What Food Says About Class in America

Lisa Miller at Newsweek has written a great summary of all the food/class/obesity issues that our government should be paying more attention to these days. But what blew my mind about this piece was the following passage:

Claude Fischler, a French sociologist, believes that Americans can fight both obesity and food insecurity by being more, well, like the French. Americans take an approach to food and eating that is unlike any other people in history. For one thing, we regard food primarily as (good or bad) nutrition. When asked “What is eating well?” Americans generally answer in the language of daily allowances: they talk about calories and carbs, fats, and sugars. They don’t see eating as a social activity, and they don’t see food—as it has been seen for millennia—as a shared resource, like a loaf of bread passed around the table. When asked “What is eating well?” the French inevitably answer in terms of “conviviality”: togetherness, intimacy, and good tastes unfolding in a predictable way.

Even more idiosyncratic than our obsession with nutrition, says Fischler, is that Americans see food choice as a matter of personal freedom, an inalienable right. Americans want to eat what they want: morels or Big Macs. They want to eat where they want, in the car or alfresco. And they want to eat when they want. With the exception of Thanksgiving, when most of us dine off the same turkey menu, we are food libertarians. In surveys, Fischler has found no single time of day (or night) when Americans predictably sit together and eat. By contrast, 54 percent of the French dine at 12:30 each day. Only 9.5 percent of the French are obese.

Whoa! Prior to reading this article, I literally had never conceived of an answer to “What is eating well?” that didn’t involve some kind of measurement of nutritional value. That’s how ingrained into my psyche American food culture is. May we all make it a point to enjoy each other’s company more than we do during our meals together. It’s apparently more important than we think.

“You do this, or we’ll f*ck you over”

Onnesha Roychoudhuri, on Amazon’s cutthroat business tactics, and how they’ve been systematically gutting the publishing industry:

Cheap books are easy on our wallets, but behind the scenes publishers large and small have been deeply undercut by the rise of large retailers and predatory pricing schemes. Unless publishers push back, Amazon will take the logic of the chains to its conclusion. Then publishers and readers will finally know what happens when you sell a book like it’s a can of soup.



Truly a troubling piece. Reminds me of my days in college when my English prof used to say, “When you buy books at Barnes & Noble/Borders, you’re paying to have fewer choices in the long run.” We are now seeing that phenomenon again, only Amazon has isn’t as sympathetic to publishers as those major bookstores.

The Guys in “Terriers” Are Terrible People

 [The following contains spoilers for the first 5 episodes of Terriers (Season 1).]

This weekend, for the first time after several weeks/months of intense working/recording, I was finally given the opportunity to relax for a few days. So, after an intense Twitter poll last night, I decided to sit down and blow through the first 5 episodes of Terriers, whose first season wraps up this week on FX.

I really enjoy the show, and people on Twitter say that it only keeps getting better. The dialogue is sharp, the one-liners are consistently funny, the acting is uniformly solid, and the direction and pedigree absurdly great for a basic cable show (Clark Johnson, Guy Ferland, and Rian Johnson take on directorial duties, among others. And that’s just in the episodes I’ve watched so far).

That being said, I was a bit taken aback by the complete amorality of the main leads, Hank Dolworth (Donal Logue) and Britt Pollack (Michael Raymond-James). Sure, their camaraderie is intoxicating, but do they really have to commit so many crimes?

In the first 5 episodes alone, these are some of the criminal/wrong acts that the guys have performed:

  • Planted a gun in a man’s house, leading to his arrest for murder (though in fairness, he was framed for a crime he DID commit)
  • Directly provoked a mentally unstable bank manager to commit suicide
  • Threatened to destroy a woman’s house, in an attempt at flushing out her boyfriend, all for the sake of obtaining a state reward for his arrest
  • Broke into a crime scene and stole $250,000 that potentially might have served as state’s evidence
  • Chased a desperate criminal into the path of an oncoming car, killing him
  • Covered up the true cause-of-death of said criminal

Typically, when protagonists flout the law, it’s in the service of a greater good. Nope, not these guys. Dolworth is mostly out for revenge, and for money to buy his old house back from his ex-wife.

I get that these guys are meant to be anti-heroes. Their flagrant violations of the law are thrilling to behold (in particular, the crime scene heist was pretty well-executed, given the show’s limited resources). I also understand that their collective ethical character will undoubtedly improve as the show goes on. But the show doesn’t seem to grapple much with the flagrant violations of the law that these guys perform on a regular basis. Based on the things I’ve read about the show, neither do most viewers. Perhaps the fact that we’re willingly taken along for the ride is a testament to the show’s greatness; it’s hard to get us to root for the cuckolder, yet this show achieves it.

More reactions later, possibly on the /Filmcast, when I finish the series…

Black Friday Makes Me Proud/Ashamed To Be An American

Today was Black Friday, and while I’ve enjoyed participating in this day of madness in the past, I just wasn’t feeling it this year (probably because I feel like I have everything I need in the realm of material things…for now). Farhad Manjoo has a “Black Friday survival guide” that’s also a great summary of why the hell it is that normal, everyday people will turn into complete freaks when it comes to getting $10 off a toaster:

Black Friday superfans concede that they’re an odd bunch. They all know that these days it’s possible—and maybe even likely—that you’ll get better deals online. So why go out at all? Because for some people, shopping on Black Friday is insanely fun. And if braving the cold and the crowds isn’t your idea of a good time, you shouldn’t bother.

“I love the thrill of going out and getting a deal,” Zahary says. “It’s very satisfying, like you conquered an objective in life, while still saving money and getting something wonderful for yourself, family and friends.” Steffj89, a BFads forum regular, writes, “I love the crowds, the thrill of the deal, the people, the noise, this is MY SUPERBOWL.”

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Meanwhile, Gizmodo has a great rundwon of “The Ten Most Absurd Black Friday Trample Videos You’ll See.” Here’s a taste:

What I’m Thankful For (2010)

The Great Smoky Mountains

I’m pretty sure I spent most of the past year not really believing that second chances were possible, or (quite frankly) that my life, as currently constituted, was worth living.

And while I can’t say I’ve been completely pulled out of that darkness yet, I can say I’ve been pulled back from the brink.

If there is one word that can sum up the past 12 months since my last Thanksgiving post, it would be “change.” And while i didn’t believe the highs and lows in my life would get anymore extreme, this year has in fact brought with it a series of events so bizarre and unexpected that i haven’t been able to step back and recover from the madness until today. Sometimes, life whisks you along through breathless turns, and the most you can hope to do is hang on, try to enjoy the ride, and pray to God your appendages are still attached when the dust is settled. Maybe that’s all I’ve been able to manage this year. I think that, on the journey from darkness to light, I’m maybe about halfway there.

Despite the events that have ripped into my emotional well-being, there have also been so many encouraging developments that I can’t help but be grateful. I work two jobs; one in education and one in the online film world. Both are difficult to obtain and afford me a number of benefits that are the envy of many citizens. For the first time in my life this year, I was accepted into a Harvard educational institution. This has brought my family great pride and joy. I am surrounded by wonderful people in both areas of my life. And while stress threatens to completely destroy my life on an almost daily basis, I really wouldn’t have it any other way. As George Clooney once famously put it, “We are not swans. We are sharks.” And sharks thrive on constant motion.

Last year, I listed a bunch of people and things I’m thankful for. All those sentiments are still true. It would be redundant to just repeat everything again, but it really is a mostly-accurate representation of how I feel today. Nonetheless, I wanted to quickly re-iterate some of them, while adding a few others, lest I forget the goodness in my life. Here is what I’m grateful for:

For Matt – For his valuable friendship, his deep understanding, his giving heart, and his unstoppable passion for telling stories. Our meeting has perhaps been the best thing to come out of these past few years. 

For Chi – For her continued patience with me, even as she enters a whole new phase of her life.

For my brother, Mike – For the ways in which he inspires me with his non-stop hard work, and the way he makes me laugh with his over-the-top no-nonsense attitude.

For Linda – For her kindness and companionship, which have been a valuable comfort as of late.

For Stephen Tobolowsky – For the stories, the profundity, the memories, the laughs, the tears that he has brought into this world, and that I have helped to facilitate. For giving me something to be proud of helping to create. Truly, I feel we are at the beginning of something amazing, and not the end.

For Lily – For her compassion, and for reaching out to me under circumstances where few would have dared.

For Deirdre – For her friendship and random acts of kindness.

For Mydhili – Because she is too cool for school. Also, her name is awesome. Seriously though: When people arrive at a new country and at a new school, the process by which they become friends with others can often feel random. I’m grateful that our friendship has somehow emerged newly from this selection process.

For people like Mary HK Choi, Matt Zoller Seitz, Myles McNutt, Alan Sepinwall, Adam Kempenaar, Alison Willmore, Dan Trachtenberg, Jeff Cannata, Matt Singer, Tasha Robinson, Eric D. Snider, Clay Shirky, Bob Garfield, Brooke Gladstone, Kim Masters, Maria Popova, and Katey Rich (and too many more than I can name here) – You inspire me with your writing/broadcasting. And with a few of you, I’ve been honored to meet and chat with you in the past year, and honored to call myself your friend. The pleasure has been mine.

For Instapaper + my Kindle – Because it has changed the way I read and (arguably) made me smarter.

For Sara – Because she shows me what is possible.

For Garron – Because his generosity and cooking skills know no bounds.

For Angie – For listening to my crazed ramblings when I need to be listened to the most.

For Bob and Jeff – For helping me to laugh with life. And for supporting me and giving me good advice when the time is right.

For everyone at /Film -From Peter, who makes everything possible (but I’m also grateful for his friendship), to Devindra and Adam, who constantly surprise me with their insights into film, to Germain, Russ, and Chris, who constantly churn out interesting and informative content. I can honestly say I’m proud to work for this organization, but I know that there is still much work to do.

For Salon – Because if you look beyond their ultra-left leaning views, you’ll find stories about life and stories about love, written with such honesty and grace that they can’t help but inspire some kind of admiration.

Again, for you – For reading, for listening, for engaging. For making what I do possible. For giving me the strength to keep going. Thanks all. Until next year…

Calm the Hell Down, America: Defending the TSA

A number of people have come out in defense of the TSA’s enhanced pat down practices. Kevin Drum writes an “anti-rant” for Mother Jones, saying:

The fact that you personally are annoyed — you! an educated white-collar professional! — doesn’t mean that the process is idiotic. I’ve heard it called “security theater” so many times I’d be rich if I had a nickel for each time it popped up in my browser, but although the anti-TSA rants are often cathartic and amusing, they’ve never made much sense to me. All the crap that TSA goes through actually seems pretty clearly directed at improving the security of air travel.

Drum does bring up a pretty frightening point, though: If, God forbid, a terrorist attack were to succeed, our ease of air travel would undoubtedly decrease even further.

Over at Politico, Michael Kinsley urges us to remember that TSA officials are people too:

For the most part, the critics have taken aim at the agency and its rules, not the humble employees. But there are jokes about what kind of pervert would want to spend all day looking at X-rays of the privates of overweight Americans and then have the wonderful opportunity to run their hands up your leg. Don’t flatter yourself: Your leg is no thrill. What kind of pervert is attracted to the TSA? The answer is a pervert who needs a job. I favor jokes in all situations, but it would be nice if TSA jokes were accompanied by a note that your intended target is the rules, not the folks who are just trying to enforce them.

But perhaps my favorite response is from Foster Kamer, who just wants America to “Stop Freaking Out“:

America, get your shit together and buck up. This is a complex problem that lacks an easy solution. You freaking out at the airport — regardless of how violated you do or don’t feel — isn’t going to make anything better for anyone. Contact your congressional representatives! Do something that will actually make a difference. But whatever you do, do NOT mess with my holiday travel plans. I have an airport bar to get to, and when I get there, I will drink away the trauma of having my cock grabbed by an equally uncomfortable stranger, and then channel this fury into calls and letters forcing the elected officials I appointed to do their jobs into actually doing their jobs. For the moment, though, all of us — you, me, and TSA screeners — are going through variations of the same hell. Don’t make it worse.