Dietary Pattern of Different Culture Religion and Philosophy

7/30/2019 Dietary Pattern of Different Culture Religion and Philosophy

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Inuits

The Inuit (Inuktitut: , "People") are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting

the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, the United States, and eastern Siberia. Inuit is a plural noun; the

singular is "Inuk". The Inuit languages are classified in the Eskimo-Aleut family.

In the United States, the term Eskimo is commonly used in reference to these groups, because it

includes both of Alaska's Yupik and Inupiat peoples while "Inuit" is not proper or accepted as a term for

the Inupiat. No collective term exists for both peoples other than "Eskimo".However, natives in Canada

and Greenland view the name as pejorative and "Inuit" has become more common. In Canada, sections

25 and 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982 named the "Inuit" as a distinctive group of aboriginal

Canadians who are not included under either the First Nations or the Mtis.

he Inuit live throughout most of the Canadian Arctic and subarctic in the territory of Nunavut; "Nunavik" in

the northern third of Quebec; "Nunatsiavut" and "Nunatukavut" in Labrador; and in various parts of

the Northwest Territories, particularly around the Arctic Ocean. These areas are known in Inuktitut as the

"Inuit Nunangat".[15][16] In the United States, Inupiat live on the North Slope in Alaska and on Little

Diomede Island. In Russia, they live on Big Diomede Island. The Greenlandic Inuit are the descendants

of migrations from Canada and are citizens of Denmark, although not of the European Union.

Inuitconsume a diet of foods that are fished, hunted, and gathered locally. This may

includewalrus,Ringed Seal,Bearded Seal,beluga whale,caribou,polar bear,muskoxen, birds (including

their eggs) and fish. While it is not possible to cultivate plants for food in the Arctic the Inuit have

traditionally gathered those that are naturally

available.Grasses,tubers,roots,stems,berries,fireweedandseaweed (kuanniqor edible seaweed)

were collected and preserved depending on the season and the location. According to Edmund Searlesin his article "Food and the Making of Modern Inuit Identities," they consume this type of diet because a

mostly meat diet is "effective in keeping the body warm, making the body strong, keeping the body fit,

and even making that body healthy".

Seals

Seal meat is the most important aspect of an Inuit diet and is often the

largest part of an Inuit hunter's diet. Depending on the season, Inuit hunt

for different types of seal: Harp Seal, Harbor Seal, and Bearded Seal.

Ringed Seals are hunted all year, while Harp Seals are only available

during the summer.[7]

Because air-breathing seals need to break through the ice to reach air,

they form breathing holes with their claws. Through these, Inuit hunters

are able to capture seals.[7]

When a hunter arrives at these holes, they
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ringed_seal_1_2000-08-13.jpg


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set up a seal indicator that alerts the hunter when a seal is coming up for a breath of air. When the seal

comes up, the hunter notices movement in the indicator and uses his harpoon to capture the seal in the

water.

Seals, as saltwater animals, are always considered to be thirsty and therefore are offered a drink of fresh

water as it is dying. This is shown as a sign of respect and gratitude toward the seal and its sacrifice. Thisoffering is also done to please the spirit Sedna to ensure food supply.

Walrus

Walrus are often hunted during the winter and spring since hunting

them in summer is much more dangerous. A walrus is too large to be

controlled by one man, so it cannot be hunted alone.

In Uqalurait: An Oral History of Nunavut, an Inuit elder describes the

hunt of a walrus in these words: "When a walrus was sighted, the two

hunters would run to get close to it and at a short distance it is necessary

to stop when the walrus's head was submergedthe walrus would hear

you approach. [They] then tried to get in front of the walrus and it was harpooned while its head was

submerged. In the meantime, the other person would drive the harpoon into the ice through the

harpoon loop to secure it."

Bowhead whale

As one of the largest animals in the world, the bowhead whale is

able to feed an entire community for nearly a year from its

meat, blubber, and skin. Inuit hunters most often hunt juvenilewhales which, compared to adults, are safer to hunt and have

tastier skin. Similar to walrus, bowhead whales are captured by

harpoon. The hunters use active pursuit to harpoon the whale and

follow it during attack. At times, Inuit were known for using a more

passive approach when hunting whales. According to John Bennett

and Susan Rowley, they would harpoon the whale and instead of pursuing it, would "wait patiently for

the winds, currents, and spirits to aid him in bringing the whale to shore.

Caribou

During the majority of the year caribou roam the tundra in small herds, but twice a year large herds of

caribou cross the inland regions. Caribou have excellent senses of smell and hearing so that the hunters

must be very careful when in pursuit. Often, Inuit hunters set up camp miles away from the caribou

crossing and wait until they are in full view to attack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bowhead_Whale_2002-08-10.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Walrus_1999-03-31.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bowhead_Whale_2002-08-10.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Walrus_1999-03-31.jpg


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There are many ways in which the caribou can be captured, including spearing, forcing caribou into the

river, using blinders, scaring the caribou, and stalking the caribou. When spearing caribou, hunters put

the string of the spear in their mouths and the other end they use to gently spear the animal.[7]

Fish

Inuit consume both salt water and freshwater fish including sculpin, Arctic cod, Arctic char and lake

trout. They capture these types of fish byjigging. The hunter cuts a square hole in the ice on the lake

and fishes using a fish lure and spear. Instead of using a hook on a line, Inuit use a fake fish attached to

the line. They lower it into the water and move it around as if it is real. When the live fish approach it,

they spear the fish before it has a chance to eat the fake fish.

Because theclimate of the Arcticis ill-suited for agriculture and lacks forageable plant matter for much

of the year, the traditional Inuit diet is unusually low incarbohydratesand high infatand

animalprotein. In the absence of carbohydrates,proteinis broken down in

theliverthroughgluconeogenesisand utilized as an energy source. Inuit studied in the 1970s were

found to have abnormally large livers, presumably to assist in this process. Their urine volumes were

also high, a result of the excessureaproduced by gluconeogenesis.

Traditional Inuit diets derive, at most, 35-40% of theircaloriesfrom protein, with 50-75% of calories

preferably coming from fat. This high fat content provides valuable energy and preventsprotein

poisoning, which historically was sometimes a problem in late winter when game animals grew lean

through winter starvation. Because the fats of the Inuit's wild-caught game are

largelymonounsaturatedand rich inomega-3 fatty acids, the diet does not pose the same health risks

as a typical Western high-fat diet.

Vitaminsand minerals which are typically derived from plant sources are nonetheless present in most

Inuit diets. VitaminsAandDare present in the oils and livers of cold-water fishes and

mammals.Vitamin Cis obtained through sources such as caribou liver,kelp,whale skin, and seal brain;

because these foods are typically eaten raw or frozen, the vitamin C they contain, which would be

destroyed by cooking, is instead preserved.

Islamic food culture

Islamic jurisprudence specifies which foods are all ( "lawful") and which

are arm ( "unlawful"). This is derived from commandments found in the Qur'an, the holy book

of Islam, as well as the Hadith and Sunnah, libraries cataloguing things the Prophet Mohammed is

reported to have said and done. Extensions of these rulings are issued, as fatwas, by Mujtahids, with

varying degrees of strictness, but they are not always widely held to be authoritative. According to


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the Quran, the only foods explicitly forbidden are meat from animals that die of themselves, blood, the

meat of swine (porcine animals, pigs), and animals dedicated to other than Allah (either undedicated or

dedicated to idols), but a person is not guilty of sin in a situation where the lack of any alternative

creates an undesired necessity to consume that which is otherwise unlawful. (Quran 2:173) This is the

"law of necessity" in Islamic jurisprudence: "That which is necessary makes the forbidden permissible",

which, in the case of dietary laws, allows one to eat pork or carrion, or drink wine or ethanol if one was

starving or dying of thirst (although the Shafi'i madhhab differs on the issue of ethanolic drinks).

Slaughter

Dhabah () is a prescribed method of ritual animal slaughter; it does not apply to most aquatic

animals. The animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim or by one of the People of the Book, generally

speaking, a Christian or a Jew, while mentioning the name of God (Allah in Arabic). According to

some fatwas, the animal must be slaughtered specifically by a Muslim, however, other fatwas dispute

this, ruling that, according to verse 5:5 of the Qur'an, an animal properly slaughtered by People of the

Book is halal.

Animals for food may not be killed by being boiled or electrocuted, and the carcass should be hung

upside down for long enough to be blood-free.All water game is considered halal (although

the Hanafimadhhab differs on this): "Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for

you [who are settled] as well as for travellers, although you are forbidden to hunt on land while you are

in the state of pilgrimage. And be conscious of God, unto whom you shall be gathered." (Quran 5:96.)

There are generally no restrictions on the consumption of vegetarian food as the restrictions pertain to

slaughter.

Prohibited food

Intoxicants

In Islam, any intoxicants are generally forbidden in the Qur'an through several separate verses revealed

at different times over a period of years. At first, it was forbidden for Muslims to attend to prayers while

intoxicated.

O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say,

nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bathunless (you are) travelling on the roaduntil

you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy oryou have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe

your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.

Qur'an, Sura 4 (An-Nisa), ayat 43

Then a later verse was revealed which said that alcohol contains some good and some evil, but the evil is

greater than the good (In Surah Al-Baqarah: 219, it states:


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They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means

of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as to what they should

spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications, that you may

ponder.

Qur'an, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayat 219

This was the next step in turning people away from consumption of it. Finally, "intoxicants and games of

chance" were called "abominations of Satan's handiwork," intended to turn people away from God and

forget about prayer, and Muslims were ordered to avoid.

O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al Ansb , and Al Azlm (arrows

for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaitn's (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all)

that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.

Qur'an, Sura 5 (Al-Maidah), ayat 90

In addition to this, most observant Muslims refrain from consuming food products that contain pure

vanilla extract or soy sauce if these food products contain alcohol; there is some debate about whether

the prohibition extends to dishes in which the alcohol would be cooked off or if it would be practically

impossible to consume enough of the food to become intoxicated. The Zaidi andMutazili sects believe

that the use of alcohol has always been forbidden and refer to this Qur'an Ayah (4:43) as feeling of

sleepiness and not to be awake.

Blood

Blood and its by-products are forbidden in Islam, in the Qu'ran, surah 5 Al-Maeda, verse 3:

Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other

name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that

killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten,except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the

arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear

them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you

and chosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin,

then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Qur'an, Sura 5 (Al-Ma'ida ), ayat 3

Pork

Consumption of pork and products made from pork is strictly forbidden in Islam.

The origin of this belief is derived from the chapter of the Cow (Al Baqara) speaks of this:

He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that over which any

other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor

exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Qur'an, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayat 173


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JAPANESE FOOD CULTURE

The rice-centered food culture of Japan

evolved following the introduction of wet

rice cultivation from Asia more than

2,000

years ago. The tradition of rice served

with

seasonal vegetables and fish and

other marine

products reached a highly

sophisticated form

in the Edo period (1600-1868) and

remains

the vibrant core of native Japanese

cuisine. In

the century and a half since Japan

reopenedto the West, however, Japan has

developed an

incredibly rich and varied food culture that

includes not only native-Japanese cuisine but

also many foreign dishes, some adapted to

Japanese tastes and some imported more or

less unchanged

Origins

In the centuries following the introduction

of Buddhism to Japan in the 6th century, laws and imperial edicts gradually eliminated theeating of almost all flesh of animals and fowl.

The vegetarian style of cooking known as

shojin ryori was later popularized by the Zen

sect, and by the 15th century many of the foods

and food ingredients eaten by Japanese today

had already made their debut, for example, soy

sauce (shoyu), miso, tofu, and other products

made from soybeans. Around the same time,

a formal and elaborate

style of banquet cooking

developed that was derived

from the cuisine of the

court aristocracy. Knownas honzen ryori, it is one

of the three basic styles of

Japanese cooking along

with chakaiseki ryori (the

cuisine of the tea ceremony

meal) and kaiseki ryori.

With an emphasis on the artistic presentation Honzen ryoriAn example of thisformalized cuisine, which isserved on legged trays calledhonzen. Kodansha

RiceThe cultivation andconsumption of rice hasalways played a centralrole in Japanese foodculture. Almost ready forharvesting, this rice field islocated near the base of themountain Iwakisan in AomoriPrefecture. Aomori prefecture


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of fresh, seasonal ingredients, the tea meal

married the formalities ofhonzen ryori to

the spirit and frugality of Zen. Kaiseki ryori

developed in its present form in the early

19th century and is still served at first-class

Japanese restaurants known as ryotei and at

traditional Japanese inns. While retaining

the fresh seasonal ingredients and artful

presentation of earlier styles, kaiseki meals

have fewer rules of etiquette and a more

relaxed atmosphere. Sake is drunk during

the meal, and, because the Japanese do not

generally eat rice while drinking sake, rice

is served at the end. Appetizers, sashimi

(sliced raw fish), suimono (clear soup),

yakimono (grilled foods), mushimono (steamed

foods), nimono (simmered foods), and

aemono (dressed salad-like foods) are served

first, followed by miso soup, tsukemono

(pickles), rice, Japanese sweets, and fruit. Tea

concludes the meal. Although most Japanesepeople have few opportunities to experience

full-scale kaiseki dinners, the types and order

of foods served in kaiseki ryori are the basis

for the contemporary full-course Japanese

meal.

The sushi that most people are familiar

with todayvinegared rice topped or

combined with such items as raw fish and

shellfishdeveloped in Edo (now Tokyo)

in the early 19th century. The sushi of that

period was sold from stalls as a snack food,

and those stalls were the precursors of todays

sushi restaurants.

in the mid-19th century, many new cooking

and eating customs were introduced, the

most important being the eating of meat.

Although now considered a Japanese dish,

sukiyakibeef, vegetables, tofu, and other

ingredients cooked at the table in a broth of

soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake), and sugarwas

at first served in Western-style restaurants.

Another popular native dish developed in

this period is tonkatsu, deep-fried breaded

pork cutlets. Created in the early 20th century

using Indian curry powder imported byway of England, Japanese curry rice (kareraisu)

became a very popular dish; it contains

vegetables and meat or seafood in a thick

curry sauce that is served over rice.

Sushi restaurantAlthough tables are alsoavailable, customers tend tsit at the counter where thecan see the fresh fish andother seafood ingredientslaid out in the cooled,glasscoveredcases. Selectionsare called out directly to thenearest sushi chef. Miyagi prefecture

SushiSome of the many typesofnigirizushi, in whichhandmoldedportions of vinegaredrice are topped withslices

of raw fish, shellfish,andother ingredients. Asmalldab ofwasabi(Japanesehorseradish) is usuallyplacedbetween the rice andthetopping. Kodansha

BentoshopChains of shops likethis one sell a variety ofJapanese box lunchesknown as bento. TheEnglish name box lunchnotwithstanding, bentoareoften eaten for dinner aswell. Many shops are takeoutonly, but some havetables available. Kodansha International


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Contemporary dinner table

The ingredient choices available at

supermarkets and other food stores in all

but the most isolated rural districts of Japan

are so varied that on any given day a

homecookeddinner could contain an incredible

variety of dishes of various national origins.

Even so, native Japanese food is still the

norm,

and a Japanese meal at home will

generally

have white rice, miso soup, and tsukemono

pickles. The multiple dishes that accompany

these three vary widely depending on the

region, the season, and family preferences,

but candidates include cooked vegetables,

tofu, grilled fish, sashimi, and beef, pork, andchicken cooked in a variety of ways.

Popular alternatives to native Japanese

fare include Chinese-style stir-fried meat and

vegetable dishes and Korean-style grilled beef

and pork. More adventurous cooks may try their

hand at American, French, Italian, and other

ethnic dishes. Selections particularly popular

with children include spaghetti, hamburgers,

and the curry rice mentioned above.

While many families continue to eat homecooked

meals every night, the greatest change

taking place in eating habits in recent decades

has been the replacement of home-cookeddishes with food prepared outside the home.

Sushi, Chinese and Japanese noodle dishes,

and Japanese-style box lunches (bento) have

long been available via home delivery (demae)

in towns and cities, and now pizza and many

other dishes can also be ordered. In addition,

supermarkets have many prepared foods

such as sushi, tempura, and fried chicken to

purchase and take home, and the spread

of convenience stores into all but the most

remote areas of Japan has made a wide variety

of pre-cooked bento-type meals available to

almost everyone

Japanese-inn mealHigh-class Japanese inn(ryokan) generally servesumptuous multiple-coursekaiseki-style meals suchasthe one shown here. Fukui prefecture

OkonomiyakiThis pancakelike dish ismade

with a batter of flour,eggs,water, shreddedcabbage, anda variety of otheringredientssuch as meat or shrimp.Shown here isHiroshimastyleokonomiyaki. Hiroshima prefecture

RamenThis low-cost Chinese-noodledish is extremely popularthroughout Japan and canbe found in a number ofregional varieties.Dehydratedand packaged instant ramen,which requires only theaddition of boiling water, hasbecome a low-cost favoriteworldwide. Kodansha International

YakinikuWhen eating yakiniku,whichliterally translates asgrilledmeat, people cook bite-sizedpieces of beef, pork, andothermeat at the table andthendip the cooked pieces intheirpreferred sauce. Miyagi prefecture


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European Culture

Europe consists of 50 countries, while the European Union, or EU, is made up of 27 member states at

the time of publication. Countries in Europe are commonly associated with strong democratic principles,strong centralized governments and strong nationalism rooted in traditions that often can be traced

back hundreds of years. As a general rule, countries in close proximity to one another share more traits

than those farther away, though there are exceptions. According to the most recent EU quality of life

poll. which was administered in 2007, there are significant differences in income across countries,

though overall EU residents rate their satisfaction with life and general happiness at 7 and 7.5 out of 10,

respectively. About 80 percent of people living in the EU say good health is a "very important" part of

their overall quality of life, with 46 percent saying their health was "good" and 21 percent "very good."

European Diet as a Whole

The relationship between diet and health cannot be overstated; although countries in Europe are

different from one another, their diet has become more similar in recent decades. Research published in

2006 in "Public Health Nutrition" looked at the diets of countries in the EU and how those diets changed

over time. In the early 1960s, several European countries had a diet more like that of the United States

than elsewhere in Europe. Nowadays, diets in Europe have converged and are more like each other.

Since 1960, countries in Northern Europe, which had previously shown high consumption of saturated

fats and sugar, now consume less of each and more fruits and vegetables. Mediterranean countries,

including Spain and Portugal, which in 1960 were eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables, now eat

less of each and consume more cholesterol, saturated fat and sugar. The result is a coming together at

the middle, so that Europeans reach minimum requirements for each food group, but eat too much

overall, especially of saturated fat and cholesterol.

France

Out of all European countries, France is probably the best known for its food. The image of the French

restaurant and bakery, with attention to detail evident in each dish, is a common one in television and

cinema. Unfortunately, even France does not appear to be immune to overall trends in the European

diet. A 2010 study in the "British Journal of Nutrition" reported on changes to the French diet from 1999

to 2007. There appears to be two separate diets in France, with young adults eating similarly to

Americans, focused on snacking and convenience, while only the older generation eats what is thought

of as the traditional French diet. Overall, the French have transitioned to eating less dairy, meat, bread,

potatoes, pastries and sugar over that time period, while eating more fruits and vegetables, rice and

sweets like ice cream and chocolate.

Europe and Obesity

As Europe as a whole moved toward a more common diet, somewhere between the Northern European

diet and the Mediterranean, obesity rose as well. According to European research group Food and


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Health Research in Europe, or FAHRE, 10 percent of children and 20 percent of adults in the EU are

obese, with those percentages expected to continue to increase. This is a dramatic rise from the turn of

the 21st century, when the prevalence of obesity was very low. Numerous policies are attempting to

curb the obesity epidemic in Europe, including five year action plans on food and nutrition by the

European Office of the World Health Organization, a European Charter on Obesity that has been signed

by nearly all 50 countries in Europe, various European and EU initiatives, along with the newly created

European Commission Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Scientific research also is

increasing. In 1979 there were about 1,000 studies published related to obesity, whereas in 2009 there

were close to 12,000.

The New American food Culture

For the most part, Americans want their food to be quick, convenient, and cheap regardless

of whether they buy it at a supermarket or a local fast-food franchise. Americans like thingsthat are fast and easy, requiring minimal personal or economic sacrifice.

Americans also value looking good and choose foods that look good. Some are even willing

to spend a lot of money for food that makes them look good as when they eat in expensive

restaurants. The characteristics of Americas dominant food culture are cost, conven

appearance.

However, a new American food ethic is emerging to challenge these dominant values. The

rapid growth in demand for organic foods, averaging more than 20 percent per year for more

than a decade, is but one among several indicators of a new food ethic.

Organic foods were neither cheaper nor more attractive than conventional food, nor were theymore convenient to acquire. The early organic consumers were more likely to be labeled

counter-cultural than as trend setters. Those who chose organic foods obviously were

expressing a different food ethic.

Farmers markets, community supported agriculture organizations (CSAs), and other means of

direct food marketing have experienced growth rates similar to those for organic foods.

So, the new food ethic cannot be defined simply as an aversion to agricultural chemicals or

genetic engineering. The new American food ethic reflects a desire to build relationships with

farmers, and through farmers, with the earth.

Certainly, some organic consumers are concerned mainly, if not exclusively, with their ownphysical well-being. But, many others buy organic foods because the philosophical roots of

organics are in stewardship and community, in caring for the earth and its people. Most who

buy food at farmers markets, CSAs, etc., seek out farmers who share this new and different

American food ethic, regardless of whether their products are certified as organic.

The new food culture might seem insignificant, if we look only at sales of alternative food

products including, organic, natural, pesticide free, hormone and antibiotic free, free range,


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grass-fed, etc. Sales of such products probably amount to less than one percent of total food

sales not including foods labeled natural, light, healthy, etc., that are no different in

substance from conventional foods.

But, a growing number of Americans are expressing doubts and outright dissatisfaction with

the current American food system. And, their dissatisfaction is not with cost, convenience, or

appearance. They simply dont trust the

corporate food manufacturers and distributors, or the government, to ensure the safety and

nutritional value of their food. And they certainly dont trust the corporations or government

to promote stewardship of land and or the well-being of ordinary people.

These Americans are searching for foods that will reflect a different set of ethical values not

just in the food itself, but also in how their food is produced and who benefits and suffers as a

consequence of its production.

This new food culture is but one dimension of a whole new American culture. In their new

book, The Cultural Creatives, Paul Ray and Sherry Anderson provide compelling evidence that

some fifty million Americans are now leading the way in creating this new American culture.

The authors identify three distinct groups within American society, based on some 100,000

responses to surveys concerning basic values and lifestyles, supplemented by numerous focus

groups and personal interviews.

One group, identified as the cultural creatives, is growing rapidly, and while although still a

minority, already makes up roughly one-quarter of the American adult population.

The dominant group, the moderns, makes up about half of American society. However, only

about half of this group is firmly committed to the dominant American culture of materialistic,

economic self-interest. About a quarter of those in the moderns group are too busy trying to

get ahead or to make ends meet to think about what they believe. Those in the remaining

quarter actually feel alienated by modern society, it isnt working for them, but they go along

because they dont see a viable alternative.

The final group, the traditionalists, makes up about a quarter of the adult population. The

authors describe the

traditionalists as wanting the world to be like it used to be but never was.

The core moderns, although no larger in number than the cultural creatives, tend to define

American culture because they are disproportionately in positions of economic and political

power.

The values of the moderns are reflected in our apparent national obsession with material

success making money, getting ahead, looking good, and living an affluent lifestyle. The

moderns care about family, community, and have some concern for the natural environment,

but they care far more about their individual material success.

In contrast, the traditionalists have strong religious beliefs and hold traditional family

values, but they are less concerned about the natural environment than either of the other

groups.


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The cultural creatives are distinguished from the other two by their strong beliefs in the

value of personal relationships, within families, communities, and society as a whole, and by

their concern for the integrity and sustainability of the natural environment.

They are associated with various movements, including social justice, environmental

protection, civil rights, gender rights, and sustainable development. They are less materialistic

than either of the other groups and tend to be more spiritual in the sense of believing in

something higher, beyond self.

The values and lifestyles of the cultural creatives are completely consistent with the

principles of sustainable development and sustainable agriculture. They believe that

quality of life results from equitably meeting the needs of the present while leaving equal or

better opportunities for the future.

The sustainability movement arose from a growing realization that economic development

alone does not increase overall quality of life, but instead, often leads to its degradation. To be

sustainable over time, development activities must be ecologically sound, economically viable,

and socially responsible. But equally important, balance and harmony among the ecological,economic, and social dimensions of life must result in a higher quality of life.

Thankfully, the ranks of the cultural creatives include thousands of new American farmers.

These cultural creating farmers may call themselves organic, biodynamic, alternative,

holistic, natural, ecological, practical, or nothing at all; however, they all fit under the

conceptual umbrella of sustainable agriculture.

The sustainable agriculture movement is a small but critical part of the much larger movement

that is creating a new American culture.

The sustainable agriculture movement emerged in response to growing concerns about the

sustainability of our corporate-controlled, industrial food system. Independent foodprocessors, distributors, and marketers now face the same kinds of challenges, and thus, have

the same kinds of opportunities as independent family farmers.

Independent food marketers cannot expect to compete with the giant global food chain

clusters of today they have too little market power. If there is to be a future for independent

food processors, distributors, or marketers, they must join with sustainable farmers, working

and living by a new code of ethics to meet the needs of the new American culture.

The Hartman Report a respected survey of United States households identified two

consumer groups, the true naturals and new green mainstream, which already make up

about twenty-eight percent of the population, as prime markets for sustainably produced

foods. These groups are very similar in attitudes and magnitude to Ray and Andersonscultural creatives.

Organizations such as the Chefs Collaborative, made up of chefs from up-scale restaurants

throughout the country, are helping to create this new culture. Their organizational principles

include: Sound food choices emphasizing locally grown, seasonally fresh, and whole or

minimally processed ingredients. Their other principles are very much in harmony with the

development and support of an ecologically sound and socially responsible food system.


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The Slow Food movement is a worldwide organization of food eaters. It is committed to

promoting the diversity of local and regional quality food, produced and marketed in ways that

guarantees farmers a fair price and protects the environment and the natural landscape.

Those in the Slow Food movement have a clear understanding of the industrial food system

and they realize that a return to local and regional food systems will be necessary for ecological

and social sustainability. Slow Food is not an elitist gourmet movement, but instead,

encourages good, honest food at reasonable prices and its appreciation and enjoyment to the

fullest by all.

The cultural creatives didnt exist forty years ago and perhaps accounted for five to ten

percent of Americans a decade ago; today they account for a quarter or more of the total

population, and they are still growing. Farmers today are serving less than five percent of this

new American food market. Slowly but surely, a new American food system is being

developed by a coalition of sustainable farmers, marketers, and like-minded eaters. Together,

these farmers, marketers, and citizen eaters are creating the new American food culture.

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Dietary Pattern of Different Culture Religion and Philosophy