"Good to Eat, Good the Think"

This was definitely my favorite section of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. I was more or less captivated from the beginning. Pollan’s phrase, “good to eat, good the think” came up again and again throughout section three, and made me think. Surrounding this thought was the act of being a vegetarian. Being a vegetarian would most likely seem better “to think” than being an omnivore - eating processed and possibly inhumanely slaughtered meat. Pollan looks deeply into both sides of being a vegetarian versus eating meat. 

The part about the cruelty shown to hens that are used only for their eggs was difficult to read. Pollan brings up some stickiness about a vegetarian’s argument that eating meat is inhumane; isn’t eating eggs also inhumane then? This is only one of many  interesting arguments are made concerning the politics of being a vegetarian. 

I was shocked and more or less horrified by the comparison of meat-eating to slave-ownership. Seriously? This view seemed a bit much for my taste. I can’t see many reasonable vegetarian or vegan people equating me to a plantation owner from the deep south because I eat meat. 

Another of the crazy arguments was that if we eat animals because they are ignorant, could we also rationalize eating a baby or mentally ill or disturbed person, because they too are ignorant? This of course was met by Pollan much in the way I saw it, well, animals aren’t like us! It’s not even plausible to eat another human being, how is that even an argument? 

Finally, Pollan talks about the similarities between sex and eating meat. This thought I could get in to. It is basically the idea that, we now have the ability to procreate without actually performing the act of intercourse, so should we continue to have sex recreationally? It is the same as with eating meat. We are able to live without meat by consuming other foods that contain the nutrients omnivores gain from eating meat. Should we eat meat or have sex just because we like it and we want to continue to? Maybe not, but I can bet we still will continue to perform both devious acts.

Getting away from the vegetarian ordeal, I absolutely loved Pollan’s descriptions and stories of hunting and gathering. Although I have never had the desire to do either or these things myself, and may never participate in the activities, I was absolutely inspired by his adventures. I was so impressed that he was able to overcome some of his original doubts (about the firing of the gun, or the eating of the wild mushrooms without fear or being poisoned). The actual meal was wonderful, and while reading I thought it sounded rather perfect. 

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Speaking again of inspirations in part three, it’s impossible not to bring up Angelo! I LOVED ANGELO!! He was such a fun character. He seemed a great friend to Pollan. He was encouraging, and stuck with him through both the hard times and the good times. He seemed like the type of person I would want to know when I’m older; to learn and grow from