Food is culture Essay Example for Free

Food is culture Essay According to the Executive Director of the Washington International Center, Robert Kohls (1984), â€Å"the different behaviors of a people or a culture make sense only when seen through the basic beliefs, assumptions, and values of that particular group. † This legendary statement that was uttered more than two decades ago was intended to explain American values and to compare these values with those that belong to other cultures. But, as time went by, Khols insightful perception about culture has taken on international meaning and it was one of the fundamental concepts espoused by Montanari in his book entitled â€Å"Food is Culture. † Using historical reference to Hoppocrates, Montanari insisted that food has never been associated with nature and this contradicts the general idea advertised by people who campaign for organic foods. Montanari explains that food is the result of the efforts of a society to tame, transform, and interpret nature. This view can be supported by two related observations. First, societies all over the world encounter different environments. That is, societies in the Pacific region may find tropical climates whereas societies in the Mediterranean region have temperate climates. The differences in weather, together with the differences in geography, lead to the different ways that the members of the society learned to deal with their varied environments. Thus, the second observation is that the different societies have produced their own unique food and food culture. For example, Italian food reminds people of spaghetti, tiramisu, and other pasta dishes. Asian food, on the other hand, brings to mind bowls of rice. Kohls’ perception, when combined with Montanari’s view about the relationship of food and culture, evolves into something different then. That the different values of a people or a culture are revealed and understood when seen through the food culture of that particular group. Feedback from a reader: At first, it would take some stretch of imagination to associate food with culture. There are two major reasons for this difficulty. First, people eat food in order to survive and perhaps live a relatively healthy life. The desire to live and survive is so fundamental that all peoples possess this particular desire. And if all peoples and culture uphold this desire to live, then eating food is very common that it cannot be directly related to the uniqueness of culture. And second, food is almost always taken from nature. This means that food is obtained from farms and from forests. â€Å"Farm† and â€Å"forest† are two concepts that are associated with things natural. Food, therefore, is a natural resource. And despite the fact that most people in America consume processed food, food is definitely associated with nature. However, using a more critical thinking and a wider observation of the world, the statement that food is culture begins to make some sense. The values of a culture can be reflected in the kinds of food that people eat and the ways that people eat their food. For example, the Japanese culture carries out a tea ceremony, specializes in sushi, and usually serves food in small bite sizes. All these reflect the fact that the Japanese culture gives great importance to tradition. Thus, when Japanese encounters a problem, he turns to the knowledge of his ancestors for guidance. The typical American, on the other hand, rarely imitates the actions of his ancestors. When he encounters a problem, he tends to find help by himself and establishes some measure of control on his problem. The way that Americans value individuality and personal control over their environment can be seen in the way they wanted their food to be served individually. The Americans also wanted their foods to be served fast and this preference echoes the values of practicality and efficiency. Therefore, as a reader of Montanari’s ideas about the relationship of food and culture, I am convinced that food culture does reflect the values upheld by a society. Bibliography Kohls, R. (1984). The values Americans live by. Retrieved September 18, 2007 at http://omni. cc. purdue. edu/~corax/kohlsamericanvalues. html Montanari, M. (2006). â€Å"Introduction. † Food is Culture. A. Sonnenfeld (trans. ). New York: Columbia University Press.

Breaking Up (Online or Not) :: essays research papers

How to Break-Up (Online or Otherwise) In the last year, I have watched the fallout from a number of relationships and break-ups take over the bulletin boards. These problems have caused hurt feelings, have ended friendships, and have come to involve dozens of people (through bulletin boards, email, and other electronica) who have no personal stake in the outcome. The emotional devastation these poorly handled situations bring is totally unnecessary, and prompted the following. The following is not scientific fact: it is based on my own observations, the experiences of my friends (male and female; straight, gay, and bi) and family, and a lot of tired, commercial popular psychology. That doesn't, however, mean that it's bad advice. [sanctimony] 1. Do it in person. If this is an online relationship, it may not be possible. That doesn't give you an excuse to send a Dear John/Jane e-mail. Get as close to in-person as you can, given the limitations of space and time. Call on the phone if you must, go over if you can. But NEVER break up with an answering machine, an e-mail account, or a public forum. You and your ex both deserve better: if this relationship ever meant anything to you, it needs closure. If it didn't, you have no right to take that out on them by treating them callously; it's not your ex's fault that you don't love them anymore. You are not "off the hook," you still have to treat them like a real person, with actual feelings. 2. Be honest, and do it before you're so upset that you can't be reasonable. If you're having problems, that doesn't necessarily mean that your partner knows about them or understands what they can do to help. Take the time to let them know what's bothering you. If your partner really cares about you, chances are some compromise can be reached, or they will at least try to address the behaviors that make you crazy. If it's unsalvagable, at least show them enough respect to end things finally, and with dignity. Don't say you want to be "friends" if what you really mean is "drop dead, you jerk." There's a big difference between letting someone down easy and leaving them hanging, emotionally manipulating them to serve your own ego needs. Be clear, concise, and as reasonable and respectful as possible. This isn't easy for anyone, and your ex deserves, at minimum, as much truth as you can give without being brutal and/or hurtful.

Biblical Criticisms

The Bible is unarguable the most circulated book of all books in the world. It has been translated to several languages in different versions. The book has been described as the world’s best and most widely distributed book by the Guinness Book of Record. The Bible has been read by more people and published in more languages than any other book in history. It was estimated that within the period of 1815-1975 alone, 2. 5 billion copies sold.Record has also shown us that at the end of 1993, the Bible has been fully translated into 337 different languages in the world while over 2,062 languages have translations of at least one book of the Bible. Due to its wide-spread influence, the Bible has been written by various Bible societies for easier comprehension and from their revelations. This has resulted in some textual difference in these various versions of the Bible.The question is how can the original meaning of scriptures that have divergent textual interpretations by these ve rsions be known? The answer to this is Biblical criticism. What then is Biblical Criticism? In its simplest form, this term is an umbrella term for the critical study and appraisal of textual, compositional and historical questions of Biblical scriptures without recourse to revelation. It uses the canon of reason rather than and historical principles in its study.Summarily, the query inquisition made in biblical criticism concerns the preservation and transmission of biblical text and scriptures, this includes the manuscripts in which the text has been preserved, the date, its setting, its relationship, and what the most reliable form of the text is; the source and composition of the text, together with when and where it was created, how, why, by whom, for whom, and in what situation it was created, what were the influence that were work when it was produced, and what sources were used in its composition; and the message of the text as expressed in its language, including the meanin g of the words as well as the way in which they are arranged in meaningful forms of expression. There are different forms of biblical criticisms. Some of them have been in existence as far back as eighteenth century. The major types of biblical criticism are form criticism, textual criticism, philological criticism, literary criticism, traditional criticism.There are also forms of biblical criticisms that have come to existence over the years. They are the literary approach, social-scientific criticism, cultural hermeneutics under which is canonical criticism. For the purpose of this essay, more attention will be drawn on the more recent form biblical criticism; the canonical criticism. Canonical criticism as the more recent form of biblical criticism is a form of cultural hermeneutic approach of biblical criticism that deals with the theological form of interpretation that puts into the center of its study the community background within which the text was produced and from which i t is to be read.It is a form of biblical criticism that deals with how scripture’s final form was created in the context of a believing community and how the interpretations produced by that final form continually guides the reading practices such community. Canonical criticism as a form of biblical criticism has greatly affected biblical study in our world today. As a theological form of biblical study, it preaches that we ought to read Scripture from a universal perspective and not individualistically but as part of a worshiping community of fellow believers. It also seeks a practical goal in that it entails reading the Scripture not just for academic or aesthetic reasons but in order to inhabit its narrative, to have our imagination converted to its values, and to promote love of God and neighbor. In addition to this, it serves as a historic framework.For canonical critics, we ought to read Scripture in conversation with previous generations of believers, especially those of the pre-modern period. Reference: †¢ Greenslade, S. L. , ed. â€Å"Cambridge History of the Bible†. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1963. †¢ Gurthrie, D. â€Å"Canon of Scripture†, In the New International Dictionary of the Christian Church†, Rev. ed. J. D. Douglas, ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974. †¢ Kenyon, F. G. â€Å"Handbook to the textual Criticism of the New Testament†, London: Macmillan and Co. , 1901. †¢ Biblical criticism. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 28, 2008, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9079097Back to top

Book Review for No Matter How Loud I Shout, by Edward...

Book Review Humes, E. (1996). No matter how loud I shout: A year in the life of juvenile court. New York, NY: Simon amp; Schuster Paperbacks. Edward Humes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, non-fiction, and true crime writer. Of his twelve books, five involve the criminal justice system. In this work, Humes takes on the sizeable task of examining the complicated juvenile justice system, chronicling the stories of several juvenile offenders and juvenile justice officials, and how they navigate the confusing and often arbitrary laws of the California juvenile justice system. Humes delivers an informative, eye-opening, and often dispiriting account of what goes on in the halls of America’s juvenile courts and correctional†¦show more content†¦This legal loophole is based on the theory that if he had not participated in the robbery, his partner wouldn’t have been shot. Because Geri is over sixteen, his transfer to adult court is certain, where he will face a harsh prison sentence. These cases are just two of many sad and unfair stories featured in this work. Other than the juveniles themselves, th e reader will also meet several juvenile court officials. Humes introduces his audience to a frustrated and burnt out juvenile court prosecutor, an intimidating, reform-minded judge who shows his distaste for transferring youths to adult court by simply refusing to do it, even when it is required by law, and a patient juvenile probation officer who manages to find small successes within a job that can sometimes seem futile at best. The overall sense that the reader gets from this book is that growing caseloads, inadequate facilities, and arbitrary â€Å"get-tough† laws are rendering the juvenile justice system in California and elsewhere in America ultimately ineffective. Redeemable kids are sent to adult prisons to â€Å"criminal college† to become more hardened and violent instead of being rehabilitated. Extremely violent kids are kept within the juvenile system to be released at twenty-five, based solely on whether they are over or under the age of sixteen. Abandoned or neglected kids are sent to languish within a broken foster care system, to be raised in group homes with deplorableShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesclaimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initia l caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge. — 15th ed. p. cm. Includes indexes. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-283487-2 ISBN-10: 0-13-283487-1 1. Organizational behavior. I. Judge, Tim. II. Title. HD58.7.R62 2012 658.3—dc23 2011038674