Sunday, July 25, 2010

You Say You Want a Revolution

"...well you know, we all want to change the world." --John Lennon

I have some posts with pictures ready to go, but like I said, I'm waiting until I get real internet. Unfortunately, that won't be until next Thursday because I got my dates mixed up. If I have time, I will try to post from work. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for a week and half for more pictures, sorry.

In the meantime, I thought I would post a little something about an American trait I found I have, and sustainability/healthy living (which are close to my heart). I went out with a coworker and her friends the other night, and we started discussing Jamie Oliver's show "Food Revolution". This is a show where Jamie Oliver, a famous British chef, came over to the U.S. and delved into the inner workings of the school food system. As you all might remember, the public school food is pretty bad in the U.S. It's a lot of chicken nuggets and overcooked veggies (which not surprisingly, don't get eaten). But something about the show rankled a little bit with me, and I mentioned that the other night. I said that I found it a little bit irritating for some snobby British dude to come over and tell us everything that's wrong with our food system, and the lady who was talking about the show said "That's how all the other Americans felt. But don't you think it's better for him to come over and raise awareness?"

Now admittedly, I haven't seen the show. But here are my gut reactions: first of all, sorry, Great Britain, but you aren't on the list of the World's Skinniest People. So Jamie Oliver, maybe you should fix things in your own country before you go messing with others. Secondly, it's not like no one in America cares. There are lots of people who do care and are trying to do something about it, like this guy. But instead of interviewing people like that, who are working really hard and making progress, the television network thought it was appropriate to bring over a foreigner to tell us we're doing it all wrong. If I were an American like Ed Bruske, who had been working on the school lunch system for years, I would be pretty insulted and discouraged.

Of course, the network probably wants someone "famous" to do the show. Well, if they want someone famous, why don't they hire an American cook, like Rachael Ray (not that she's the healthiest cook ever, but you know what I mean)? Then, that person should interview the people who are trying to make things better to raise awareness. We are not a country of Neanderthals.

I think the other lady thought I was being a bit defensive. I thought about it a little bit, and I do think I am exhibiting a distinctively American trait: we like to tell other countries what to do, but we don't want foreigners all up in our business. Still, I wonder how it would fly if Jamie Oliver came over here and tried to tell Australians they were eating all wrong. As far as I can see, Australians are also pretty independent, and I think the show might go over like it did in the U.S.: like a lead balloon.

4 comments:

eaf said...

British cuisine, yum!

L said...

I know, right?!?

Linda said...

How about referring her to the Slow Food movement here in the good ole' US of A?

L said...

She pretty much didn't want to hear that the U.S. has anyone working on the health food movement, so I don't think that would have helped.