episode 78 :: elitism
Posted by Phil on May 25th, 2011
Everyone makes a lifestyle choice. There are times when yours may rub people the wrong way. It is then when your lifestyle choice suddenly becomes an issue for them. In some cases, they may get the impression that you feel superior to them in one way or another. It’s all subjective, of course. But it’s when those people suddenly start labeling you an elitist that things get really personal.
Not all foodies are elitists. Yes there are some that are, but not all of them. This is a growing issue, and it’s the main topic of today’s show. If eating local, organically-grown, sustainable foods is your passion, who has the right to call you out for being an elitist if you’re simply choosing to live your life the way you are? And for every single elitist foodie, there are several who are not.
In this episode:
• In-n-Out opens in Texas, and one woman loses her shit
• The power of Facebook
• Ovila from Sierra Nevada
• The cost of eating local and sustainably grown food
• Does being a foodie make you an elitist by default?
• El Bulli: Cooking in Progress and my thoughts on the perfect movie about Ferran Adria
Music in this episode:
• “Not Meant For Me” by Wayne Static
• “Bullet With A Name” by Nonpoint
I think you need more “friends” on your friends of the show list
I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bob.
Great show, Phil. As expensive as the Farmers Market might seem at times, it’s never something I consider a serious expense. Compared to the price of living items like rent, utilities, gas, etc, I’ll gladly continue to spend my money on food, the best I can afford. If that’s elitist then whatever.
Had the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale last weekend and loved it. I don’t think we can get the beer you had, but I’ll look for it.
Looking forward to seeing the molecular gastronomy documentary. I know it’s been something you’ve been talking about for a while.
Another great show. LOVED, loved, loved the elitist rant! It’s so not about that crap. It’s just food people; gardening, eating from the land when and where possible, and cooking at home are very simple pleasures. The rest of it is all hooey! If we could educate, change the formula so that more people see that shopping and eating organic,sustainable, farmers markets is actually cheaper than other choices because of healthcare costs we’d be so much better off. But that’s a tall order now isn’t it?
Thanks Charles. That was right to the heart of the matter. Maybe it is a tall order. But whether we get there or not, I don’t want anyone to think we’re being elitists for choosing to live our lives this way.
Breck, glad you enjoyed Sierra Nevada. They make a lot of other great beers if you ever get a chance to try them.
Lambda, you get it. Thank you!
I had grass fed beef for the first time last year and it tasted like dirt. Dry as dirt too. I think I’ll stick with corn-fed American beef thank you.
I live close to where the In N Out opened here in Texas so I thought about stopping by to grab one until I heard the average wait time. People were standing in line for about five hours waiting for a burger. It was crazy.
Thanks Dan & Natasha.
In-n-Out makes a tasty burger, but it’s definitely not worth waiting in line longer than 30 minutes for. Even when I’m craving it, I’ll talk myself out of it if the line is too long. I don’t need a burger that bad – not ever.
And Dan, regarding grass-fed beef — I think it’s all in the quality of the beef, what it’s been eating, and what cut it is. As I said, grass fed/grain finished is spectacular. That’s something you should try sometime if you get a chance.
Hey Phil, I just recently started listening to your podcasts so I am a little behind but I absolutely love it. You really talk from the heart without bullshitting and I like that. I know how you feel about Paula Deen and I just found this little gem today that I thought you would appreciate. I wasn’t exactly sure where to post it so I figured this would be the best spot. Hope you get a good laugh out of it.
Thanks for listening Robert. Most of all, thanks for “getting it.”
We mean no harm here. It’s all in good fun!
Hm. Coming in a bit late, but I’d like to recommend Andrew Potter’s “The Authenticity Hoax.” The issues about elitism are also, primarily, issues about classism or, to put it another way, “cool points.” In other words, I do think it’s legitimate to criticize intellectual sloppiness, or, plain old peer pressure/showing off that’s trying to pretend it’s something else. Potter argues, and I agree, that a lot of nutritional “quality” standards are far more about status and establishing social hierarchy than they are about anything having to do with actual food. In prior generations, the debate would have been about religion or clothing or real property; now, it happens to center on food (and inherited body type misrepresented as an indicator of sinful or virtuous behavior, but that’s another discussion.) A prime example is how, conveniently, the “eating local” movement showed up just in time to take the place of the organics movement, after organics became relatively common place (even in Walmart — horrors!) and therefore less exclusive an indicator of (perceived) social status. Here’s a review: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304168004575178831348022238.html
Thanks Kell. That was definitely the most thought out explanation of this perhaps being more of a class issue for some. I can’t disagree with you at all. For a lot of people it’s certainly about status, and less about the food.
True as that might be, it’s a sad statement about where this has gone for some. I know a few of them myself.