Critique Of David Suzuki's Food Connections

Summary of David Suzuki’s “Food Connections” In his essay “Food Connections,” David Suzuki highlights the separation of humans from the natural world, and the differences between the first and third world markets. He supports this thesis by first describing the “Third-World” market and its socio-economic impact. He then contrasts this market with the “supermarket” of a developed country like ours, pointing out the cultural implications of these differences. Suzuki emphasizes that when we keep to the natural rhythms of food production and seasonal variations, we can celebrate the process of food production; he ties this idea to our society’s cultural need to label and judge that which does not meet its standard of perfection. In this case, Suzuki asserts, we are preoccupied with how our food looks than with what it contains and where it comes from. In doing so, we compromise our relationship with our planet and lose a little bit more of our humanity.
Suzuki explains that markets provide a sense of people (Suzuki, 307).
Food is an integral part of human life; naturally, a market is a focal point in people’s lives. Different types of fruits, vegetables, and fish are available at different times of the year. Total crop sizes, as well as the size of each product, depends on the year’s local environmental conditions. Consumers learn about what is available and can be grown on their land from the type of product that appears in their local market. Furthermore, the imperfections of fruit and vegetables show they are still being grown using natural, traditional methods. Suzuki asserts that different markets provide different type of foods, but the sense of connection to the land and the people via the food is the same worldwide
(308). Suzuki contrasts the “Third World” markets with Canadian “supermarkets” (Suzuki, 308), which have replaced these traditional markets. Supermarkets offer not only food, but also cosmetics, hardware, and clothing (308). The food is clean, and temperature is controlled. A traditional market sells produce that is locally produced and not enhanced or ‘cleaned up’; by contrast, there is little hint as to the origin of produce in supermarkets. Suzuki asserts that “We have become so used to clean food presented in plastic packages that we no longer think about where it comes from” (308). When the word “dirt” is associated with produce, it evokes the connotations of pollution and unhealthiness. Suzuki also states that our supermarkets import different types of food year round; consequently, we fail to appreciate what the changing of seasons can bring us. Suzuki warns that the labelling and judgement of foods has taken a twisted turn. Our society views “organic” foods as special; we consider chemically-treated foods as normal. Suzuki explains that this is because consumers are preoccupied with how the food looks, rather than what it contains, and where it comes from. Thus, our standards for food are and will continue to poison the Earth because of our craving for ‘good-looking’ food. Suzuki advises Canadians to appreciate the food that they have, and reconnect with the Earth’s rhythms of production.
Thus, Suzuki explains how markets and people are connected: when markets sell local, seasonal produce, they inform people of what can be produced on their land; people, in turn, learn to celebrate the natural rhythms of production. He then points out the differences between markets in a “Third-world” and in a developed country, and the socio-economic and cultural impacts these differences have on the populations of these countries. Suzuki warns us that our society is preoccupied with the ‘appearance’ of food; this diminishes food quality, gives us unhealthy expectations of food production, and cuts us off from enjoying what our planet can produce naturally. Suzuki’s impactful and heartfelt warning reminds us that we need to appreciate and celebrate our planet and the food it can give us.
WORKS CITED
Suzuki, David. “Food Connections.” Essay Writers Fore Canadian Students 7th Ed. Roger Davis, Laura K. Davis, Kay L. Stewart, Chris J. Bullock. Toronto: Pearson, 2013. Pages 307-309.