Kel, the point is, whether they're good citizens or no, the mom and pop shop owners ARE members of the community. If nothing else (and there's lots more) it means we have more influence with them, right? That's one of the points. And another point is, you're talking about the difference between working class and middle class folks in *Amerikay*. In Italy, France, Algeria, Viet Nam -- my guess is, everywhere but Anglo Saxony -- poor folk eat a lot healthier than they do in the States, in Australia or in England (in which last, incidentally, I took a bite of a -- was it White Tower? -- hamburger 37 years ago that I had to spit out, not having, as a child of ten, ever tasted anything so vile). Of course if I'd been raised on the stuff... it IS a matter of education, of course it is. But it should be, it can be part of the deep culture, the non-bookish culture to know good food from bad. It's only when things have come to a ridiculous pass that people need "information resources" (not available, for example, to your average Turkish peasant who nonetheless eats quite well) to keep them from destroying their heath by trying to survive on garbage.
In your second message I found we share the frugal mother thing, damn those excellent ladies for having kept the family in reasonable financial shape by refusing to budge when we clamoured for junk food. And that portrait of Ithaca was priceless. Reminded me of why I'm so glad to be rid of the place. I met a similar crowd at a party in Canberra: Montessori and Waldorf for the kids, beaded hairbands, health food and hearts of gold, not a smoker among 'em, singing of God's love. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.
cheers, Joanna
>At 10:47 AM 1/22/01 +1100, Joanna Sheldon wrote:
>>So we should approve of being colonised, should we, Kel -- and Yoshie,
>>and Steve and anybody else who thinks that when the people refuse to pay
>>to be abused they're rising above themselves?
>
>
>no, the point is that there are a slew of places that could have been
>mentioned. anti walmart sentiments are fine, but if it's only about mom
>and pops, then you'll forgive me if i point out that mom and pops are no
>better at being good members of the community, easy on environment, etc
>than are walmarts of the world. that's why i said it was an elitist
>comment. to suggest that people aren't trying to do what they can or that
>they don't care about what they eat is elitist snobbishness. maybe they
>do care but they just don't have access to the knowledge, information,
>yadda. any study on poor people and what they take seriously as medical
>advice will explain how they don't use the same kinds of information
>resources white middle class folks do. so, when people get off the blame
>individuals horse they rode in on, then i'll shut up about it all. it's
>not that the sentiments are wrong, it's *how* one goes about educatin' the
>po folk about how they just don't care about their health or other people
>or the environment.
>
>
>
>kelley
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