Food: What Kind of a Vegetarian Are You?

[SunflowerP]

Eric and EDF,

This isn't a rules call, just a suggestion. If you're gonna have an extended discussion about theodicy (with or without Nazis), could you take it to Philosophy and Metaphysics? People are trying to eat and cook in here.

Sunflower
TC Forum Staff

[Hariti]

People are trying to eat and cook in here.

Sorry, I've taken this thread quite off the rails, haven't I? I really need to work on my TC etiquette.

[SunflowerP]

Sorry, I've taken this thread quite off the rails, haven't I? I really need to work on my TC etiquette.

Oh, it's not that big an issue - mostly, we take a position of 'thread drift happens' and let the discussion go where people want it to go. Just, if it goes too far from the topic of the thread or of the subforum it's in, and looks like it could constitute a distinct discussion all on its own, a staff member might pop up to suggest turning it into its own thread in a suitable place.

Sunflower

[Sefiru]

I personally find that very hard to believe. The idea of ethical vegetarianism goes back centuries, (millennia, actually) and has been practiced and promoted by men and women alike.

I was not, in fact, referring to vegetarianism at all. The food-moral-policing I've seen has come more from the weight loss/diet/supplement industry, by way of food advertising, magazine articles, health talk shows such as Dr Oz.

I'm talking about the attitude that considers foods "sinful" because of how pleasurable or indulgent they are for the eater, not because of any suffering or death of food animals. Weirdly, there's a push for people to both desire "sinful" food and feel guilty about eating it.

[Hariti]

I was not, in fact, referring to vegetarianism at all. The food-moral-policing I've seen has come more from the weight loss/diet/supplement industry, by way of food advertising, magazine articles, health talk shows such as Dr Oz.

I'm talking about the attitude that considers foods "sinful" because of how pleasurable or indulgent they are for the eater, not because of any suffering or death of food animals. Weirdly, there's a push for people to both desire "sinful" food and feel guilty about eating it.

Ooops. My critical reading skills were obviously not working when I read your comment the first time, as it should've been obvious what you were talking about.

I actually agree with what you are saying here! The idea that eating unhealthy foods is somehow morally wrong, or sinful, is patently ridiculous, and is definitely directed more at women than men.

I mean, I've never seen an advertisement or book directed at men talking about how eating Twinkies or drinking Budweiser is sinful, but I do see such attitudes directed at women.

We are on the same page regarding this type of food policing. Let people eat what they enjoy, and if it causes them health problems, don't be a jerk and shame them!

[PerditaPickle]

The food-moral-policing I've seen has come more from the weight loss/diet/supplement industry, by way of food advertising, magazine articles, health talk shows such as Dr Oz.

I'm talking about the attitude that considers foods "sinful" because of how pleasurable or indulgent they are for the eater

Ah, once again I see an opportunity to drop The Bad Food Bible into the conversation.

The idea that eating unhealthy foods is somehow morally wrong, or sinful, is patently ridiculous, and is definitely directed more at women than men.

I recall hearing a theory about North American culture, that the moral policing that used to be applied to (mostly women's) sexuality has been shifted to (mostly women's) food choices. I find this plausible. And I've always found the idea of "sinful" food deeply weird.

I'm also in the process of reading Burning Woman by Lucy H Pearce, and she had quite a lot to say on this topic in the chapter I just finished.