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Re: Vegetarianism
RICHARD ROBBINS (ROBBINRH@SPLAVA.CC.PLATTSBURGH.EDU)
Fri, 24 May 1996 05:49:50 -0500
Date sent: 24-MAY-1996 05:42:40
Marvin Harris does claim that human beings have a propensity for meat
eating, and will eat as much as they can when they can; however, for a
dissenting view you might check Sidney's Mintz's discussion of food and
culture in his book SWEETNESS AND POWER. For an even stronger retort to
Harris, check Jeremy Rifkin's BEYOND BEEF. Mintz's point, in brief, is
that virtually all societies build their diet around a center of some
complex carbohydrate (e.g. bread, pasta, rice, cassava, etc.), with meat
used primarily as an *edge* or complement to add variety and taste. It is
only in the Western culture that meat has become the center rather than the
edge of the diet, he says.
Richard H. Robbins Bitnet: Robbinrh@snyplava.bitnet
Department of Anthropology Internet: Robbinrh@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu
SUNY at Plattsburgh AOL: RHROBBINS@aol.com
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
(518) 564-4006
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