For the extent of human existence, food has been an integral aspect of life and society. Not only does it have diverse cultural, religious, and social significance worldwide, but it is also an essential source of nutrition and thus allows for the survival of life. For people living around the world today, food reflects important historical, geographical, and social aspects of their respective cultures. Thus, food presents itself as a staple of human life for two fundamental reasons: as an essential to survival and as a way to express heritage. A relatively new innovation in the field of food replacements, Soylent is a liquid composed of raw nutrients such as carbohydrates, lipids, and protein, that can be used as a healthy source of nutrition.
…show more content…
Soylent eliminates the need to prepare food, and while this does save time, it also takes away from the universal significance that food has in society. In the article, the author gives an anecdotal example of the social disparity that Soylent-consumers experience, describing a scenario she witnessed in which “most [students] were laying out dishes and getting ready for dinner. Nearby, about ten students sat around a table surrounded by laptops and problem sets, ignoring the dinnertime commotion: Soylent drinkers” (Widdicombe). As demonstrated in the article, abstaining from meals for the sake of efficiency takes away from the experience of gathering to consume a meal, a practice that has always been a pillar of society. In the modern world, due to the hectic lives of many families, a meal might offer the only chance that people have to spend quality time with their loved ones. However, even this practice has declined in recent decades, with people opting to consume fast food or frozen dinners instead of a wholesome meal shared at a table with loved ones. Soylent may be able to provide adequate nutrition for its consumers, alleviating health problems that have become endemic in the United States, but it fails to offer a fix for a …show more content…
This reflects the statement made by Lizzie Widdicombe in her article titled “The End of Food”: that Soylent offers both “hopes” and “nightmares” regarding food. Although Soylent offers bright hopes for the future of food consumption and nutrition, the nightmares that go along with these hopes must be considered as well, as these nightmares do have legitimacy. Along with being absolutely crucial to survival, food also holds an important place in many cultures worldwide; to many, food reflects a major aspect of their respective heritages and represents much more than just a means for sustenance. To replace this with Soylent for the sole sake of increasing efficiency takes away from the diversity present in the world in the form of food. While consuming traditional food may not be the most efficient way to survive, it still holds great meaning to many people that cannot be erased with the establishment of a universal food replacement. Though Soylent is a great innovation of the modern era, it must be used with caution so that it does not overshadow what has been traditional for thousands of years. Soylent represents the dreams that people have about the future of food, reasonably reflecting both the hopes and nightmares if the world
Soylent eliminates the need to prepare food, and while this does save time, it also takes away from the universal significance that food has in society. In the article, the author gives an anecdotal example of the social disparity that Soylent-consumers experience, describing a scenario she witnessed in which “most [students] were laying out dishes and getting ready for dinner. Nearby, about ten students sat around a table surrounded by laptops and problem sets, ignoring the dinnertime commotion: Soylent drinkers” (Widdicombe). As demonstrated in the article, abstaining from meals for the sake of efficiency takes away from the experience of gathering to consume a meal, a practice that has always been a pillar of society. In the modern world, due to the hectic lives of many families, a meal might offer the only chance that people have to spend quality time with their loved ones. However, even this practice has declined in recent decades, with people opting to consume fast food or frozen dinners instead of a wholesome meal shared at a table with loved ones. Soylent may be able to provide adequate nutrition for its consumers, alleviating health problems that have become endemic in the United States, but it fails to offer a fix for a …show more content…
This reflects the statement made by Lizzie Widdicombe in her article titled “The End of Food”: that Soylent offers both “hopes” and “nightmares” regarding food. Although Soylent offers bright hopes for the future of food consumption and nutrition, the nightmares that go along with these hopes must be considered as well, as these nightmares do have legitimacy. Along with being absolutely crucial to survival, food also holds an important place in many cultures worldwide; to many, food reflects a major aspect of their respective heritages and represents much more than just a means for sustenance. To replace this with Soylent for the sole sake of increasing efficiency takes away from the diversity present in the world in the form of food. While consuming traditional food may not be the most efficient way to survive, it still holds great meaning to many people that cannot be erased with the establishment of a universal food replacement. Though Soylent is a great innovation of the modern era, it must be used with caution so that it does not overshadow what has been traditional for thousands of years. Soylent represents the dreams that people have about the future of food, reasonably reflecting both the hopes and nightmares if the world