Thoreau’s Food Rules
Hey guys!
[photo cred]
Ever since Michael Pollan and his books have been in the spotlight, I’ve felt fortunate that such important issues on food production, health and sustainable living were taking center stage. It’s also meant that I’m now viewing my world with Pollanized eyes. In reading Henry David Thoreau’s Walden
“There is a certain class of unbelievers who sometimes ask me such questions as, if I think I can live on vegetable food alone; and to strike at the root of the matter at once,–for the root is faith,–I am accustomed to answer such, that I can live on board nails.” Translation: When it comes to being vegetarian? I think I can, I think I can.
“What is the pill which will keep us well, serene, contented? Not my or thy great-father’s, but our great-grandmother Nature’s universal, vegetable, botanic medicines, by which she has kept herself young always, outlives so many old Parrs in her day, and fed her health with their decaying fatness.” Translation: Remedy up with natural stuff — just say no to drugs.
“I did not use tea, nor coffee, nor butter, nor milk, nor fresh meat, and so did not have to work to get them; again, as I did not work hard, I did not have to eat hard, and it cost me but a trifle for my food; but as he began with tea, and coffee, and butter, and milk, and beef, he had to work hard to pay for them, and when he had worked hard he had to eat hard again to repair the waste of his system.” Translation: Eating like crap has financial and physical tolls.
“No humane being, past the thoughtless age of boyhood, will wantonly murder any creature which holds its life by the same tenure that he does. The hare in its extremity cries like a child.” Eating no meat is best, but if you’re gonna — eat less and eat sustainably.
“The repugnance to animal food is not the effect of experience, but is an instinct. It appeared more beautiful to live low and fare hard in many respects; and though never did so, I went far enough to please my imagination. I believe that every man who has ever been earnest to preserve his higher or poetic faculties in the best condition has been particularly inclined to abstain from animal food, and from much food of any kind.” Question what is “natural” in your diet. Eating less meat and less in general will make you smarter!
“Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.” Translation: Ditto.
I don’t necessarily agree with Thoreau’s food rules (dude, he advocates abstaining from wine! he also seems to advocate a sort of ascetic abstinence from food), but I do find he was way ahead of his time and, friends, I just plain appreciate his genius.
Do you feel that food issues are taking center state these days in a productive manner? Do you think the important issues are getting their fair share in the media lime light?
In the News
- Check out this article on epigenetics in Time Magazine called “Epigenetics, DNA: How You Can Change Your Genes, Destiny,” Jan. 06, 2010 here — Did you think the debate ended at nature vs. nurture? Did you think your genes were to blame and you had no control over it? Think again1
- If you’re interested in eating less meat, check out these “7 Painless Ways to Be an Almost Vegetarian” here — I fully advocate half-ass vegetarianism or veganism. Baby steps are way underrated!
Alright, guys — I’m off to finish some major assignments.
<3,
The Cranky One
Tags: Food Rules, michael pollan, thoreau, walden
2 People have left comments on this post
Focus on food philosophies like this is definitely good, but sort if paradoxical. Isn’t the point that food should be simple and natural? Yet the point is being overcomplicated and maybe overthought. It’s also a great example of the fact that all good advice has usually been given already, whether it be about food, exercise, life, happiness, or anything else that should be easy but has become increasingly difficult.
You know – that’s an excellent insight, but I really don’t think we’re over-thinking anything here. Maybe if we lived in a state of nature, hundreds of years ago, as a small population of people without industry/technology and capitalism – and we simply lived off the land and didn’t expend energy reflecting on life, then, sure, food would be simple and natural.
We don’t live in a state of nature. We live in a world where food is an issue of capitalist self-interest, politics and the environment. Sure, we can tell people “food is meant to be simple and natural.” What does that mean? Truly, I ask you, because I have a hard time coming up with that definition myself and, as you can see, I do love to think about it. There are all sorts of issues embedded in the issue of food – like access to healthy foods (impoverished urban areas tend to have higher concentrations of fast food restaurants per mile than their wealthier counterparts), the fact that our processed foods are regulated by lobbyists and self-interest, the fact that food labels and companies lie to the public, the fact that people simply don’t know what is and is not healthy, the fact that kids are overwhelmed with food advertisements, the fact that food production is tied to the sustainability of our environment, etc. So, maybe food was meant to be simple and “natural” when it first came into existence (whatever that means) – but it’s not. That’s why I’m not sure there is any “point” except allowing people access to knowledge and debate on what “food” is in our society and what we’d like it to be.
When it comes to whether “all good advice has already been given” – I cringe and actually worry about the prospects of that sentiment. I truly truly truly think philosophy on food, life and any subject is malleable, subject to change, and meant to evolve. Everything that could be written on food “philosophy” hasn’t been written already and definitely won’t ever all be said (or written) until we cease to exist. And while Thoreau might have been giving “good advice” (and I’d hesitate to preface anything with “good”), he wasn’t writing a diet book — he was writing a book on society, the economy and environmental issues and what he thought needed to change. We have to remember that books like Pollan’s (and Thoreau’s) aren’t these food “philosophies” meant to exist like a Dear Abbey column — they’re meant to spark change.
If we just closed off debates and said “all good advice has already been given,” I fear we’d be doing huge disservice to ourselves. Just think of some of the horrible things people have thought “good advice” in our history, and how if people hadn’t questioned it where we’d still be right now.