Cheap Food at what Price?
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Where does your hamburger come from? Yes, that’s almost a cliche question and we’ve trained ourselves to selectively ignore issues such as pollution and animal cruelty when we shop for food. The focus of attention, at least for most of us, is on price. Time Magazine have a must read article titled Getting Real about the High Price of Food. Its not new information, but its what we need to hear.
The real problem is we’re all screwed up with the idea that cheaper is better. We’re buying into the free market paradigm with this unwavering faith that short term cost savings driven by market forces comes above all else – including the environment, our health and other social interests. My question to economists – where is our end game? Because I don’t see that short term market forces without conscience can get us to the end game unless we’re discussing the end of life on this planet game.
That’s serious shit, I know. It makes me sound like the unabomber, I know. And I’m aware that view marginalises my opinion because not many people want to hear the question – in 200 years where do you see the state of our resources, environment, food supplies, and overall social well-being?
