4 ms·
It's surprising how many ethnic cuisines that have become more ubiquitous in the US in the last decade or two match up so well to their home nations offering ma
by legerdemain 5y ago
It's surprising how many ethnic cuisines that have become more ubiquitous in the US in the last decade or two match up so well to their home nations offering marketing and financial assistance to potential restaurant owners. Maybe it's not our palates telling us to eat more Korean bulgogi and Peruvian fried chicken, as much as those countries paying money to put those dishes in front of us.
- anonporridge 5y agoIt does seem like it would be a bit harder to manufacture consent from the people to drop bombs on a country if tons of people have a strong, positive association with their food. Seems like a similar effect as foreign exchange programs. It's harder to start a war with someone when tons of your own people have friends and family there and won't fall for the racist, dehumanizing 'othering' of the people who live there.
- legerdemain 5y agoSure! To pick a specific example, diners in the US have only the warmest regard for the Thai military kleptocracy, periodic coups, and political imprisonment of opposition leaders. (Obviously, only Thai royalists get financial aid to open restaurants overseas.)
- legerdemain 5y agoNot to mention the chain restaurants run by North Korea overseas.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang_(restaurant_chain) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang_(restaurant_chain)