The astonishing story of how a movement’s quest for rural simplicity drifted into a formula for mass death By George Monbiot, published on monbiot.com, 4th October 2023 Tourism sells to you the story of what it has taken away. It markets the “traditional” and “unchanging” and, in doing so, changes it. As the old joke…
… if there is one habit that incites fury more reliably than any others, it is to put numbers on the problem. Hectares, yields, nutrients, calories, inputs, outputs, costs, emissions, hunger, death: any form of quantification is as welcome in this arena as a tambourine in a Bach sonata.
Why? Because the romantic story of how food “should” be produced is entirely qualitative. It’s an aesthetic reverie. It’s about pictures, poetry, gut feeling – understandable when it comes to food but, literally, lethal when it comes to ensuring everyone has it. It is the great indulgence of those who never miss a meal to celebrate the times and modes in which people missed plenty.
Really powerful point. An unexpected, but great read.
Really powerful point. An unexpected, but great read.