I love my grandparents more than anything in the world, they're sweet, respectful, transparent, and want what is best for us and are willing to support us though whatever, whenever we need them. My grandfather worked exceptionally hard for what he has, and they are living, what many would call "The American Dream". My grandfather is an entrepreneur who built his life's work to support his family off of the free enterprise system in our "exemplary" and standard-setting country. This was all made possible by his ancestors who worked hard in agriculture building their income into family money that would then be passed through the generations in order to support our younger family members as my Grandfather's parents did for him, as he has done for my father, and as my father will do for me. Not to mention all of the cultural capital and high family expectations that have helped each new generations to achieve the success of or predecessors. This is the privilege that I come from about as watered down as I have ever looked at it, and it evolved into a massive "mind ^&%$".
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| Edward Cutahee Steele <3 |
It started out with a simple question: "So Charlotte, tell me about your frustrations with our agricultural system?" Wow. I didn't know where to start... and I certainly had not summed up everything I had learned in college thus far for someone... ever... so I was pretty uneloquent...
Naturally I started talking about corn, then CAFOs, then high fructose corn syrup, then "sustainability" and soil erosion, and then cheap food and McDonalds, and then food access, childhood obesity, diabetes... everything.
He came back with: "But then how do you explain all of the successful athletes and long-living people that we have today? Many of them are from black families that probably ate McDonalds (arg). If all of this food is bad for you, how do you explain all of the medical success we have today?"
And there it began, his perspective of success versus my perspective of failure. I was sweating now... started talking about how medicine and food are evolving simultaneously, and how its all very complicated and different for different generations.
"But really its not complicated, as the world evolves, we will be able to solve all of these problems through science. Are you saying that the food that you go to buy in a grocery stores isn't good for us?"
Well no, but it could be a lot better. I am not denying that grocery stores have evolved into enormously plentiful ways to access food... (ahhhh I wanted to start talking about food waste and portion size, and just go nuts but I had started backing down...)
"It's also really important to remember that the free enterprise system is driven by people's ability to choose what they want to buy and exercise their purchasing power, if this is what people want to eat are you saying we should take that away from them?"
From here I started talking about what people want to eat versus what they are able to eat and financially able to afford... but was realizing how socialist and ignorant I was sounding which made me feel smaller and smaller :(
And to top it all off we started talking about the disparities of capitalism, and how I wished that every baby had equal opportunities in this world, because a child's resilience is largely determined by their family situation, but of course our family situation is largely determined by our ancestors.
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| The fuel for all of my grievances |
"So if you work hard and get A's and another student is getting C-'s do you think that for both of your amount of effort you should each get B's?"
And then I said yes and I was afraid because I didn't want to insult his hard work. I told him we need more scholarships, that student loans surpassed credit card debt, and he said that we have so many more scholarships than we did 50 years ago, we are doing so well. It was a constant battle for his appreciation of everything that he didn't have before, and my skepticism and dissatisfaction with everything we do have. Is it possible that as skeptics we have lost sight of everything we have to be thankful for? But who am I to say that... I have everything I need.
So there I was (feeling ignorant and selfish, realizing I have taken my entire life for granted) arguing my liberal-arts-student perspective staring across the table at him, someone who looks back on the way our country has grown with wonder and awe, resulting in his 100% faith and endorsement of the system.
I was feeling ashamed of the lack of consideration and education I have had about seeing the world from his point of view, and confused about if I still believe in mine... it was so hard to have a mirror held up to my liberal-arts-student face. What is this even called anyways? Talking about capitalism? free enterprise? the agricultural system? our country's system? But for me, its talking about life, and its really hard. Will I ever get better or smarter at this?
I could visualize this precisely, you and Grandpa Ed! While the consumers do have the purchasing power to decide what types of products (systems of agriculture, in this case), they endorse, tell Grandpa Ed that I (Jordan) think that capitalism has expanded to the point that there is little ground for little businesses to compete. It's hard for them to even get a foot on the ground when they are against the resources of large corporations in regard to marketing, cost of product, and availability of product. We are now capitalism on steroids; there are no natural limits anymore. It's not tomato season? #import
ReplyDeleteWith those advances in technology we have been spoiled, believing we should be able to get it all on demand. We have lost touch with the slow process of growing food, or materializing anything ourselves, for that matter, and thus cannot take an objective view of the implications of the food we eat, how those demands are sourced (cheap labor, transportation, chemicals). And it's hard because independent farms don't have the funds to just flash a neon sign at America with a breakdown of what their food consumption entails. In that way, we are part of an agricultural monopoly, in proportions that the good ol' hard-working American doesn't have a shot against. We need to do a reality check in the U.S., bring the issues to light, give them contingencies, so that they can see the give-and-takes of local food, and have the knowledge to actually make a decision, and use their purchasing power deliberately.
Thanks for this post! I am struggling with similar queries, and this helped me to step back and look at the big picture. We have it really good compared to those who came from nothing to live the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, your grandfather is able to look back on an improving system because driven, smart people fought our problems in the years past. Be thankful for what we have achieved, but keep fighting for what we haven't. Maybe then you can have this same challenging-in-a-good-way conversation with your grandkids.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, thank you for sharing this frustrating yet thought-provoking conversation with us - it takes guts and insight to recognize that a life view entirely different from one's own can be valid for him/her (considering that person's experience in the world) and that your own is still growing, as it should be!
ReplyDeleteIn his life, things have gone well. He was able to succeed in a system that tends to be much less welcoming for people of a different positionality, and thus he sees it in a more positive light than most. I admire his optimistic view of the progress our society has made, and I think it is especially important for us "liberal arts kids" to remember this perspective on life as well. However, all of the progress humanity has made does not negate the problems it has fostered as well. Our agriculture system is much more wasteful and less nutritious and fair than it should be, as you know better than most of us, and more progress can still be made. The fact that the number of scholarships has grown immensely over the last half a century is not a coincidence, someone decided that we as a society needed to prioritize affordable education and fought for it!
In essence, I think that both of you have a point. We've made a lot of progress, and we still have a long way to go. The thing is, progress is usually driven by a person or group of people who are passionate about a PROBLEM. I'm not an expert on our free-enterprise, capitalist society - Darrin's got that covered. But in my eyes, your dissatisfaction is just as important as your grandfather's confidence in our society/economy.
This whole discourse was hinged on apposing perspectives. So neither one of you is wrong, but neither of you is objective. You should never feel ashamed or narrow minded because you have a different perspective. Thats the beautiful thing about your entire conversation. Those are the kinds of discussions that make the world go round. He obviously made you think about what you believe and that is what matters. Your meditations are now joining two apposing views that are an auspicious opening to build a better future. Your strong belief and passion about the agricultural industry are incredible but what is truly impressive is your open-mindedness and ability to consider the other side. With that kind of outlook you have to potential to really succeed in the reality that is our convoluted contemporary society.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte- you are cool, this is really insightful. I want to make everyone at school read this because I agree that there is not enough dissenting conservatism in many liberal arts schools to foster an environment where arguments get challenged and honed.
ReplyDeleteAlso charlie you are so popular!!! Look at how many anonymous responses you got! People out in the world are reading this who don't even know you, major awesome points. I am proud to be related to you. That sounds cheesy but its true. Also, seriously thanks for the text last night. You are great. <3