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comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Ask Hubski: How will history judge us?
Great question. First as for the food delivery system, it's a valid point. Today my wife was eating some crackers and commented on how good they are. She read the side of the package and it said, "made by our artisan greek bakers". I said, "those crackers sure traveled a long ways to get to our table" and she said, "there's no way they were actually made in greece". Sure enough, they were a "Product of Greece". -Why the hell should we be buying greek crackers? I mean, they weren't that good. Why should I be eating a tomato in Michigan in January that was grown in Peru? WTF?

Anyways, to give a couple of answers to your question What do you think? What is the worst thing about now that we accept as common, everyday practice?

1. "Can you believe they didn't know how to prevent all cancers and that they used to irradiate the body to treat cancer?... even HEALTHY cells"?

2. "Can you believe they used to only have 2 parties and that money played a role in politics"?

3. "Can you believe that Hockey wasn't the most popular spot in the United States"?

4. "Can you believe that people were called "minorities" based on things such as sexual preference, skin color, and ethnicity?

5. "What was cash? Why didn't people just use their credit ring?" -That ones for you mk

6. "Intelligent design? WTF was that all about"

Panel, if any of these things come to pass... you'll hear about it on wait, wait don't tell me, the NPR news quiz.

;)

That was fun.





forwardslash  ·  4429 days ago  ·  link  ·  
In reference to #2, I remember a Simpsons episode where two aliens take over the bodies of two presidential candidates and when they were revealed to the world someone in the crowd shouted something about voting for a third party and everyone laughed. I didn't really get it until many years later when I watched some American electoral news and was baffled at the thought of having only two parties.
scrimetime  ·  4429 days ago  ·  link  ·  
#3
b_b  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Re: the food system. That's a good point about importing ridiculous things that could be made close or lived without. I was thinking more about factory farming when I wrote that.
caio  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
b_b  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Its fucked beyond belief. However, here in the States, if you buy meat, you are getting factory farmed meat unless you specifically seek out meat that was raised otherwise. Its a tragedy of epic proportion.
thenewgreen  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
The main reason I went veggie. It's WAY fucked up. But seriously our entire system of acquiring food is fucked up.
b_b  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I want to. I wish I had the wherewithal and will power. I've tried, but I think I'm addicted. I don't know if that's possible, but I wouldn't be surprised. The best thing that could happen is some courageous politicians actually take on the farm bill this year when it comes up for renewal. Meat shouldn't be illegal, but its price should reflect its true cost, which includes enormous damage to the environment and the suffering of countless animals.
caio  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Today I dined with my mother. We went to the eye doctor and after that, we ate. I couldn't tell what she had because my pupils were dilated, but I had a vegetable quiche, some slices of pineapple, tomatos, cucumbers, some carrots and a little soy. I had about 2 pounds of food. Mind you, this was not a vegetarian place, but it was in the upscale part of town, so their salad buffet was better than just lettuce, tomatos and peas.

I get the lure of meat. Thing tastes fucking good! I didn't become a vegetarian on my own account. Most of it was because of my girlfriend. Sometimes it was hard - not like detoxing in Trainspotting (http://youtu.be/OaSuSnUJm3E), jesus, no - but it was a hard habit to break. Only after I cut down on red meat, I realized how the goddamn thing is everywhere and how it comprised most of the food on my plate.

So, if I may, I don't think you're addicted, I think it may just be the habit. "Custom is the great guide to human life." -- David Hume

mk  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Yes, factory farming was what I was getting at.

Although it's already controversial, I can imagine that unmanned drones killing people will not be judged by history very well. In fact, the act of nations waging war altogether looks less and less reasonable when we can have conversations like this one with people from all over the world. Wars are becoming more ridiculous but no less tragic. Unfortunately we in the US are not a nation at war. Our nation is doing some war, but I couldn't personally tell you how well or badly it's going from my own experience. Drones help take that to an extreme, and that's why I think they will be judged poorly.

Aside from factory farming, I have to look at the urban ghettos in the US that are almost completely ignored by middle class and upper class society. So much that goes with this, especially the racial disparity and incarceration rates, this is going to be judged with horror. Look at the public schools in Detroit Michigan. IMO the mindset of slavery is alive in the US. It will be asked how something like that could occur in the 'wealthiest nation' without a genuine moral deficit.

thenewgreen  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I agree that factory farming is horrendous but so too is having our food travel thousands of miles to get to us. I used to work for a food distribution company years ago and it's just stupid. Is it nice to be able to eat Mahi at a restaurant in Cleveland that was swimming off of the shores of Oahu only 72 hours ago? Sure. But is it ethical?
b_b  ·  4430 days ago  ·  link  ·  
#3 is a given!