with the idea of taking a break then its’ effect on the nervous system which ties in with his claim about food and advertising. Advertising has become a huge part of culture and Barthes states that because of this advertising people have become loyal to the brand more than the food. He claims food makes its’ own statement. Barthes ends by stating food effects culture and culture effects food and the circle will forever continue.

Food as an Insitution

In "Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption", Roland Barthes, the author, conveys food not as just something to be consumed, but as an "institution". By labeling food as an institution, Barthes targets the all-encompassing themes that food inherits, including religion, society, history, and education. Subsequently, he points out that the study of food in this sense is often perceived as "trivial", or is often discussed indirectly by scholars. Through this piece, however, Barthes clearly demonstrates food's potential as a main topic.

To begin with, Barthes states that all food is inherently the same: an energy source. However, external situations have transformed and divided food into a group with subunits and sub-subunits, which Barthes portrays as analogous to a literary framework. Food is a form of communication, while its diction is a bearer of binary connotations. These connotations are both physical and abstract in nature, and give food a significance beyond that of physical sensation/necessity. Ultimately, food conveys a more substantial meaning now that its necessity has grown more structured.

Examples of this structure branch out into many topics, like history, tradition, festivities, gender, and nutrition. For instance, as our knowledge of nutrition becomes more precise, so does the energy that is generated. "Energy", therefore, is specified to be "alert", or "relaxed", as Barthes puts it. Likewise, the way in which one prepares food can set a setting, as demonstrated when comparing bread to pain de mie.

All in all, Barthes' piece on changing food habits portrays the manifestation of food in all aspects of our lives. As the human race has grown more structured, so have our food, and its significance.

Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumptions

In the Article Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption, Roland Barthes discusses the evolution of food in general, its purpose, and the feelings or emotions brought forth due to it.  He begins his argument with a comparison between American and French use of sugar.  He discusses how Americans put sugar in foods that the French don't even get sugar near, thus creating a vast difference in sugar consumption.  He goes on to say that consuming sugary substances goes beyond just consuming them, but "means to experience the day, periods of rest, traveling and leisure..."  In continuation of his argument, Barthes states that food is used as communication.  It brings forth different emotions and feelings which change depending on the situation.  He supplements these points with the comparison between brown and white bread, and the stigmas they hold; stating that brown bread is a sign of refinement in social terms.  This occurs in American society, but is absent in French society, where all bread is simply bread and a part of daily life.

Another key point in Barthes article that he vastly expands on is that of food creating moments and feelings and emotions that create reasons we consume it.  Food has a spirit that we each tap into and internalize.  This internalization is what feeds the advertisements that fuel our food buying trends.  Advertisers plant images that cause us to stick to certain brands and choose one type of cracker over another, even if they are seemingly identical.  Barthes demonstrates this relationship using cooking oil as an example.  Barthes finally explores the different events we eat food at, the kids of food we eat during them, and how that changes the feelings brought up while consuming these foods.  He discusses the coffee break and the evolution from coffee being stimulating to relaxing and a break.  He also expands on the snack bar and business lunch.  Barthes concludes in saying that food "will lose in substance and gain in function", meaning that food will no longer be a means of sustainability, but will serve a purpose in terms of location, feeling and activity.

Toward a Psychosociology of contemporary food consumption

Roland Barthes in Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption, focuses on how food is much more than something that we eat. It can be an attitude, a form of communication, and it can also have ties to values. Barth’s points out that food is a “twofold value, being nutrition as well as protocol” (34). Food is taking a turn from something we eat to something we need for certain functions. Looking at food from a different viewpoint is interesting; it gives it a certain value that it didn’t have before.

It is a simple function that everyone partakes in; however there are certain factors that will influence what each individual eats. Anything from advertisements, to social class, and a person’s culture these are all things that change what we eat and why we eat. Behaviors also influence eating, behaviors such as; activity, work, sports, effort, leisure, and celebration. They can all be expressed from food. Barths also acknowledges that society will arrange the signifying system of its food around two major focal points, activity (no longer work) and Leisure (no longer celebration. Barthes challenges you throughout the piece to look at food from a different angle.

Toward a Psychosociologist of Contemporary Food Consumption

The article writen by Roland Barthes, “Toward a Psychosociologist of Contemporary Food Consumption” is an analysis of foods role in our modern world. The fact that United States consumes almost twice the amount of sugar as the French should be important to several professions. Economics, politics, psychosociologist, advertising, and historians should all be intrigued. As Americans, we use sugar as a key ingredient when cooking. A more general overview, food contains symbolic meaning and can be a form of communication in particular societies and cultures. These meanings may vary depending on the social status, language, location, religion, and other such aspects. Foods can also contain a ‘spirit’ depending on its taste. Think about food categories in the United States such as sweet, salty, and crisp. Each of these categories means something different. When thinking of crisp, words such as briskness or sharpness arise. On the opposite, sweet foods are often paired with terms such as soft or soothing.

Advertising has become a major factor in foods role in society. Through considerable production of false perception and values, customers have become faithful to certain brands. Within the topic of food, there are three themes that go along with its role in society. The first is the historical quality of food. This revolves around food as a function and tradition. The second theme is the feelings attached with foods. For example, in visual advertising, there are often genders that are assigned with certain types of foods. The last theme is health. People strive for energy, alertness, and relaxation when they consume foods. Modern nutritional science is bound to the values of power instead of moral values (asceticism, wisdom, or purity) as usually perceived. Food is at the core of just about everything we do. It targets other behaviors and often expresses situations.

Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption

Barthes' article "Toward a psychosociology of contemporary food consumption" breaks down the ways people unintentionally communicate with the foods they eat. Barthes approaches the topic from the viewpoint of both the individual and the whole, through psychology and sociology. As a opening to his topic Barthes brings in the food culture of another country, hoping it will allow his own countrymen to open their minds to what he is about to say.

Barthes goes into how the words we use to describe the foods we eat make up the syntaxes of food's language. The words themselves give the food a "spirit" all its own that takes it to a whole new level of exstience. The food itself begins to have a whole new meaning for what it stands for to society and inviduals.

Futher on into the article Barthes dicusses how through food the French are able to retain their links to the past. To the french the whole concept of food is one gaint family tradition, but for the country as a whole. They all come together through food the way others do for holidays. Barthes shows that the food allows everyone to communicate with each other.

Toward Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption

In “Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption,” Roland Barthes, a French structuralist, explains how food acts as a system of communication and provides a body of images that mark eating situations. He believes that the fact that Americans use as much sugar as they do should spark interest in many fields of study.

Barthes states that the development of advertising has shown people that the product they are actually buying is “by no means the real product.” Advertising has created artificial understandings and values in the products. He says that the loyalty people have in certain products is the only thing separating the products, “…products that are so identical that frequently even the manufacturer cannot find any differences.”

Barthes continues on his point of food not just being food. He demonstrates how food is communication whether through serving food to friends or a business lunch with a boss, food is no longer just for eating. He claims that, “…activity, work, sports, effort, leisure, celebration – every one of these situations is expressed through food.” Food still maintains the physiological aspect we need it to but now it also serves as a social setting.

The piece concludes with Barthes stating that we change the way we see food to fit our lifestyles. He says that “food… will lose in substance and gain in function,” meaning that we will not think about what food we are eating but rather how to work it into our schedules.

The Problem of Changing Food Habits

In "The Problem of Changing Food Habits," executive secretary of the National Research Council's Committee on Food Habits, Margaret Mead, shows her readers what the problem of changing food habits is and how it is not contributed to one factor but instead to a multitude of factors. She states that there is already a large amount of data, studies, and experiments on this subject and now it is just is a matter of combining them and applying. Mead provides suggestions on how we can use systematic and coherent scientific background to work towards changing the diets of most Americans. She says, for example, that by using a new experiment that was done on rats preferences for food, we can work towards this goal.

Mead speaks about the Committee members and how their studies showed that cultural change and habits are a primary reason for changing food habits. But not necessarily just culture, but tendencies within the culture to pick what types of foods to eat. Like, dislike of food which is healthy, appearance over taste, and preference for foods that have minimal waste material.

Not only does she examine studies and data, but she also asks important questions about what the problem is really and how it can be fixed to solve our changing food habits. An example being, how can we introduce foods to the next generation or possibly how do we get rid of foods before the next generation so that we can actually produce change in people’s food habits. In the end, she concludes that the ultimate way to change food habits is to base them upon tradition that embodies science in a flexible way, and also to put a new sense of responsibility to the people preparing food for others to eat.

The Problem of Changing Food Habits

In “ The Problem of Changing Food Habits”, anthropologist Margaret Mead addressed the problems that the United States had to cope by making the most of its food supplies in the face of impending war and the solutions to tackle these problems. The Committee on Food Habits determined where laid the weaknesses of the national dietary through determining the food pattern of population groups with different racial background. These problems involved social, scientific and cultural problems.

In the social aspect, the important characteristics of the American food pattern included the emphasis upon appearance of food rather than taste. Moreover, the effects of methods of food preparation in families on vitamin loss also directed the relationship between nutrition and the pattern of family life.

In the scientific aspect, the new knowledge of nutrition without any alterations in their diets might cause nutritional problems. For example, the studies of soil agronomy raised the question if “ eating locally grown food is or not the most nutritionally valuable behavior”, which caused people to change their food habits.

In the cultural aspect, the interactions between the “ culturated individual and his environment” also contributed to he change of food habits. For example, the alterations of meal patterns by immigrants from Eastern Europe to America could lead to severe nutritional dislocations. Increased shopping by people of high school age also changed the family food habits. Thus, the cultural differences in food habits provided the necessity for Committee to resolve the dietary pattern.

To solve the above problems, the Committee considered the types of meals served to families and individuals and made maximum allowances in nutritional values and cultural differences in food habits in case of emergency feeding. The Committee also believed that a dietary change would be effected more readily when a group decided to do so rather than aiming “ at the reform of identified individuals”. Examples included contacting preexisting organizations than forming new alignments. Clinical studies could also be used to threats of food shortage. In conclusion, the efforts of improving eating habits required the integration of cultural equilibrium and scientific techniques.

Summary of "The Problem of Changing Food Habits"

Margaret Mead focuses on the idea of changing the food habits in the United States in her article of, "The Problem of Changing Food Habits." An anthropology group, known as the Committee, has the task was to "integrate existing materials and devise new ways of tapping existing knowledge on the problem of cultural change." The findings of many experiments done by the committee provide scientific background toward changing American culture dietary practices.

In order to have change it is important to learn about the habits and dynamics of Americans and food. People need to "accept food, the fears and repugnance, the situations involving food, the state of mind while eating - all which will alter food habits." In addition, it is important to study the food habits of other countries so we can learn from them and help us and them accordingly. For example, knowing what supplies to send to a foreign country. An investigation done by the Committee, suggests that the easiest way t please everyone's different food preferences is to create simple and spiceless dishes, which introduces the phrase "social institution." Furthermore, it is important to recognize meal patterns. There has been a shift in shopping habits and when there is free time to eat, which changes the way we eat from the long-ago excepted breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This may critically damage the nutritional value of eat meal. Mead emphasizes the importance of a balanced meal, bur suggests using caution when using "plate service."

It is imperative and extremely important to ask questions. "Asking questions shifts the deliberations from broad questions to precise problems which can be state in such a way that they can be answered." An analysis showed that by asking questions it is possible to work out what is going wrong, what is going well, and what needs to be changed. For example, eating disorders need to be questioned in order to be helped. "The task of applied science is to set up a program for controlling a social process so that the desired changes will occur, instead of a program aimed at the reform of identified individuals. It is important to recognize these numerous points brought to attention by Mead in order for a better well-being.

Changing Food Habits

Margret Mead talks about many different aspects of food problems that are currently occuring in the article called "The Problem of Changing Food Habits". This article examines the change of the decisions throughout the country on diets from people changing their daily food habits each and every day. Mead discusses the importance of making sure one knows the consequences of changing your diets dramatically with basic research to become more knowledged.

Research being the key point to Mead's discussion throughout the article is completely necessary. This is because the fact that without any research on what you are drastically changing in your life could cause harm to yourself. Saying this, Mead discusses the change in food patterns among people during their life times. Particularly in time of war, people change their food habits whether it is eating more or eating less, possibly due to the stress of the war or the fact that they may not know the next time they will get to eat if they are in the war. In addition, Mead talks about how food habits in younger children are learned when they are younger and it is harder to change them when they get older. Also, children may get used to a certain food due to their background, how they were raised, or their culture they grew up in. All together, it is extremely important to do research pertaining to any food habits that one may change.

Mead stresses to readers the importance of researching your diets before changing any natural eating habits. If people do not know what the dangers are in changing your food habits, then something possibly could be life threatening towards them. Research will allow one to become more knowleged regarding basic or complexed food habits, helping make this life change possible and realistic.

Contemporary Food Consumption

In the reading passage entitled "Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption", Roland Barthes highlights that certain foods are essential to a culture. Barthes begins by emphasizing the importance of sugar usage within the United States and, demonstrates that sugar is valuable and integrated within American culture. Likewise, Barthes also showed that time can also change the eating habits of a population from events that include changes in taste and advertising a certain product or brand. However, Barthes argues that food is not just "a collection of products" but that it is a "system of communication". Barthes presents this system by showing how certain breads are used for different situations and how the preference of taste varies from income levels of social groups. Barthes argues that this system is heavily used by advertisements and that these themes can be categorized into three groups: commemorative, anthropological, and health. Lastly, Barthes states that food is not only used for themes but also for situations. Barthes shows that, in the past, food only symbolized festive occasions but, in our modern world, food has been incorporated into our daily life. Barthes notes that food is include in almost every social event ranging from activities, work, sports, effort, and leisure. Thus, Barthes argues that food will lose its substance but gain function. The festive usage that food was integrated with will no longer be in existence and will be replaced by two major focal points in our society. These focal points include activities and times of rest.

Psychosociology of contemporary food

In the reading titled, “ Toward a psychosociology of contemporary food consumption” written by Roland Barthes he discusses certain foods differ between cultures and how food is not always food as something edible but now can be viewed as a symbolic item. He started by comparing the French and the United States uses of sugar. He started to point out how different cultures lifestyle choices and their economic situation can very well be factored in to what food and the amount of food they eat.
Barthes went on to discuss how advertising has been a big factor into what societies eat. Advertising has introduced foods into people’s lives and now people tend to feel loyal to a certain brand of food Barthes gives the example of people favoring certain cooking oils. He then began to point out that now when we look at foods we don’t always see the actual food item. We see what it is associated with. He talked about how there is a display aspect in how food is placed. These displays and what the foods are associated with vary between different cultures as well. Barthes also explained how different sorts of foods are associated with different behaviors that the food and the foods situation will evoke. Overall Barthes brought up that food is no longer just an edible substance but something that will bring out emotions and a feeling or memory of a certain situation.

A Summary of "The Problem of Changing Food Habits"

In "The Problem of Changing Food Habits" Margaret Mead develops the importance of using both pure and applied sciences in order to understand what foods we choose to eat. The information that literature and recorded experiments contain must be taken into account. With a scientific background of data on a number of diet topics including studies of historically changing diets, as well as animal experiments in individual taste and preference and their relation to nutritional value. The goal is to take previous knowledge (the pure science) and integrate this information so that one can apply science and come up with a way to solve this issue of changing food habits.

Mead points out that there is a lot of research explaining the reasoning behind our diet choices. For instance, our social situations can affect our eating habits. We can consume more types of food under different types of pressure, such as, advertising or even wartime shortages. Food habits have been seen as a "culturally standardized set of behaviors," like a set of acceptable rules, within each society. It is hard to take away food traditions even when they are unhealthy because they have been widely accepted for many years. Food habits are learned while we are children and thus we can have a deeper emotional connection with the foods of our culture. In order to change these food habits, Mead says we must understand every aspect of the eating process for each culture. This includes how the community seeks and accepts food, the fears that keep them from eating other foods, the situations in which they share food, and how they feel about changes to their traditional food.

It is very important to understand all aspects of the problem before moving forward with recommendations (the applied science). Thus the more data we have on food behaviors the easier it will be to integrate current supplies with traditional food patterns. Each culture eats differently and so each solution will be different. Mead argues that we can't just broadly ask "how do we change food habits?" but rather be specific to each subculture (in America). For example, " How can we change the food habits of southern sharecroppers whose habits are tied to a one crop method of production?" Nutritional information will be more effective if not only science is applied but also education and communication is used to link the daily habits of people. Also food habit changes will be more willingly followed out if there is responsibility on the part of those who plans meals for others to eat.

Summary of "The Problems of Changing Food Habits"

Eating habits is the main focus in Margaret Mead’s article, “The Problem of Changing Food Habits”. As the title suggests the article examines the consequences of food habit change and the challenges in alteration. Mead emphasizes the importance of research and application in the process of changing food habits. A group is responsible to understand and hypothesize the impact altered food habits would have on culture and vice versa.


The research portion of food habit alteration deals with data. This data covers a wide variety of information ranging from food habits from youth to rations during war time. Throughout this research it has become apparent that food habits modify accordingly with current situations. An example of this is the disappearance of a second breakfast after immigration to the Americas. The information and data recorded from such research allows a “plate service”- balanced meal- to emerge. This plate service is seen as privilege to higher class yet a desired model for the lower class.


This research has been gathered with a purpose. That purpose is to actually modify cultural food habits. Currently it is very difficult to address this topic with other people. This is the main challenge in the alteration of food habits. The research must be presented in the right manner and education to fully amplify the impact. The crucial time to educate cultures is during a food shift. At this point changes are necessary forcing cultures to adapt accordingly. An educated adaption can decrease future unnecessary changes.


Conclusively, Mead explains the relationship between research and application is dire to successfully changing food habits. Research provides information regarding the best course of action and application is responsible for educating the people. Without one of these aspects, a long-lasting change in food habits is impossible.

Summary of "Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption"

In “Toward a Psychosociology of Contemporary Food Consumption”, Roland Barthes introduces the idea that food is not just for eating anymore. He explains that every country has its own type of food and preparations for such food that impact their culture. Barthes points out that food has been something that has been overlooked and thought to be insignificant. However he claims that food is “a system of communication, a body of images, a protocol of usages, situations, and behavior” (29).Barthes states that bread is not just bread, different types signify different situations. His example is a regular loaf may just be for a normal day but pain de mie for a party. Our food choices make a statement all of their own.

Barthes enlightens his audience by pointing out that not only foods differ between classes but tastes. Lower-income families prefer sweet and smooth materials while upper classes prefer bitter substances. He continues by explaining it would be systematic to describe food for what it signifies rather than what the food itself is. This becomes very import to the world of advertising. Barthes identifies three main groups of values concerning food, the commemorative, anthropological, and health. He explains the invention of the snack bar to meet peoples’ fast paced lives and the function of advertising to portray coffee as not caffeine but as a break. His theory is that food “transforms itself into situation” (34). Roland Barthes concludes that as our culture changes or foods change and as our foods change they also shape our culture and lives.

"The Problem of Changing Food Habits" Summary

Margaret Mead describes in “The Problem of Changing Food Habits,” how and why people do not always eat what is recommended for them even when it comes to their own health. There are a number of different researched reasons as to how food habits have developed. However, there needed to be a new point of view with a “systematic and coherent” background that can provide people with recommendations for better eating habits according to Mead. Culture plays a major role in eating habits, which Mead elaborates on throughout her whole text. Tradition of food is played off in many cultures, and is how people decide what to eat today. Knowing this, Mead had come to realization that the cultural traditions have a more important role than nutritionally recommended/desired foods. This then brings in the psychological account for food habits, and how habits are directly connected to food and not only from just eating the food.
There are many ways in which food habits can be tested and followed. One way includes a survey followed by close observations of what a person eats then experiments based on changing that persons eating habit. Another way, is by studying a child from birth and how they perceive food. It is at this time where habits are first introduced. Mead elaborates on how a child starts with breastfeeding, then as they get older there are more limitations yet options at the same time, threats of deprivation, and food they can choose on their own based on what they are feeling. This can relate to roles of a household; women focus on fruits and vegetables while men focus on meats and fish.
The topic of cultural anthropology plays a larger role in food eating habits than most would imagine. It does not matter if one is rich or poor; it doesn’t take a wealthy person to realize what is healthy or not. Taking cultural traditions into consideration, modifying the habits will be more desireable to the people. Mead elaborates that purely based on education and scientific research, poor eating habits have a higher chance of being changed.

Food Habits

In "The Problem of Changing Food Habits", Margaret Mead focuses on what it takes to change the food habits of the American culture. Mead explains that "food habits are seen as the culturally standardized set of behaviors in regard to food manifestation by individuals who have been reared within a given cultural tradition" ,and there are two factors that affect these habits. One "interaction with the food producing and food distributing systems", and two " the combination of food may exert a certain degree of coercion upon physiological responses". With this in mind, a committee with a background in anthropology, set out to discover, speculate, understand, and find the solutions to the problems of changing food habits. By using pure and applied sciences they conduct many different kind of experiments. For example, a minute survey of food eaten by adults at any given time, or information collected from groups of people in a general culture, and during the beginning stages of a child's life. Research has also been done on how to feed other countries in need, influences of family life, nutritional substitute vs. cultural substitutes, and community organization. Meal patterns, shopping habits, and food preparation were also found to play a major role in the overall problem of food habits.

In conclusion, Mead expresses that the long term goal is "to alter American food habits so that they are based upon tradition which embodies science and to do so in such a way that food habits at any period are sufficiently flexible to yield readily to new scientific findings". To accomplish this people in charge of meal plans need to take responsibility, new findings need to be readily translated to the head chef of every house hold, a link between education, communication, and new discoveries must be made, and an increase to the supply and adequate distribution of food must happen. With all that, progress can be made. However, the integration of all these techniques is the most imperative problem. And only with that integration can we be on our way to changing those bad food habits and making the American culture a healthier one.

Pure and Applied Science

In “Problem of Changing Food Habits”, Margert Mead demonstrates that pure science and applied science are both needed in order to make effective changes to how people in a culture eat. A group, based in anthropology, referred to as the Committee is tasked to understand and speculate what would happen if the relation between eating food and our culture were to change.

The pure science gives information, studies, and research to this. Data is collected from; groups of people in a general culture, such as but state New York, and during the beginning stages of live, how a child’s feeding influences them into the people they become. Research has also been done on how to feed other countries in need so that the stage for a politic conduct with them is set. It has been noted that during different economic time’s meals and the time in which meals are eaten have been modified to fit the current situation. The change brought about a standardize balance meal plan, while is a privilege to higher-classes, would only serve as a model to the lower classes without real education.

Education and finding the right outlet for information to get to the people is where applied science makes it appearance. The key to getting education out into every part of the culture is to enlist home economist, aka home makers, to relay to friends and the community about nutrition and meal habits. Though this education process may not be highly received from friends because it may be construed as a personal attack, if this information comes at a time when there is already a food shift, the message will be received more willingly.

Pure science is tasked with collecting and analyzing data, while applied science has the job of taking pure science and putting it into action so that the desired changes will occur. Mead shows that both are needed in order to make a long-lasting change to the poor eating habits of the generation.

For Wednesday, Sept 1st, by 6 pm

Learning to write a good summary will be one of the most important skills you learn in English 201. For this assignment you will read both the Mead and Barthes essays assigned for Thursday. You will then choose one of the essays and write a summary for it. Remember, before you write your summary, you must follow the critical reading method outlined in Behrens. This method requires you to mark on the text you choose to summarize: to make notes in the margins, identify key words, underline important passages, etc. Please review, carefully, the steps outlined in Behrens. Following these steps is key to completing this assignment successfully.

In order to receive credit for this assignment, you must not only post your summary as an Extract, you must also turn in your essay with markings to me on Thursday in class. If you give me an essay without markings, you won't receive credit for this assignment. If there are any questions, please let me know.

No Coffee, No Workee

As I read through the other blog posts I realize that we all noticed one thing in common. People need their coffee. I know if I don’t get my coffee in the morning I’m very grumpy and not fun to deal with but I try not to drink so much that my energy level is affected by it and I don’t convulse when I don’t have any. As for some of the Starbucks customers that power-walk their way through the store, I don’t think I can say the same. As they make their way through the line, you can see their patience dwindling and without that morning caffeine burst, their patience is limited. The cashier tries to give them a smile and a cheery “Hi, what can I get started for you?” but by now it’s too late. The customer isn’t buying it and just blurts out their order, leaving no tip, making the barista a bit annoyed. The grumpy customer’s order is up and the employee gives it one last shot to cheer them up. “Have a nice day!” they say, but their efforts are fruitless as Grumpy walks away. Now I can’t say I haven’t responded to someone while grumpy but I would have at least given them a thanks and half-hearted smile. I don’t think people realize the impact their actions have on others sometimes. Grumpy allowed the day to start off bad and in turn may have made the barista’s and other coffee addict’s days bad too, just by their attitude. So lighten up people, there will always be time for coffee.



Bower, Anne. Recipes for Reading: Community Cookbook, Stories, Histories.
Coe, Sophie D. and Michael D. Coe. The True History of Chocolate.
Daniel, Carolyn. Voracious Children: Who Eats Whom in Children’s Literature.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude. The Origin of Table Manners.
Singer, Peter and Jim Mason. The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter.

I chose these sources because when I read some these titles, I thought of my family. For example, The Origin of Table Manners caught my eye because many people don’t necessarily teach their children manners anymore. My sort of niece has no table manners whatsoever but her uncle (my brother-in-law) is polite as can be. My sister has been trying to teach her how to politely ask for things and she’s making headway but she still has a long way to go. When I was younger, if we weren’t polite we’d get in trouble so we knew that it was important. Another source that reminds me of my family is The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter. Out of the three kids in my family, I was the only one that would eat vegetables. The other two still won’t eat them but I love them! The last three sources just sounded interesting to me, especially The True History of Chocolate.

The natural endorphin booster

“ A grande caramel macchiato for Stephanie!”

My shoulders sagging from the weight of my backpack nearly bursting with the new textbooks that I just bought from the bookstore. From the worries of the new classes, from all the thoughts which cluttered my brain just moments before, I grabbed my freshly brewed coffee.

“ Enjoy!” The barista returned with a grin.

I glanced over the tables and couches. Surrounded by different genres of books, this coffee shop offers a great variety of activities for the customers. Merged with the bookstore, it projected a different picture. Unlike the usual scenario of customers surfing the Internet or exchanging the latest gossips, people were spending their time here reading and sipping their coffee. From reading the No.1 bestsellers to flipping through the latest magazines, the people were lounging in overstuffed couches and wooden chairs with their new favorite books.

I brought back the latest copy of Harper’s Bazaar and sank into the couch. The sweet assuring scent of warm bakery delights immediately drifted my attention from the magazine to the freshly baked scones and muffins that were at the counter. Large screening of tea flavors was shelved next to the pastries. Bottles of flavored syrups aligned next to the espresso machines, ready for the patrons’ customized drinks. The air in the coffee shop was entangled with luscious scents of the pastries and coffee beans. The freshly brewed coffee sauntered through the air and hugged the patrons of this coffeehouse like a party hostess…

My focus shifted from the new realization back to my caramel macchiato. With a tilt of the Styrofoam cup, a warm sensation washed over my tongue, down my sore throat, and spread throughout my body. A surge of calmness filled my mind as the stress in my mind was replaced by the endorphins that got me through the rest of the day.



Anderson, E.N: The food of China
Belasco, Warren: Meals to Come: A History of the Future of Food
Coe, Sophie D. and Michael D. Coe : The True History of Chocolate
Fisher, M.F.K. The Art of Eating
Flynn, Karen Coen: Food, Culture and Survival
Guthman, Julie: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California
Korsmeyer, Carolyn: The Taste Culture Reader: Experiencing Food and Drink
Long, Lucy: Culinary Tourism
Ohnuki-Tierney, Emiko: Rice as Self: Japanese Identities through Time
Pollock, Nancy: These Roots remain: Food Habits in Islands of the Central and Eastern Pacific since Western Contact
Schlosser, Eric: Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
Watson, James L: Golden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia
Wilk, Richard: Home Cooking in the Global Village: Caribbean Food from Buccaneers to Ecotourists
Yasmeen, Gisele: Bangkok’s Foodscape.


Based on just merely looking at the titles, the sources that I found interesting mostly revolve around the food cultures from different countries. This is because I would like to see the different cultures and attitudes toward “Food” around the world. From Fast Food Nation in America to Rice in Japan, every country has its own food traditions and habits. Moreover, the impacts of one country’s food culture on the other also catch my attention. Examples include McDonald’s in East Asia, Food Habits in Islands of the Central and Eastern Pacific since Western Contact. In general, the diversity and exchange of food culture are the two most interesting area that I would like to explore.

the caffeine twitch.

Primary:


It seems as if the WSU Bookie Starbucks houses almost every demographic of students and faculty alike at any time of day. I frequent this location to retrieve coffee on a regular basis, but only for the (hopefully) few minutes it takes to receive my drink. While sitting and observing for much longer than usual, I noticed more about how people interact than normal. Just in the line there are people with headphones in, only one earpiece in, the ones that refuse to take them out even to order a drink, and those that take them out as soon as they enter the shop. There are people in line with snacks, drinks from the cooler, sandwiches, and the smattering of drink containers awaiting Starbucks beverages to fill them. The baristas behind the counter are in constant motion. They are constantly taking drink orders, making drinks, preparing food, ringing up orders, yelling names, bustling about the seating area picking up newspapers and trash—rearranging chairs. Even in its lull, the shop is a place of constant motion. The students studying are constantly typing, writing, flipping pages, texting, talking on phones—even the one singing along to their music. It seems so perfect that a place where people typically go to find something to keep them in motion is in constant motion as well. When the line was at its busiest, it reached out past the bargain books, almost to the main door. Joining the demographic of the typical line I saw, were the constant time checkers, the people that peered to the front of the line every 30 seconds to see if it was moving any time soon, the ones that eventually gave up on their caffeine fix, the people that seemed content to wait, and the few that couldn’t seem to make up their mind. It looked like they were going to get out of line but then they would hop back in when the line made visible movement; then they would get impatient again and start to get out of line, only to have it move again. It is amazing how one thing as common as coffee, can play a role in so many different appearances and behaviors.

Secondary:

Bell, Rudolph Holy Anorexia

Conner, Mark and Christopher Armitage. The Social Psychology of Food.

Millman, Macia Such a Pretty Face: Being Fat in America

Nestle, Marion What to Eat

Nichter, Mimi Fat Talk

My list almost all pertains directly to food and the effects food has on us. Because my sister is a dietitian, I have begun thinking about the effects of what I eat a lot more lately. I am also always intrigued by the psychological effects of food and how it affects different people, which I think is why I was drawn to the ones relating to body image.

Smell the Coffee

The first that catches your eye as you walk into the bookie is the line for Starbucks. There are currently around 10 people standing in line. There must be a reason for such patience. Therefore, I decide to jump in line also. Ahead in line are three girls grouped together whispering and giggling outrageously. Behind, a man in a tailored suit carrying a black briefcase taps leather shoes and checks his watch continuously. The café has tables and couches that are filled with an assortment of people. There is a small group at a table studying together, a woman reading quietly in the corner, and a man working feverishly on his laptop. The line seems to move quickly enough for the ratio of customers to employees. People pass by the windows. The scent of coffee lures a few new customers into the shop. To a passerby Starbucks would seem to be an average coffee shop. It would appear that coffee is the only reason why customers gather here. However, spending ten minutes in line observing the scene opens the eyes. This café is not just for the coffee but also for the atmosphere. People feel comfortable recounting “last night events” with their best friends or working on their homework. Professions can work in a relaxed environment while getting the extra buzz from the delicious caffeine. Ultimately, the coffee is the reason customers arrive. However, it is the atmosphere and functionality of Starbucks that causes customers to linger solo or with a group.



Adams, Carol; The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory
Belasco, Warren; Appetite for Change
Bell, Rudolph M.; Holy Annorexia
Bruch, Hilde; The Eating Disorders: Obestity, Annorexia Nervosa, and the Person Within
Brumberg, Joan Jacobs; Fasting Girls: the Emergence of Annorexia Nervosa as a Modern Disease
Coe, Sophie D. and Micheal D. Coe; The True History of Chocolate
De Garine, Igor and Nancy Pollock; The Social Aspects of Obesity




This is a small list of the titles that seemed interesting to me. It’s interesting that the majority of the titles appear to have eating disorders or women’s opinion involved. I am not the “counting calories” type but I am concerned about my physical appearance. Therefore, titles like these catch my attention.

Coffee Shop Observations

Part One

It is 3:10 on a Monday afternoon. Students, with weary eyes and lackadaisical trudges, recover from their first weekend back at the party capital of colleges. In and out, in and out, people pass me by as I enter the Bookie's Starbucks cafe.

By the time I reach it, the line becomes a long chain of customers, a blinking transformation that only reflects the general demand for coffee. At the head of the line stands a woman dressed with sophistication who knew the names of the employees who worked there. They converse for a little bit and without ever ordering, the man behind the counter hands her coffee as if she was a usual customer. Next up is the inexperienced customer: a man with Dr. Dre beats clearly just looking for extra energy. As he takes his time deciding, the guy directly in front of me takes his chances with the girl in front of him and the barista sneaks acid looks at the line in waiting. Meanwhile, an elderly man sits comfortably in a cushioned chair reading a newspaper and a couple take their places in the corner. The girl grasps her cup of coffee with two hands as the boyfriend splays one arm across her shoulders, and the other arm directing a bagel to his mouth with an eagerness only children on Halloween can match.

In the end, I realized coffee accommodates people who are on the go as well as for people who want to relax alone or with others, allowing people to have time for coffee any time of the day.

Part Two

Sources that interest me:

Bruch, Hilde. Eating Disorders: Obesity, Anorexia Nervosa, and the Person Within

Bynum, Carolyn Walker. Holy Feast and Holy Fast: The Religious Significance of Food to Medieval Women

Belasco, Warren. Appetite for Change

Coe and Coe. The True History of Chocolate

Conner, Mark and Christopher Armitage. The Social Psychology of Food

Counihan, Carole. The Anthropology of Food and Body: Gender, Meaning, and Power

De, Gavine. The Social Aspects of Obesity

Frank, Karen A. Food and Architecture

I think what I am most interested in based on these sources is the social aspect of food and how our attitudes affect what we eat. I am also interested in how food can be used to communicate a message. Food is so inextricably entwined in our daily lives that it is amazing how much power it bears to serve as a catalyst for movements and the sculpting of our social lives.

The Famous Fix

Part One
Standing in line waiting for my complex order of coffee people are slowly losing their patients for their own premium fix of Starbucks coffee. The woman in front of me stands in the 5 minute long line to only buy a can of soda. The staff has figured out a nice way of diminishing the line fairly quickly, and grumble at the fact that the woman buys a soda at the coffee counter. Around the serving counter people find their own thing to do while waiting for their coffee, from reading the news paper that you can find on several counters, to hanging out talking to their group of other coffee lover friends. You know when a class period has ended because the pile of students, professors, and even parents come rushing in. The friendly calm and soothing environment of the coffee store quickly turns fast paced. The music coming from the speakers seems to get louder as you hear various orders being shouted out along with the register working its magic. Coffee might be doing more than just keeping people awake through their long boring lectures throughout the day. For about 40 percent of students on a college campus coffee is a social time for them to meet their friends, and get warm from the slowly cooling weather outside. I choose Starbucks at least once a week because it is the comforting choice in between classes.

Part Two

The Food Of China
From Betty Crocker to Feminist Food Studies: Critical Perspectives on Women and Food
Food and Gender in Baghdad Cafe
The Anthropology of Food and Body: Gender, Meaning and Power
We Are What We Eat: Ethnic Foods and the Making of Americans
Food, Sex, and Pollution
Such a Pretty Face: Being Fat in America
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

The list of sources that i chose have no correlation what so ever. I went through the list and found the titles of things that I would potentially want to read or write a paper about. I am interested in the effects that food have on people, as well as obesity in America.