[ExI] Don't be a locavore fundamentalist

[Mike Dougherty]

On Sun, Sep 27, 2009 at 8:43 AM, Anders Sandberg <asa at nada.kth.se> wrote:
> The reason we have these food fashions and food religions is of course that
> food is cheap, plentiful and has a high diversity. And that is fundamentally
> a free market effect.

It's not cheap, plentiful and diverse in every part of Earth.  Do we
care?  Should we cover the expense of shipping a box of mac&cheese
around the world for each imported apple, even if the apple-producer
is not the recipient of the mac&cheese?

> My suggestion is that we form our own high-status food-cult, "rational
> eaters". We want food that actually *is* good for us, the environment and
> the rest of mankind. Of course, researching it and getting it is going to be
> a major undertaking - which is good, since that demonstrates committment and
> makes the group more impressive. Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it
> too.

You're not going to get invited to appear on Oprah with a group name
like "rational eaters"  :)