Wednesday, 23 May 2012

  • Does Organic Food Turn You Into a Jerk?

    Living in Boulder, land of the perfectly healthy, educated and morally superior, I encounter these jerks everyday. 

    Imagine sitting at a restaurant.

    Organic buyer- Are these rolls gluten free?

    Waiter - Let me check.

    Organic buyer - If you need to check, the answer is no. What about substituting rice for Quinoa?

    Hiking with my friend.

    Her - Do you mind if we stop at the Farmer's Market on the way back?

    Me - Sure, I love their veggies.

    Her - I am going to make sure they don't use any pesticides or raise livestock before I buy from them.

    In the local Safeway, there is a "Nut Bar" with a wall of mixed nuts in every variety. There's medical marijuana shops that outnumber Starbucks, but if you light a cigarette you are scorned. 

    I am all for striving to be healthy, but the moral superiority that organic eaters has always irked me. Apparently I am not the only one.  Dr. Kendall J. Eskine, assistant professor of the psychological sciences department at Loyola University in New Orleans, did a study of organic eaters and their level of "asshole-ness" (I made that up). These are his findings:

    "the organic-food participants were more judgmental than those in the comfort-food category. They were also more reluctant when asked to volunteer time to help strangers, the study found, offering only 13 minutes vs. the brownie eaters’ 24 minutes. It’s like the group had already fulfilled its moral-justice quota by buying organic, so it felt all right slacking off in other ethics-based situations. Eskine labeled it “moral licensing.”" 

    It reminds me of a South Park episode where the world was being overtaken by the "smug" that was being omitted from hybrids. 

    Here is the full article.

    What do you think?

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Comments (40)

  • sonnigenmai@xanga
    I too live outside of Boulder and often buy organic fruits simply because they taste fresher. I don't think it is fair to label anyone as an "asshole" because of their eating choices, in either direction.
  • Grtt@xanga

    Sounds about right to me. You see the same thing from die-hard environmentalists. "A plastic bag?! You scum! Earth killer!" The looks my mom used to get driving her SUV (with four small children in it) could kill. 
  • Grtt@xanga

    @sonnigenmai@xanga - Because of their eating choices? No, certainly not. Because of their attitude about the superiority of their choices? Yes. Assholeish. 
  • sonnigenmai@xanga
    @Grtt - assuming that everyone who eats organic is an asshole is pretty asshole-ish as well. That's my only point. Neither side should feel superior based on their food.
  • Grtt@xanga

    @sonnigenmai@xanga - Erm, sure. Except no one is assuming everyone who eats organic is an asshole. The man did a study and found a general trend that people who eat a certain way are more judgmental than those who do not. I have recognised this trend in my personal experience as well. I'm not going to grill someone about their eating habits in order to label them a judgmental asshole, but if they act like a pompous asshole about their eating habits to me openly (no matter what those eating habits are), I'm going to deem them ...well, an asshole. 
  • Emma

    Haha that study is silly. I see this in action living in NYC. 
  • BoulderChristina@xanga
    @Grtt - I'm with you. It isn't the diet that makes morally superior people assholes, it's just their weapon ( in this instance anyway).
  • wizexel22@xanga

    I usually buy non-organic things because I can't really tell the difference in most items. But some fruits (and milk) I buy organic, since I think they taste better. Also, I try to buy something organic every once in a while since I heard girls like assholes.
  • Grtt@xanga

    @wizexel22@xanga - Gay men do too. Watch out.

    @BoulderChristina@xanga - Right. There's nothing wrong with people buying what they want to buy to eat! Whatever their reasons. Just don't be a condescending dick when I check-out with my non-organic goodies, y'know?

  • Endrath@xanga

    I've seen it.  The comment about environmentalists is also on target... because the fact that your daddy bought you a hybrid car will somehow CEASE GLOBAL WARNING AND KEEP THE SEAS FROM RISING.  Yes.  That is how it will work.
  • wizexel22@xanga

    @Grtt@xanga - haha. wait...did you mean that figuratively or literally?
  • Grtt@xanga

    @wizexel22@xanga - Literally. But figuratively works too, I suppose. 
  • coder88@xanga

    If I am going to pay twice the cost for organic produce, at least let me be an asshole while doing it!
  • Coffee_Kaioken@xanga
    I went to college with hipsterrific assholes like those. Sometimes I intentionally ate meaty foods in the vegetarian/vegan cafe to piss the hippies off, too.
  • HopeWithinReach@xanga

    I live in San Francisco and I never ever feel like this..

    I buy both organic and non-organic items myself. I like my organic eggs, meat, milk, but I love me some cheez-itz.

  • yourloveisfree@xanga

    I totally know what you mean. I know people like to sound smart is one thing, but sometimes alot of these people I encounter probably dont actually care all that much about quality, it seems they'd rather brag about gluten free blahblah .... also ORGANIC food is expensive! That is a huge reason I think a lot of people don't buy it, they can't afford it. I get that alot where I had a roommate who would buy organic and instagram it always emphasizing the point of it being organic. Being healthy is one thing -- but no need to be condescending to other people about it.

    I def agree with you about this reminding me of the south park episode. Snobs! hahaha
    I always wondered if I were the only person who thought this.
  • syringesofglitter_x@xanga

    I disagree. I think the level of "asshole-ness" one emits has nothing to do with what you eat... A person who enjoys a non-organic cheeseburger can still be the biggest jerk out there. By the way, my mom eats all organic, not only because she has a GLUTEN ALLERGY but before she knew she did, she enjoyed organic foods more. Sure, they're more expensive & I personally don't buy organic because I can't afford to -  but my mom..is the most loving person I have ever met. When a neighbor was diagnosed with cancer, my mom was the first person to bring them soups & other things they could easily keep down. Not just because they were a neighbor, not just because my mom mom knew what it was like to not be able to eat certain things [She's a two-time cancer survivor] but because she cares about people in general. You could be a little old lady & she'd help you across the street. The other day she was in the supermarket line & a little girl was intent on standing up in the little cart seat [Which is dangerous! she could fall!] & her father was too busy putting their food on the belt for the cashier, so my MOM a random person, kept an eye on the little girl & a hand at the ready, should she tumble out. 


    So, I would re-think this idea that everyone who busy organic is some sort of snob, live & let live. People are assholes in general, what you eat or wear bears NO consequences; despite what some have found in small group studies or whatever.
  • VNlilMAN@xanga

    but... its cool to eat organic.
    I actually dont know anyone that HAS to have organic stuff.

    My roommate is Vegan and i'll get the occasional eewww but for the most part she doesn't tell me i'm going to hell for eating it. If she ever did i'd probably switch out her faux meat food for some real ones.

    Actually that's what you should do. Tell your friend that what they just ate wasnt organic.
  • CandiedLilac@xanga

    @HopeWithinReach@xanga - I've been listening to a lot of GMO lectures lately (biotech class) and I always end up getting cheeze-its afterward...best unnatural processed snack food ever.
  • raspberryjade@xanga

    damn hippies!! ;)
  • Insanely_Imperfect@xanga

    I have started moving toward purchasing things that are "organic" especially when it comes to fruits and veggies. However, I think there's a lot of people who cross the line. When eating in a restaurant I just assume things aren't going to be organic unless it's advertised. I've been the waitress who gets hassled about every detail of every ingredient, so I just don't do it. 
  • cowzroole2004@xanga

    I have for sure met people who do this, they're sort of like religious zealots except instead of pushing a religion they push their views on food and the environment on others.  Which isn't to say all of the people who choose to eat organic and be environmentally conscious are like that, but I've met more than just a few, including my own mother, so it's definitely not uncommon.
  • sinicline2013@datingish

    Don't make assumptions based on all these random occurrences; the way you see the things he does is not necessarily the way he sees them.Your only option is to be honest and open with each other!You're just driving yourself nuts turning these incidents over and over in your mind.

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  • themeaningofperfect@xanga

    HAHAHAHAHAHA. In my experience, YES, most people are like that asshole customer you first wrote about. SO stuck up with a stick in their ass. See, for further research, the show Portlandia.

    You don't have to be an asshole about the fact that you're SO well informed and rich/have enough time to care about stuff like this. Maybe we all would, too, if we had the same lifestyle. BUT MAYBE WE'D JUST EAT THE FUCKING BROWNIE. You know? 24 minutes of help...that made me laugh.

    I'd rather be an endomorph! LOLOLOLOL.

    "Go back to Emerson, bitch!" - Me since 2010
  • Mind_of_Eplx@xanga

    I agree but disagree on everything you said :) I just think that people are just stuck up and rude anyways when it comes to anything.

    supposedly gluten free is good for me and my condition 

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