Penn & Teller Bull Organic Food

[zerocool84]

bump so I can see some more arguing

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
bump so I can see some more arguing

that is not why you bumped and anyone with a half a brain can see it

 

[Nik]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT

 

[Kipper]

The fact there may be no nutritional justification for purchasing organic products is moot (and even the science is still out on this, as there are studies which support increased concentrations of vitamins and minerals in organic vs. conventionally produced food). There is far more to organic food, least of all not including issues of animal welfare, environmental sustainability, pesticide and antibiotic use, and the so-called "industrial" food system that authors like Michael Pollan have written about. This just scratches the surface.

I am honestly not a fan of the Penn & Teller shows. Their viewpoints are interesting but are frequently poorly researched, sensationalized, and presented as objective viewpoint when it is in fact *quite* subjective - and they frequently load the argument by representing whatever opposing viewpoint they have with the weakest, most feeble spokesperson.

If you don't want to purchase organic food, fine. If you do, that's fine as well (I do). I for one am a fan of local, organic food (many smaller farms are not certified organic because of the cost involved but are for all intents and purposes organic). But calling people "suckers" for choosing to make that purchase is a bit over the top and quite frankly, condescending (perhaps an attitude acquired by feeling that purchasers of organic food are somehow behaving superciliously through their purchases - it wouldn't be the first time it's happened in history). You are failing to recognize that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for supporting organic farming.

The bottom line is consumer choice and transparency. When I see the organic label I know that the product has been produced in compliance with certain standards. In contrast, much of what is in the supermarket is completely opaque to me, and I have no idea where (or what) it came from. Does it contain genetically modified or cloned organisms? Where was it produced and in what manner? Eating itself is an ethical act, and the organic standard helps consumers to make a decision when purchasing their food - voting with their dollar, if you will.

 

[hans030390]

If you're going to buy organic, buy it from the person that grew it...in person (ex: farmer's market). Otherwise, I don't feel like I'm supporting anything other than another big corporation (which are all going to have "bad" practices). I've never noticed a taste difference. Nutrition is proven to be the same. Pesticides, hormones, genetically modified food, etc...honestly, whatever. People have been eating the stuff for years now with no real changes. I don't think I'll end up any more or less healthy when it comes down to such food.

I've also, briefly, heard that non-organic food has a connection with cancer. This may or may not be true, but if anyone brings it up, I think it's a bad point (just saying). It seems like everything causes cancer now. I don't feel like I can walk down the street without some chance of getting cancer now with EVERYTHING being linked to cancer (this is an exaggeration).

Honestly, though...I don't really care. I'll buy what food I want. You buy what food you want. So long as neither of us is causing real damage to anyone else or the rest of the world, then whatever.

However, having your own garden is pretty darn cool!

 

[Siddhartha]

"Natural" is about as meaningless as "Organic".