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You put your finger on what I think is the real issue: whether or not access to cheap food is a net benefit or not. I also won't claim to have the perfect answe
by jghn 2y ago
You put your finger on what I think is the real issue: whether or not access to cheap food is a net benefit or not. I also won't claim to have the perfect answer but do feel we've gone at least a bit too far in one direction.
- cj 2y agoI think we've only "gone too far" in the sense that cheap food also means unhealthy food, generally. Access to cheap food would be wonderful if it were healthy! Unfortunately the cheapest food is typically the worst food for your health.
- jghn 2y agoYes, and I think it goes beyond "healthy", depending on one's definition. Part of it is also that "cheap" tends to lead to monocultures and other patterns that are more easily disrupted. An example being the Cavendish banana, which for most of the western world is the only thing they know of when the word "banana" is mentioned. And now the banana supply of a large part of the world is in danger of going extinct [1] And there's also ecological health. "Cheap" tends to promote mass production in certain areas and shipping everywhere. "Cheap" tends to promote less sustainable farming practices. That sort of thing. [1] https://www.foodandwine.com/banana-extinction-8715118 https://www.foodandwine.com/banana-extinction-8715118