“I believe that it is better to tell the truth than a lie. I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant.” - H.L. Mencken
What are you eating? Is your diet an invitation to cancer?
Add to your diet the many things you put on your body. Your skin absorbs everything that it comes in contact with- so yes, the toxic stuff in your suntan lotion, your hair products,... your laundry soap left on your sheets, your toothpaste, face wash, makeup. Now the stuff you breath- all manner of free floating toxins, emissions, fumes. The flourides and other chemicals in the water. Add it all up, and most Americans are blinking neon signs for cancer. Add to this mix the proliferation of GMOs, the food dye in most foods, the incredibly non-food like food product ingredients in most processed foods (anti-freeze, for example)- no wonder our chronic disease rate in the US is so high. Why would they ever want to offer up free health care when its such a booming business? Americans are gluttonous. We have taken consumption to a whole new level. I am not suggesting anyone feel shame, but some contrition in the form of self discipline is called for. THIS IS THE REAL REVOLUTION. The real revolution is when real, normal people wake up enough to stop doing behaviors that hurt themselves and the world, one by one, little by little. Awakened people understand they are responsible for the outcome. And if you are a parent- this should really strike home. Zombies are a great metaphor for the consuming masses, driven by pure want and appetite, consuming without regard for the consequences. There is only one way to not be one. Wake up. Realize your consumer choices have an impact on the world, your family, your body. Do something different. Start now.
Consume what you must, then boogie? Only if you're a zombie.
“The greatest mistake of the movement has been trying to organize a sleeping people around specific goals. You have to wake the people up first, then you'll get action.” ― Malcolm X
I posted that quote on my facebook page yesterday, and I got this from a reader-
"I like this, but ask: What if the people don't wish to be awoken? What if they're so tired every day from the working to survive and put food in their mouths, and a roof over their heads that their energy is gone, their spirits at their lowest depths for the worry that if one more thing happens "this house of cards" will fall, that the only choice of information to even hear is owned by two entities and you're too exhausted to search for the truth, and having been physically and mentally beat into the ground by just trying to live that there isn't much left to either wake let alone organize around a goal which is constantly being "wagged" like the dog? As a devils advocate I ask these things as I hear these things every single day. Hope, belief, energy, and truth are in short supply these days."
This is one of the things I treasure most about social media; the ability to have an open dialogue. We need to be talking. We need to encourage thought in people; a new thought, a letting go of old belief systems that hurt the believer, and the planet they live in.
Here is my response- "I think, in this situation, those who can awaken do so for those who can't. I do believe that any one and everyone stands to gain from waking up consciously- there is no freedom without it. The life you describe sounds like one of drudgery, that's not freedom. Freedom is a state of mind, reworking our belief systems, refusing to be a slave and have our lives doled out to us. But you are correct, I think there are those who won't, or can't, and that is why those who will and can do what they do- not for their own well being, but for the well being of all. I don't, for example, run this page for my own sense of satisfaction. I run this page for others. Maybe one person will read one thing that gets them to thinking, changes one small way they conduct their lives that has a positive ripple effect on the planet, and liberates them, little by little.
Its like in the Matrix- Morpheus says to Neo- there are many minds we can not free. They are too hopelessly inured into the system. That is true here and now. It makes me so sad to think of it. And most, unlike the picture you paint, have no idea how enslaved and ensnared they are. Its a comfortable sort of slavery, with tv and the internet, social media, iPhones- gadgets and distractions and addictions abound. It feels like we have choices. But the choices are manufactured to not really leave you with a choice they wouldn't want you to make. Its like the white man coming and giving the Native Americans alcohol. They loved it, they wanted it, they insisted on it, and it helped destroy their entire civilization."
It is one of the most nefarious stories in all of history, in my opinion.
The majority of the United States will never understand how damaging alcohol has been for Native Americans, perhaps more devastating than any disease, gun, massacre, or policy. The perfect colonizer, alcohol has no conscience. It feels no remorse or regret for the modern holocaust it has caused. Alcohol has also led the dominant culture to view Native Americans as nothing more than a statistic, a stereotype for the likes of Mike & Molly and countless other shows and films. I wonder whether anyone even finds the sad old joke funny anymore. Stereotype aside, the most significant impact of alcohol on Native Americans is how the disease takes root like a parasitic plant that can affect every aspect of life, even including the potential death of its host. Take a look at many of the issues afflicting contemporary reservation communities like domestic violence, health disparities, rape/sexual assault, dropout, and suicide. At least one factor at the heart of all these social ills is alcohol.
The best way to control a population? String them out on drugs or booze.
I don't want to make it sound like the encroaching Europeans brought alcohol to the native Americans, initially, knowing it would destroy them. It just so happened that they had a weakness for it. But once this was recognized, it was utilized. In addition to the massacres and battles, much of the destruction of the culture was caused by this weakness. We now understand it wasn't a moral failing, some sort of sign that they were weak people- they simply had, and have, no defense against alcohol. To this day, it is the detriment to many Native Americans, and continues to wreak havoc both on and off the reservation. (In 2010, 5 million beers were consumed by 14 Native Americans on the Pine Ridge Reservation, CLICK HERE to read more)
Why this is important for us to keep in mind is because history repeats itself. We are currently being given the very tools of our own enslavement-its how the 1% (or, to be more accurate, the .01%) stay in that category of the socio-economic bracket, and it was ever thus. In feudal systems in Europe, the serfs worked to provide goods and services for the 1%. They were given a measure of security against the barbarian hordes by doing so- although this was mostly an illusion. It is also an illusion, here in the US, that we are living some sort of American Dream. We can compare it to the lives of others in the world and feel lucky. When we see pictures of starving children, we marvel at how lucky that we don't live in those conditions. But that's setting the bar awfully low. We could just as easily look at countries where there is free health care- if we look at those countries, we wouldn't be so enamored of Obamacare. We are a powerful country, and we COULD have free healthcare. Why don't we? Why do we settle for this ACA? In our low income neighborhoods, there is a dearth of healthy food, there is a high rate of incarceration (which is something this country excels at- incarceration. We have the highest rate in the world by far) because its big business. there are a lot of foods being touted as healthy by the FDA, even though a lifetime consuming them cause a plethora of diseases (high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, autism) for which they offer us Big Pharma- another huge business, and so convenient that the foods that are most readily available to the bottom 10% are known agents for these chronic and prevalent diseases. And the entire 99.99% are kept quelled by social media, by slanted reports on the evening news, by focusing on the apparent intentions of the two parties- who are really two sides of the same exact coin...we are mollified by thinking we have choices. There is a lot to choose from on the Value Meal menu, but its all the same shit. Same with our government. Same with our lives. They have lulled us into a false sense of security while they flay us alive.
The comment the Shake the Hive reader made, above, really provoked me. It speaks of a life that is doled out to a typical American. The weariness that comes from the drudgery of what is expected of us. The wearing down of our spirit so that awakening isn't an option, or isn't desired. it takes too much energy. One wants to just come home after a long day, feed the kids and trance out watching tv or scrolling on facebook. Its the reason why a picture of a grumpy cat will get 10 million likes and a meme about global warming will get 10. Everybody just wants to feel good. Please stop reminding us that there is stuff we should worry about.
Not everyone can wake up. Not everyone will. When I was in the jungles of Central America a few years ago, I was told that the significance of 12/21/12 was more about a shift of consciousness. There will be those who wake up, and those who don't, and the fate of each will be very different, according to how they have chosen to live. What that means can just be guessed at, but when I look around, it makes sense. There is a feeling of freedom that comes from being aware of how one's actions- from consumer choices and carbon footprints to personal relationships and self knowledge- affect the whole. In that accountability comes the ultimate freedom, which is counter intuitive but no less true. This is a heavy responsibility, but one that removes the shackles of society, of drudgery, of the norm, of the grind. I have written a lot about this- The zombie apocalypse is already upon us- CLICK HERE to read more. Its already here, and happening, people are deeply apathetic, shuffling along, getting annoyed by anyone trying to shake them out of their stupor. They want to be blind, to be numb, to be comfortable. They seek their own comfort like zombies seek brains. Their aggressive desire for convenience and commitment to apathy is the toxic waste that will eventually destroy us all. Those who wake up have a responsibility to act in ways that counteract the bad habits of others.
Even as I write this, I get tired. My lord, there is so much to fight against, so many ills in the world, so much greed and corruption. We need people to wake up. Its not enough to just be resigned. We need numbers. We will fight for those who can't, we will be a voice for those who can't speak, we will live in ways that support the well being of the planet, and I for one will be saddened by those who are resigned and apathetic, or living in an illusion, pretending this is still a democracy, and that they still have the freedom to choose, that the planet isn't in trouble, that our government seeks to take care of us, that their children will have blue skies and fresh air, that Sea World is still a family place to visit, that we will enjoy internet freedom forever, that things will basically remain the same for most Americans and those who are alarmed are liberal freaks.
Definitely, living inside the Matrix has its allure. The real life, the life of Zion, lacks many creature comforts and illusions of safety. I think many people would choose the pleasant lie over the (seemingly) gloomier reality- and that's the crux of the matter. THEY know this. They will continue to lie. And we will continue to choose to believe it, just as the Native Americans continued to drink the alcohol that the Europeans provided and that helped wipe them out. Why do I say 'seemingly gloomier'? Because real gold doesn't glitter. It isn't a lie. It isn't obvious, and so those with shallow perceptions will not see it for what it is. Zion is filled with gold. That's what happens when you wake up- you are able to see it.
Lately when I am driving, or lying in bed before I fall asleep, I have been thinking about the End Times. Yep, the oft referred to end of days, when humans finally cannibalize themselves to the point of complete destruction.
Don't be skeered. I am not fanatic about it. What I wonder is how I would fare in a survival setting, and how useful would I be to others. This is not really surprising to me, as I recently went through a spate of post apocalyptic movies- 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Legend, Children of Men, World War Z, and of course, Walking Dead. Most of these focus on zombies- but as I have said in other blog posts- the zombie apocalypse is already upon us. What happens when the zombies destroy the fabric of society in their mindless consuming? (To wit, a great quote from Judith Froemming-A true zombie is nothing more than an unconscious being apathetically and lifelessly lumbering across the planet buying and consuming everything in its path, unsatisfied, unfulfilled, anxious and unstill.”)
Zombie Attack Survival Kit- a must have
The zombies have me very nervous. They are everywhere on parade, all over the internet and facebook. They really have no thought at all about anything except what to consume next, or what entertainment is available next. But all of this could culminate in a bad scene for all of us, and I wonder about that. First- I wonder if there are enough people who are conscious and aware to stop the madness. I wonder if we are doing enough, or if there is enough we can do. I will continue to do the best I can, and just maybe I will start preparing.
So I got a survival book. And it got me thinking about all kinds of stuff I didn't need to start thinking about. Why? Well, it shakes me up, for one. Like the section of the book about survival dentistry. When I think about survival, I always picture myself smashing zombies in the face, or building a fire, or getting supplies from a heavily looted grocery store, armed to the teeth. That one chapter put the reality of it in perspective. Its not a movie. If it happened, there are skills we don't have the first idea about. Dentistry? Setting bones? Surviving in a desert with no readily available clean water sources? Not nearly as fun as zombie killing.
But this new movement I have been privy to, with people learning to garden and create beehives, and even those who have acquired chickens (seriously, there is an urban chicken movement- and it makes sense- fresh eggs? Why not?) in urban environs will fare better than those who have not been learning to get back to simpler ways. If society were to quickly revert to having no power and no water, then these simple skills are going to come in very handy. So, in a very real way, one can both prepare for, and help prevent, an apocalypse. If more of us did these things, and we got more people to grow food, buy local, keep beehives, drive less, recycle, look into sustainable ways of living- if we were able to tip the scales, we could help prevent a possible catastrophic future. And if it came anyway- we would be in a good position to survive it.
Urban homesteading is on the rise
So sure, there are things like having stores of canned food and water, that's never a bad idea- and first aid kits, and survivalist books, and all of that. I recommend preparedness on any level, for any thing. But when it comes down to it, people have been living off the earth naturally for millennia. Its the most radical thing you can do right now, in this day and age- to look at all that you consume- from food and entertainment, to ideas and thoughts- all of it could be re-evaluated and re-prioritized. I say start with food, and let the rest come. Food is by far one of the hardest to change, but once you make that commitment to eating foods with no GMOs, shopping local so the foods are not shipped to you grocery store by plane and trucks- thereby wasting precious fossil fuels, giving your body nutrient dense superfoods so you stay healthy (and not just for the sake of health, per say, but because a healthy body is a BIG fuck you to the system- they make a ton of money of our being sick, tired, stressed), avoiding processed food, growing what you can, perhaps having a beehive to help our dying bees and so you can have fresh honey, definitely avoiding all fast food restaurants, and being a good example to others by talking about it and walking the walk you are talking about- if you just start here, with one of those things, it will grow all on its own. The rest will fall into place, in its own time and its own way. It will not feel like a sacrifice, but a gift. You will feel like a light bulb that has never been turned on before now, and finally you have found your purpose.
I would like to not have to run through abandoned streets with a bad ass cross bow on my back, scavenging for what I can not grow on my own, or practice survival dentistry on my loved ones and learn to filter my pee to water a garden, but if we don't start somewhere, do something, and now, this may be the case. The time is now. Don't hit the snooze button. OCCUPY YOURSELF!
I just read this awesome blog and its so in line with what I have been writing about, in regards to all the foods that we have had marketed to us since we were little kids- food that we might not have even chosen, had there been no colorful packages and cartoon animals. Our moms may not have been suckered into feeding it to us if it hadn't been for the savvy advertisers and their clever branding ploys. So much of what I am learning- or unlearning- is to learn to watch every thought I have, every choice I make, and follow it back to the source- only to find that much of the time, I made my choices because they were spoonfed to me- from childhood, into adulthood. I am not just talking about food here- but with the proliferation of GMOs in foods and the dying bees- this is a big issue for me. But its only scratching the surface of how they brand to us, be it food or beauty or automobiles or coffins.
Even now, when I hear a commercial, or like today when I flipped through a magazine to find some black and white photos for a table collage- I feel violated by the advertising. Seriously skull fucked. I feel these images trying to seduce me in the worst possible way, by preying on my every insecurity, or fear, or desire. Its awful. Its hard enough to dodge the bullets in one's own head- our egos are always looking for a weak spot anyway. There is no poetry in any of this. The only true poetry happens when we search inside ourselves where freedom should be, and declare it so (to paraphrase c.d. wright). It is liberating ourselves from the grips of the imagologists and so called taste makers, from what we have been programmed from our families, our peer groups, our conditioning and our self talk- all of which they market to most effectively. They are just lulling us into a stupor. Buy this, eat that, look good, get sick, die- they make money from all of it, and we are only too happy to buy a ticket for their ride. Or, to borrow a quote from the below blog post-
“A true zombie is nothing more than an unconscious being apathetically and lifelessly lumbering across the planet buying and consuming everything in its path, unsatisfied, unfulfilled, anxious and unstill.” -Judith Froemming
Below is the link to the original blog. I copied and pasted, but there is a big space where a video from Vimeo should go- you can find that video by following this link. It is from a documentary called The Century of Self- something anyone who wishes to think for themselves should see immediately.
The Century of the Self – The Rise of the
All-Consuming Self and the Influence of the Freud Dynasty
Edward Bernays invented ‘Public Relations’ in the 1920s, being the first
person to take Freud’s ideas to manipulate the masses. He showed American
corporations how they could make people want things they didn’t need by
systematically linking mass-produced goods to their unconscious desires.
“If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it
is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without
them knowing it.” -Edward
Bernays, (Propaganda 1928, p.71)
Edward Bernays – also
known as the “father of propaganda” – took Freud’s key thesis that
individuals were driven by unconscious irrational forces and used it to develop
marketing techniques which are now common place.
One example was Bernays campaign to convince women to smoke in the
1920s. Bernays helped the smoking industry overcome one of the biggest social
taboos of the time: women smoking in public. Prior to the 1920s, smoking was
largely a male pastime and women were only allowed to smoke in designated areas,
or not at all. If caught violating this rule, women would have been arrested.
Bernays used psychoanalysis to associate the act of smoking with a sort
of challenge to male sexual power. Bernays staged the 1929 Easter parade in New
York City, showing models holding lit cigarettes and told the media to refer to
the cigarettes in the press as "Torches of Freedom" – in a protest against male
patriarchal society.
After the historical public event, women started
lighting up more than ever before. It was through Bernays that women's smoking
habits started to become socially acceptable. Bernays created this event as
news, which, of course, it wasn’t. Bernays convinced industries that the news,
not advertising, was the best medium to carry their message to an unsuspecting
public.
To better understand the current state of modern day media
manipulation we must first understand the role Edward Bernays played in
understanding how to control the massThe Century of the Self is an
award-winning British television documentary series by Adam Curtis. It focuses on how the
work of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, and Edward Bernays influenced the way
corporations and governments have analyzed, dealt with, and controlled
people. The Century of the Self asks deeper questions about the roots and
methods of modern consumerism, representative democracy, commoditization and its
implications. It also questions the modern way we see ourselves, the attitudes
to fashion and superficiality.
Sigmund Freud's work provided useful tools
for understanding the secret desires of the masses. Inadvertently, his work
served as the precursor to a world full of political spin doctors, marketing
moguls, and society's belief that the pursuit of satisfaction and happiness is
our ultimate goal. The Century of the Self tells the untold story of the growth
of the mass-consumer society in Britain and the United States – and details how
the all-consuming Self was created, by whom, and in whose interests?
Where once the political process was
about engaging people's rational, conscious minds, as well as facilitating their
needs as a society, the documentary shows how by employing the tactics of
psychoanalysis, politicians appeal to irrational, primitive impulses that have
little apparent bearing on issues outside of the narrow self-interest of a
consumer population.
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized
habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.
Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible
government which is the true ruling power of our country.” -Edward Bernays, (Propaganda
1928, p.37)
“A true zombie is nothing more than an unconscious being
apathetically and lifelessly lumbering across the planet buying and consuming
everything in its path, unsatisfied, unfulfilled, anxious and unstill.” -Judith
Froemming
After my first close encounter with bees, I want more. For me, there are two things going on here- one is that I want to help the bee population. By helping the bee population, we help the earth's population. And secondly, I just get a buzz off the bees. (Pun intended, and I promise to keep it to a minimum.)
Being so near the bees afforded me an opportunity I have never had; namely, to get close and watch what it is they actually do. I haven't gotten close enough to see the pollen sacs on the back of their legs filled up- that's how they get it back to the hive. I haven't seen the worker bees at the hive greet the incoming honeybees who land at the entrance to the hive, and do this thing almost looks like they are patting them down. I didn't know that all the honeybees are basically female- all except for the drones. Drones are male, and are not loyal to a queen as the rest of a hive are. Drones can show up one day, and hang out for as long as they want, as long as they 'service' the queen. They can stay as long as they want and aren't expected to do anything except please the queen so she can reproduce. That is how they get to also mix up their genetic gene pool. So they come and go, and don't do anything except have sex. There are only a handful of them per hundreds of female bees. It is an entirely matriarchal society, and I had never gotten to see a queen, or a drone, until I went to the Honeylove mentoring day.
God Save the Queen! We mean it, man!
It is said that when the bees 'get you', you kind of start getting obsessed. It doesn't make sense in a lot of ways- you can't talk to them or cuddle them or have a relationship in any sort of tangible way- the relationship seems to be more of one with yourself and what the hive represents or amplifies for you. I think its awe inspiring, really, to see all the organization and community, the commitment to the whole, the loyalty to the queen, the perfection of the honeycombs and that it all results in something that was, for thousands of years, the sweetest substance available to man. I love that bees contribute so much to the well being of all life on earth. That is why the next thing I have to do is to learn how to go catch a feral swarm of bees. I will be joining some other bee rescuing people in the near future to learn how to do it. And then there has to be a sanctuary to relocate them, like Honeylove's two sanctuaries in Moorpark and Topanga Canyon. We hope that soon, the laws in LA will change to allow for beekeeping in urban areas. Until then- well, I might indulge in a little guerilla beekeeping. Maybe.
I am also inspired by the act of bee keeping in a revolutionary sense. It is in the best interest of the food corporations to see the bees die. If they die, then we become dependent on them as our primary food source. And if we depend on them, we pay our hard earned dollars for their GMO crap that compromises our immune systems. We become weaker and sicker and dumber. If you have ever read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, that society bred certain castes of people for certain tasks by altering their genetic codes. People who were in mines were created to be shorter, with short legs and strong arms. So in this New World Order we are fast approaching, the foods from the GMO tainted crops could create a lower class of people and eliminate the middle- both financially, and constitutionally. There will be the rich- who will be the healthiest and smartest class, as they will be the only ones to be able to afford the rare and precious natural foods that support brain health and physical well being, while the lower class eats food that makes them dumber and weaker. Dumb them down and they won't question their lives. Weaker so they don't have the energy to do anything but work to buy the tainted food and come home and plug into the internet. They will eat the food that makes them weak and sick, and slave to pay for insurance premiums that they must have due to their weakened immune systems. The lower class will simply be slaves that don't realize they are slaves, doing all the labor so the rich can enjoy being rich. Sort of like in Hunger Games, all the outlying colonies slaving to provide the rich with food and coal and the like, all held in place by the games. As long as you keep them entertained. Its like the blinders on a horse- they will remain docile and go willingly as long as they don't know what is exactly going on.
Me and bees, June 2013
Food is the entry point into this New World Order. The corporations who control the world's food sources will control everything. And water, too, which was brought to public attention by the recent quote from Nestle CEO Peter Brabeck that he believes there should be no public water, that all water sources should be privatized. He believes that people feel too entitled about water. What if that happened? Nestle is a HUGE company, they make billions selling bottled water. Its not out of the realm of possibility that it could happen. Its not out of the realm of possibility that all the bees could die, that Monsanto and Syngenta and Bayer could dominate all world food sources, that Nestle could own the rights to all water. What then?
This is more devious, more insidious than even using religion to control the people. That used to work for, say, the British to control their empire, or the Roman Catholics- it works inside a given system where there is one prevailing religion, and it has worked for thousands of years. But now, on a global scale, there are too many. Religion can not control the globe. But those who control the food and water supply- that's a different story.
So back to the bees. Part of my love for them, besides the elegance of their community, is this. By loving them and helping them, and teaching others to do the same, we fight the system that is threatening to enslave us. Bees thrive in cities best due to there being less pesticides. So it stands to reason that if more people would give space in their back yards or their roof tops for a few hives- and I mean people all over LA, all over California, all over the US, all over the world- then we can keep the bee population healthy, and the natural food growing. The next step is we have to grow what food we can and eat it, or buy local, instead of shopping at the major grocery stores. We can stop buying any brands with GMOs. This is a capitalist society- we have more power than you realize. They need us to spend our money on their products to survive.
How is your American Dream holding up?
Many people won't. They are simply too inured in the McHappy Life to consider a lifestyle change of this nature. They think this is folly, and it only serves their apathy to be cavalier about it. Or they think it won't happen in their lifetime. Or they think its a bunch of hippies with conspiracy theories messing with the American Way. So many people have agendas to stay comfortable and simply can't be bothered- I hope you, whoever you are, reading this, are not one of those people, or if you are, you are considering making some changes. Please look at your life, do some more research on what GMOs are, talk to others about it. We need you.
This is why I say this revolution begins in the kitchen. We stop supporting the food corporations. We become responsible for what we eat and feed our kids and where it comes from by buying local as much as we can, and using the lists of brands to boycott when we shop. If you are bold, you can look into beekeeping. You don't get stung- you wear a suit, and they don't need much maintenance- they know how to live without you, they just need safe places to do it. As for water- there are companies that will come put a water filtration system in your house- we use Advanced Pure Water, and it amazing, alkaline water. These are things that anyone and everyone can do, every day, in their own homes. And the more of us that do it, the less power they have. We don't need to riot in the streets- we can riot on our facebook pages, we can wage war in our kitchens, we can enlist our friends and family into the cause- we don't need to campaign- we just need to talk about it.
Here is one way that bees are different than most humans- when someone threatens the well being of their community, they will die to defend it- since they always die after they sting someone, and they only sting when threatened. Most humans will not rise to the occasion. Most will turn on the TV, or browse facebook, or do anything to avoid this reality because it asks them to DO something. Don't be a zombie! OCCUPY YOURSELF!!!!
Since I am writing this not so much for those who have mastered the art of revolutionary eating, but for those who are just bellying up to the bar like myself, I think its important to talk about the challenges inherent in this endeavor.
One of the challenges I have been writing a lot about is that of being blinded by branding- just see yesterday's post. Recently on facebook I posted- well hell, I will post it here, too- that awful behind the scenes look at the making of McDonald's chicken mcnuggets. Here, this is what I posted-
Its terrible, awful, nasty and BAD. There is nothing right about this. And its a staple for moms in a hurry to give to their kids. I've done it a thousand times, when my kids were younger. So I posted this on facebook, and someone said, "Yeah, but they sure are yummy!" Its exactly that sort of cavalier attitude, unconscious slavery to our tastebuds and unwillingness to question deeply that will destroy humankind. That's why its so important that there is an antidote, and that is why I call it 'revolutionary eating'.
So that is not only a brand issue- its McDonalds! What could possibly scream America more than McDonalds? But a taste bud issue. And that is a whole diabolical affair, the issue of our tastebuds. We don't train them, we haven't mastered them- they have mastered us. When it comes to eating, the tastebuds are like...like when we say a man thinks with his you know what. Our tastebuds dominate our good senses and we reach for the thing we simply want to taste at that moment.
I was at work yesterday, and we hadn't gotten in our food delivery, so the only thing that was appealing to me in the cupboards was my stash of Kraft Deluxe mac and cheese. This has been a lunchtime staple for me for so long, its a running joke in my workplace. Everyone laughs about my predilection for mac and cheese, and everyone knows not to touch those boxes when they see them on the shelf. I kid you not, its really like that. So, I was hungry. And there was a part of me that would have felt so satisfied by my mac and cheese, you have no idea. Its so easy! So fast! So yummy! But some other part of me said "No effing way. I'm not gonna eat that crap."
I am not used to listening to that part of myself. I would even go so far as to say that this part of myself didn't exist prior to a couple of months ago. Its like my body simply refused to partake, and it was louder and more insistent than my tastebuds.
So I ended up eating a peanut butter sandwich instead. Maybe not much better- it was JIF peanut butter, and I know that is on the no-no list, but its also on my short list of things I can't give up yet. Yet. Still, it was progress.
Today I went to work with a Tupperware of organic zucchini from the local farmer's market that I had marinated in garlic, cilantro, olive oil and lime juice. And I threw them in the skillet and cooked them up for lunch. The housekeeper, my dear friend Glendis, looked almost frightened. "Ashley, what is this? Dios Mio! What are you doing? This is not your food!" She said, eyes wide in shock. She knows. Its not a small thing. Its not only how I have identified myself but how others identify me- people would shake their heads at the way I would eat- and I thought it was cute!!! I really did.
The zucchini didn't satisfy me in the same way a big bowl of gooey fake cheese and macaroni product would have- its weird to not eat a processed, chemically enhanced flavor which is telling me its delicious- but my body was happy with it, and that's a new sensation and hasn't been categorized in my brain as satisfaction yet. Weird, right? It is causing a new relationship with everything- because I am the type to find deeper hidden meanings in everything. For example- this scenario causes me to wonder in what other areas have I accepted, ne'- embraced with absolute vigor, a substitution? In what other areas have I allowed myself to be told what to like, what to think, what my preferences should be, and I followed along without questioning- and yet still felt like it was my very own idea? How many times have I smugly said- "I like what I like," as if that was answer enough? How do I really know what I like, when it comes right down to it, if I don't stop and ask myself why, who, what, how?
It just goes back to a concept I write a lot about in my other blog about recovery and spirituality-howlinghive.blogspot.com- I want to de-program myself, unlearn what I have learned, re-train myself in ways that are more in keeping with my core truth and values. That means I have to get to my core self, and that is a whole other story. I couldn't adopt revolutionary eating if I had not been examining my life already- I would have been too defensive, too stuck, too proud, too attached- it would have threatened too much and required too much to change so why even start? In short, I don't want to be a robot, programmed by every commercial jingle from my childhood, lulled into comfort by brands from my childhood.
I am ready for something completely different, in all areas of my life. For those of you that are new to this, you know how radical this can be. I feel you. This is NO BULLSHIT. But at the end of the day- you win. You win and the corporate foodfucks with their GMOs and toxic chemicals and hormones and false promises don't win. Sure, they may win in the grand scope of things, maybe- but they won't win YOU. That's why its revolutionary. You refuse to be a slave, a robot, a zombie. So do it, even if it is just baby steps. If you do, it will change your future, and if enough of us do it, it will change the future of the planet. Revolutionary eating is radical, and its the antidote to rampant apathetic zombification that is so obviously pandemic these days. Its not for sissies!!
One example was Bernays campaign to convince women to smoke in the
1920s. Bernays helped the smoking industry overcome one of the biggest social
taboos of the time: women smoking in public. Prior to the 1920s, smoking was
largely a male pastime and women were only allowed to smoke in designated areas,
or not at all. If caught violating this rule, women would have been arrested.
