Food Quote by Michael Pollan
““Me and the folks who buy my food are like the Indians -- we just want to opt out. That's all the Indians ever wanted -- to keep their tepees, to give their kids herbs instead of patent medicines and leeches. They didn't care if there was a Washington, D.C., or a Custer or a USDA; just leave us alone. But the Western mind can't bear an opt-out option. We're going to have to refight the Battle of the Little Big Horn to preserve the right to opt out, or your grandchildren and mine will have no choice but to eat amalgamated, irradiated, genetically prostituted, barcoded, adulterated fecal spam from the centralized processing conglomerate.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, “The Food Dilemma”, 2015
The quote critiques modern food systems that force consumers into a homogenized, industrialized diet, arguing for the right to reject such control and preserve traditional, natural food practices.
In simple terms: People should be able to choose natural, traditional foods over industrial ones.
Key Takeaway
Demand food sovereignty and support local, natural food sources.
Themes
food sovereignty
industrial agriculture
consumer rights
tradition
modernization
Mood
frustrated
determined
hopeful
Type
political
critical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- farmers markets
- home gardening
- community-supported agriculture
- policy advocacy
- educational workshops
Key Concepts
food ethics
political autonomy
biotechnology
corporate control
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals effectively resist industrial food pressures?
- What policies could protect the right to opt out of centralized food production?
A Different Perspective
Industrial food systems provide economies of scale and food security, which can be hard to replace entirely.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
