> What about the export of american consumption habits (since the 1950's) around
> the world as a form of imperialism? - I'm thinking here of the american fast food
> culture and the obscene battle for the minds of the young people of the world
> that is raging
> between Pepsico and that other Coke company.
That is the real downside to NAFTA and the pressures of national indebtedness in
general (but it's a mixed bag, and not all the results are negative). And the most
unfortunate aspect of it is that most here think that traditonal quality must be
sacrificed for cost cutting technological "efficiency", in order to compete. For
agricultural products the organic market represents an alternative, but that too is
being industrialized (particularly on the distribution end) and there's still a lot
of clique-ish, mafia like aspects to it also, which only serves to limit the size
of the market, as well as the appeal of organic food to the majority of potential
consumers - and I suspect many or most in the industry want to keep it that way.
However - I tend to believe that when a product REALLY IS life giving, when it
really provides what the hyped up ads pretend to offer (something that makes you
more beautiful, alive, poweful &/or happy - and it's not going to come in a
bottle), it may still be an uphill battle (as "organic" was), but you've got a
basis on which to bargain. The main problem is one of education, of culture. The
public (and often even the "experts") doesn't know fingers from toes becauses their
chices are limited. The industialized garbage drives the market; while those
behind the industrialized garbage strive to keep the public poorly informed and
buying their inferior, unnecessarily proprietary products - whether it be tabacco
(past), or GMO's in your soup (present). The pressure's there and the culture is
economically driven, while the legal basis for it suffers the same fate (electoral
campaign costs for legislators and the sources of campaign contributions).
Another thorny problem is that of distribution and the toll this can take on both
quality and cost. I do not see any easy solutions, nor any alternative to a long
and drawn out, life long uphill fight. So I guess it's OK - just make sure you're
in shape for this cultural / economic battle (which goes a lot further than " the
american fast food culture" - no one is free from it), and that you've got a
demonstrably better alternative that will keep you alive and in the running.
In summary: Technolgy is fine, and so is systematization. What we need are
guidelines, criteria that are still being developed, and available products that
represent them. It's not a question European or US imperialism (even some
primitive African tribes did the same thing) it's quality vs "efficiency" - and is
MAINLY a question of getting the trade offs well understood - which will take
time. Distinctions will have to be made, and upheld in experience. This in turn
requieres availability, of both product and information.
This was an intellectual (perhaps even idealistic) call for appropriate, practical
applications.
--Douglas M. Hinds Centro para el Desarrollo Comunitario y Rural A.C. (CeDeCoR) (Center for Community and Rural Development) - (non profit) Cd. Guzman, Jalisco 49000 MEXICO e-mail: dmhinds@acnet.net, dhinds@ucol.mx, cedecor@acnet.net, cedecor@ipnet.com.mx
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".