OT-Jamie Oliver Food Revolution

Carolina Q

Anyone watching ABC tonight? Jamie Oliver is in Huntington WV, apparently the most unhealthy city in America. On a mission to change eating habits. I saw what the kids are eating in the schools there - and it's scary. Interesting show.

Bacchus

For some reason I just can't tolerate that guy. His voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Boilermaker Ben

have you seen his TED talk? Very good. I'll find a link

Boilermaker Ben

found it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc

Carolina Q

I rather like him. Voice is fine. I DO have have trouble UNDERSTANDING him though. I'm finding the show, reality notwithstanding, interesting.

Jeffersonian

If Oliver kept it to trying to persuade people, I'd be more tolerant of his efforts. Unhappily, he does not, and his enthusiastic use of the State to enforce his cherished views on what people ought to eat leave me cold and thinking he's just another health nazi and busbody who believes his every stand ought to be enforced at bayonet-point.

LINK

Boilermaker Ben

In which of his efforts or tactics do you see him using the state to enforce what people eat?

Jeffersonian

Read the article at the link I provided.

Boilermaker Ben

I did. I'd like to hear YOUR take, rather than the writer of the article.

Jeffersonian

My take is not unlike that of the author of the article. Just look at the progression of the use of State power regarding tobacco, and you'll understand: First come the gentle warnings and really, who could be opposed to simply informing people of the potential threat to their health? Yet we see where it winds up when the lumpenproles resist the instruction of their betters. As Loren Lomasky put it:

(He)courts an electorate that persistently rejects his embrace and instead obdurately holds onto its own affections. It thereby shows itself unworthy to be the object of devotion of so ardent a lover. But rather than acquiesce in rejection and give up the chase, the swain will turn the tables, transform the drab voter-consumer into beauteous citizen, and once and for all win her favors--if not through seduction then by rape.

Oliver cares and cares and cares. He cares so much, it's obvious that he's a superior sort of human being and, as such, it's his natural duty to tell us all what to do.

Homey don't play dat.

AZRP

He is passionate and raises awareness of people as to how bad food in schools really is. -RP

Bacchus

Sort of playing devils advocate here, not disagrreing with anyone, BUT...
Is the school food worse than any other prepared meal purchased outside of the home? The kids aren't being forced to eat it are they? I mean I realize the Osama Bin Laden, I mean Barack Obama administration is forcing things on us but I think we can still send lunch to school with our kids.

Jeffersonian

Passion is overrated, and any kid that has ever seen a glop of stewed tomatoes on his tray knows school lunches are crap.

Jeffersonian

The kids aren't being forced to eat it are they?

Wellll...

Negative reaction to the British government’s nationwide implementation of Oliver’s school-lunch recommendations was swift and widespread. Parents, some of whom labeled Oliver’s food “low-fat rubbish,” pulled 400,000 kids from the school-lunch rolls, choosing to brown bag it rather than have their kids eat Oliver’s “healthier” options. Parents opposed to Oliver’s scheme handed food to their kids through the gates of schoolyards. Some vendors and parents set up shop outside schools and sold food to students. Enterprising students, in turn, sold food to peers in schools, which led to suspensions for pupil transgressions as absurd as “crisp dealing.”

AZRP

Not defending Oliver because I don't want to be mandated to do anything but my kids ate pizza every day in school. -RP

Boilermaker Ben

I've gone back and re-read the article, and I don't think it's a very good article. The author states his point:
"Food Revolution is a bold attempt by Oliver to begin forcing every American to cook and buy only the foods he thinks we should eat"

...and then as supporting information, goes on to list Oliver's many efforts...none of which actually attempt what is claimed...to force people to cook and buy what he things we should eat.

The efforts listed include education about diet and cooking, and reformation of school (optional) lunch programs. Neither of these in any way force food or views on people. I agree that the state has no business enforcing what people eat. But I also agree that the diets of a large portion of our population are harmful, and have contributed to our healthcare issues, and that education is a big key to addressing that issue. Since most of the education in this country is done in public schools, then that's the logical place to start.

Our schools need to do a better job of preparing children to function in a healthy manner in the real world. They can hardly teach diet in health class and home-economics, meanwhile teaching that burgers, pizza and fries every day are healthy for lunch. And since the STATE is funding these school meals, the state has every right to chose what to serve.

The premise of the article would be something I could support, if it were actually the case. But even the author of the article was unable to present a compelling argument supporting his premise.

Regarding the tobacco issue. Your projecting the problems of one issue onto another, and presenting a slippery-slope argument.

Boilermaker Ben

So the answer is "no" they were not forced to eat the food, and their parents started sending them to school with brown-bag lunches.

Jeffersonian

Mine have that option, but they don't, at least not every day.

Boilermaker Ben

I would like to clarify a statment I made above:
"Our schools need to do a better job of preparing children to function in a healthy manner in the
real world. "

The parents of the nation obviously have the biggest responsibility in this area, and are failing, but that does not mean the schools are not also partially tasked with health education...hence physical education, health, and home-ec classes.

AZRP

I'll watch that show here in a few minutes so I'll have a better Idea of what its about. -RP

Jeffersonian

Perhaps you missed the part about Oliver's program being adopted by the UK government and deployed nationwide at significant cost.

Jeffersonian

Unless they wanted to purchase other things inside the schools, whereupon they were suspended for their infraction.

Boilermaker Ben

Which program? The school lunch program? That doesn't force anyone to eat or think anything. The parents and students were free to supply their own food. And as I stated before, if the state is already providing the food, they have every right to control what they offer. They also have the responsibility to educate the students. That education may come in the form of classroom learning, and in the form of training a child in what a wholesome meal includes: fruit, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy.

Jeffersonian

Oh, and I assume you are aware that the City of New York has banned trans-fats, and that a bill has been put forth in the State House to do the same with salt.

When you nationalize people's bodies, it's not a slippery slope to point to the logical conclusions.

Little Steven

Randy,

He made a huge difference in the Brit schools. We had fries with gravy and had to defend them by any means possible. :laugh: Our kids are in an epidemic now. Anything helps.

Steve

Boilermaker Ben

I have no knowledge of UK school policies, but where I live, this is an existing policy. Children are not allowed to exchange lunches or sell food, it would have nothing to do with Oliver's plan.

Hoss

The meal some kids get at school is the ONLY meal they get that day!Some parents would send them with NOTHING if there were not FREE LUNCHES. :( :( I sure do not claim to have the answer! :unsure: I's just a HELL OF A MESS,and ain't gettin better ANYTIME soon,NO MATTER WHAT! :(

Jeffersonian

No, I suppose it doesn't force them to eat it. It just forces them to pay for food that, in the end, they do not want. It also gets kids suspended for the laughable offense of selling things they do want to eat.

Boilermaker Ben

I am a fan of neither of those policies. The salt ban in particular is ridiculous. But they also have nothing to do with what is discussed in the article, neither does it have anything to do with "nationalizing people's bodies."

Carolina Q

And perhaps YOU missed the point. This is not about Jamie Oliver. This is not about the cost of school lunches. This is about the fact that we are an obese, unhealthy nation. We are fast food junkies. We eat processed food as if that's all there is. We are killing ourselves. Look around you. Do you see healthy?

Jeffersonian

You are quite mistaken, Ben. You'll see in the years to come. Trans-fats and salt are just the beginning. Guys like Oliver are going to have a lot to say about what you and I are permitted to eat soon. Public money, public control.