5 ms·

The breaking of bread is one of the most important social aspects of humanity. Soylent is perfect for the disconnected from humanity factory worker. I fully ap

by fleitz 13y ago

The breaking of bread is one of the most important social aspects of humanity. Soylent is perfect for the disconnected from humanity factory worker. I fully appreciate that it's cheaper than food, and might be nutritionally healthy for you. Mental healthwise, it seems like a disaster.

stinkytaco 13y ago
Off topic but, I think that really gets to the core of our problems with food in western culture. Sharing food is the only bodily function we share publically. We don't use the bathroom together. We generally sleep and procreate in private with select people. We don't give play by plays of our breathing or hygiene, even if they are technically public. But food, food is such a powerful cultural symbol that we share it with our loved ones and even complete strangers. The power of food is so great that it's the centerpiece of many cultural touchstones (the harvest festival, the sacrifice, the fertility ritual). We talk about the food our grandparents made in tones so reverential it might as well be religion. But when we get our lunch we get food in our cars and eat it alone. It was prepared by someone we didn't see and will never know. Not that long ago even convenience food was prepared by a person we knew. I realize that most of us don't do this every day or even most days, but certainly the rise of eating as an exercise of convenience and driven strictly by our taste buds has coincided with the rise of our fat society. I know that correlation does not equal causation, but in this case it seems likely to me that one has led to the other. We've already started to disconnect from our food in dangerous ways. Why not add a new meal replacement if it's healthier? And it's not like the internal combustion engine made us a bunch healthier either.
- fleitz 13y ago
  Exactly, the food our grandparents made was religious or ritual in nature, think about it... Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc, etc. Even the 4th of July is marked by BBQ. As you said, last supper, last meal, sacrement. Culture is food.
pyrocat 13y ago
How many meals in week do you eat alone? How many with other people? I think most people will simply use this product to replace the meals they'd eat alone, and still go out for food with friends. As a bachelor who eats out almost every meal, including the lunches and dinners when I eat alone. This sounds perfect for saving money and thus leaving more money to spend when I go out with friends.
- fleitz 13y ago
  I eat 4 meals alone per week, mostly because I eat lunch at my desk and am not super tight with my new co-workers (mostly because except for fridays I don't eat with them, see how that works?) Breakfast is with my partner, and dinner is with my partner or friends and family. Why are you eating alone... let alone eating alone as a bachelor? Make food for friends, go out with friends, not eating alone will change your life for the better (IMHO).
  - alandarev 13y ago
    (Another recent graduate speaking) Not everyone is having same social skills. You tell me that, then I shall take my ass out and make friends in a foreign country. I agree with you, as am working on it and myself, but at the moment - zero friends. As a result I very often eat alone too. On the other hand, I still am highly against replacing my eating rituals with some shaky shakes.
epsylon 13y ago
> The breaking of bread is one of the most important social aspects of humanity. It's even in our languages: etymologically, a companion is literally a person with whom you share bread.

by fleitz 13y ago

stinkytaco 13y ago

Off topic but, I think that really gets to the core of our problems with food in western culture. Sharing food is the only bodily function we share publically. We don't use the bathroom together. We generally sleep and procreate in private with select people. We don't give play by plays of our breathing or hygiene, even if they are technically public. But food, food is such a powerful cultural symbol that we share it with our loved ones and even complete strangers. The power of food is so great that it's the centerpiece of many cultural touchstones (the harvest festival, the sacrifice, the fertility ritual). We talk about the food our grandparents made in tones so reverential it might as well be religion. But when we get our lunch we get food in our cars and eat it alone. It was prepared by someone we didn't see and will never know. Not that long ago even convenience food was prepared by a person we knew. I realize that most of us don't do this every day or even most days, but certainly the rise of eating as an exercise of convenience and driven strictly by our taste buds has coincided with the rise of our fat society. I know that correlation does not equal causation, but in this case it seems likely to me that one has led to the other. We've already started to disconnect from our food in dangerous ways. Why not add a new meal replacement if it's healthier? And it's not like the internal combustion engine made us a bunch healthier either.

fleitz 13y ago
Exactly, the food our grandparents made was religious or ritual in nature, think about it... Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc, etc. Even the 4th of July is marked by BBQ. As you said, last supper, last meal, sacrement. Culture is food.

pyrocat 13y ago

How many meals in week do you eat alone? How many with other people? I think most people will simply use this product to replace the meals they'd eat alone, and still go out for food with friends. As a bachelor who eats out almost every meal, including the lunches and dinners when I eat alone. This sounds perfect for saving money and thus leaving more money to spend when I go out with friends.

fleitz 13y ago
I eat 4 meals alone per week, mostly because I eat lunch at my desk and am not super tight with my new co-workers (mostly because except for fridays I don't eat with them, see how that works?) Breakfast is with my partner, and dinner is with my partner or friends and family. Why are you eating alone... let alone eating alone as a bachelor? Make food for friends, go out with friends, not eating alone will change your life for the better (IMHO).
- alandarev 13y ago
  (Another recent graduate speaking) Not everyone is having same social skills. You tell me that, then I shall take my ass out and make friends in a foreign country. I agree with you, as am working on it and myself, but at the moment - zero friends. As a result I very often eat alone too. On the other hand, I still am highly against replacing my eating rituals with some shaky shakes.

epsylon 13y ago

> The breaking of bread is one of the most important social aspects of humanity. It's even in our languages: etymologically, a companion is literally a person with whom you share bread.