She Had a Fever

She Had a Fever: mixoparthenos: If it’s shit, something is not better than nothing… I’m...

jabitte:

mixoparthenos:

shehadafever:

mixoparthenos:

If it’s shit, something is not better than nothing… I’m looking at you McDonald’s Dollar Menu

Katharina c’mon! I totally respect your views on slow food, raw food, and you are more than entitled to your opinion and commentary about what goes in your body. But saying NOTHING…

I had a feeling you would reply :) the kind of “food” that is available to people who may not be able to afford something else is upsetting. Maybe they don’t care, and maybe they think it tastes fine… but for the people who have a responsibility and know what they are feeding people… it really upsets me in terms of the food industry, policies, and affordability/availability. And in New York City the mayor banned food donations for the homeless because of the quality of food they were receiving. It does sound twisted but at the same time considerate. But his policy just ends there. I’ve questioned him on being able to offer home-cooked meals but apparently that is banned as well. Basically, my gripe is coming from a passion to see food policies in this country change.

I see where both of you are coming from and I agree about wanting food policies to change etc, education to be available. But as a caveat to both of you, some people do not want to change. Some people like McDonalds dollar menu. Some highly educated people eat mcdonalds.

And some very poor people with low access to fruits and veggies would still rather eat mcdonalds, even if fruits and veggies are cheaper and they know how to access them. This is how Darwinism works.

And I feel like I can say this and not sound like a total asshole because when I was little we were homeless (I lived in a shelter with my dad) and we still went to the farmers market. Hell, in new york you can walk to a trader joes, or chinatown where fresh fruits and veggies are abundant for cheaper than what you would find on the dollar menu on a monthly basis.

This isn’t hidden information, no one told me this after i slipped them a twenty and told them a password, i just figured this out because i live in the city.

And the farmers market takes food stamps. Poor families used to do this, going out to mcdonalds used to be a luxury because it is a luxury. It is in no way cheaper to buy a dinner for a family of five at mcdonalds than it is to make some rice and chicken for that same family (which mathematically costs like 70 cents a per person)

I think sometimes we offer excuses or help for people in bad positions, when a lot of the time people just don’t care to work themselves out of the situation they are in. Bloomberg had a HUGE initiative to get the homeless population off the streets. His motive were more on the business end (it’s bad for tourism) and while this aspect of not allowing home cooked foods in shelters is stupid, it’s done because government cannot micromanage every aspect of the city so the regulations are rarely intuitive.

But you can still offer homeless people on the street food. I used to buy dinner for my mentally ill homeless neighbor, because he did not have the resources to provide for himself and probably mostly because it made me feel better.

But the “they’re too poor, they’re too dumb” rhetoric is something i always thought was kind of silly. Sure we all have certain privilege, but as someone who grew up with ZERO privilege, I have little sympathy for that.

Also I love you both and think you’re both reasonable, strong, cool ladies

xoxo gossip girl.

You make points here Sway and obviously your experience is not invalid in the least. I am not saying people are “too poor or too dumb” however… and I think “Darwinism” as a principle of critiquing people’s decisions does not stand up here. When I say education I am not talking about a public school nutrition school or a PSA ad but a knowledge of resources at large- which as you conveyed you learned through your father. He was a good Dad to help you learn through his behavior how you would like to model your eating habits. And I am not trying to make the claim that if all people (oppressed classes or otherwise) were given the right information would always make the healthy food option. Fuck no they wouldn’t and it isn’t my business! It is also worth nothing that New York City, though it is the city that Katharina later specified this was in regards to, is not every city in relation to access. But I really do appreciate that you gave perspective on this, and I think you are both intelligent ladies too.

I’m sorry if this read as an attack Katharina- I just know sometimes I make remarks without checking my privilege (such as here I am typing on my computer!) and wish someone would help me maintain my critical analysis as well as critical engagement. I am glad that people care about the politics of food at all, so rock on.

1. mixoparthenos reblogged this from jabitte and added:

   I appreciate everyone’s pieces of insight. Different experiences whether they be primary or secondary “sources” lead to...

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3. shehadafever reblogged this from jabitte and added:

   You make points here Sway and obviously your experience is not invalid in the least. I am not saying people are “too...

4. mixoparthenos likes this
5. jabitte reblogged this from mixoparthenos and added:

   I see where both of you are coming from and I agree about wanting food policies to change etc, education to be...

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