Reclaim food to reclaim humanity | Miyoko Schinner | TEDxAthens

A Visit to the Farmers Market and the Daughter's Food Preferences

• A visit to the farmers market resulted in a large quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables, but the daughter claimed there was nothing to eat, expecting pre-packaged food that could be microwaved (44s).
• This incident was surprising, given that food has been a significant part of life since the age of 12, when a decision was made to become a vegetarian, and the mother refused to cook, forcing self-sufficiency in the kitchen (1m33s).
• The decision to become a vegetarian was met with disapproval, with the mother stating that it was not acceptable for a "good Japanese girl," and eventually, the decision was made to become a vegan, leading to a career in food (1m47s).
• Initially, food was seen as something light and fun, but over time, it has become clear that food is more than just enjoyment or nourishment, and it plays a significant role in defining humanity (3m0s).

The Journey to Vegetarianism and Veganism

• This incident was surprising, given that food has been a significant part of life since the age of 12, when a decision was made to become a vegetarian, and the mother refused to cook, forcing self-sufficiency in the kitchen (1m33s).
• The decision to become a vegetarian was met with disapproval, with the mother stating that it was not acceptable for a "good Japanese girl," and eventually, the decision was made to become a vegan, leading to a career in food (1m47s).
• Initially, food was seen as something light and fun, but over time, it has become clear that food is more than just enjoyment or nourishment, and it plays a significant role in defining humanity (3m0s).

The Significance of Food Beyond Enjoyment and Nourishment

• Initially, food was seen as something light and fun, but over time, it has become clear that food is more than just enjoyment or nourishment, and it plays a significant role in defining humanity (3m0s).

The Impact of Technology on the Food System

• The food system has been impacted by technology over the past hundred years, changing the way food is farmed, produced, and consumed, with the intention of making food production easier and more efficient (3m34s).
• However, this shift has led to a disconnection from the farm and the food production process, with over 50% of food coming from multinational corporations in the form of ultra-processed, packaged products (5m0s).
• The Industrial Revolution brought mechanization to farming, creating modern conveniences, but also contributing to the decline of farming and cooking, and the disconnection from the food production process (4m42s).

The Industrial Revolution and Its Effects on Food Production

• The Industrial Revolution brought mechanization to farming, creating modern conveniences, but also contributing to the decline of farming and cooking, and the disconnection from the food production process (4m42s).

The Need to Reevaluate the Human Relationship with Food

• The relationship between humans and food needs to be reevaluated, and a change is necessary to address the issues with the current food system, which is a reflection of societal values and relationships with food (3m24s).

Declining Time Spent on Eating and Drinking

• People have started to view making and eating food as a chore, with the average person in the United States and Canada spending only one hour per day eating and drinking, which is a 5% decrease from 10 years ago (5m40s).
• In contrast, Mediterranean countries such as Italy, France, Spain, and Greece spend two hours or more eating and drinking per day (5m54s).

The Food Company and the Lack of Communal Eating

• A decade ago, a food company was started with the intention of providing employees with access to healthy food, but despite having a communal kitchen and dining area, many employees, including the founder, would often eat at their desks in front of their computers (6m31s).
• This behavior is seen as a problem, as eating with others is an important aspect of human connection and community, allowing for bonding, communication, and storytelling (7m49s).

The Importance of Eating Together and Human Connection

• This behavior is seen as a problem, as eating with others is an important aspect of human connection and community, allowing for bonding, communication, and storytelling (7m49s).

Humans as Producers and Consumers of Food

• The founder of the food company, who is also the founder of an animal sanctuary called Rancho Compasion, realized that humans are unique in that they produce, grow, harvest, and cook food together as families, tribes, and communities (9m5s).
• This shared activity of producing and consuming food is a fundamental aspect of human culture and has played a crucial role in shaping human bonds, tribes, cultures, and stories throughout history (9m46s).

The Role of Shared Food in Shaping Human Culture

• This shared activity of producing and consuming food is a fundamental aspect of human culture and has played a crucial role in shaping human bonds, tribes, cultures, and stories throughout history (9m46s).
• The act of sharing food and stories has helped to define customs, culture, law, and order, and has created an emotional connection with certain foods (10m31s).
• The importance of food in human culture is evident in the stories and customs surrounding food, which have been passed down through generations and continue to shape human beliefs, behavior, and attitudes (10m39s).

Food's Influence on Customs, Culture, and Emotional Connections

• The act of sharing food and stories has helped to define customs, culture, law, and order, and has created an emotional connection with certain foods (10m31s).
• The importance of food in human culture is evident in the stories and customs surrounding food, which have been passed down through generations and continue to shape human beliefs, behavior, and attitudes (10m39s).

Food's Historical Significance in Shaping Humanity

• Food has played a significant role in shaping humanity throughout millennia, and its stories have helped make us who we are today, but it has never been simply handed to us, and we have always had to work for it (11m2s).
• The biblical story of Adam and Eve illustrates a change in their relationship to food, as they went from taking from nature to having to work for it, marking a small step towards recognizing their own humanity (11m34s).

The Biblical Story of Adam and Eve and the Changing Relationship with Food

• The biblical story of Adam and Eve illustrates a change in their relationship to food, as they went from taking from nature to having to work for it, marking a small step towards recognizing their own humanity (11m34s).

The Industrialized Food System and Its Consequences

• Over the past 100 years, humans have come to view putting food on the table as a chore that needs to be liberated from, with the industrialized food system growing more consolidated and multinational corporations stepping in to "help" (12m20s).
• The industrialized food system has had severe consequences on the environment, human health, animals, workers' rights, and food sovereignty (12m45s).

The Loss of Cultural Activities Due to Minimizing Mealtime

• The shift from valuing mealtime to minimizing it has led to the loss of cultural activities and bonding experiences that made us who we are as a human tribe (13m17s).

The Rise of Food Tech and Its Potential Implications

• The rise of food tech, backed by big money, promises to make traditional agriculture irrelevant and save the world and animals by taking food production from ordinary people and bringing it back to the laboratory with science (14m9s).
• There is concern that food tech could lead to further consolidation of the food system, leaving it in the powerful hands of those with money and lab coats, and potentially disconnecting us from our traditions, stories, and what it means to be human (15m6s).

Concerns about Food Tech and the Consolidation of the Food System

• There is concern that food tech could lead to further consolidation of the food system, leaving it in the powerful hands of those with money and lab coats, and potentially disconnecting us from our traditions, stories, and what it means to be human (15m6s).

The Importance of Nourishing Each Other and the Potential Risks of Corporate Food

• The intentional act of nourishing each other with food is a fundamental aspect of being human, and relying on multinational corporations to provide food could lead to increased disconnection from ourselves and our humanity (15m41s).
• Food that comes from a package cannot evoke the same sense of joy and celebration as food made in someone's kitchen, potentially leading to an existential crisis where humanity, culture, and sense of community are lost (16m9s).

The Loss of Joy and Celebration with Packaged Food

• Food that comes from a package cannot evoke the same sense of joy and celebration as food made in someone's kitchen, potentially leading to an existential crisis where humanity, culture, and sense of community are lost (16m9s).

Complicity in the Direction of Food and Food Technology

• People may be complicit in the direction of food and food technology, fooling themselves into thinking that food is easily accessible and does not require effort to grow, make, or cook (16m39s).

The Value of Real Food and the Stories Behind It

• Real food comes from the hard work of ordinary people and embodies the stories of those who make it, nourishing both the body and the soul of humanity (17m8s).

The Need to Reconnect with Food and Embrace Respect and Compassion

• To take care of each other, the planet, and animals, people must evolve and reconnect with food, bringing respect and compassion to the table (17m44s).
• Reclaiming food is essential to reclaiming humanity, and this can be achieved one shared meal at a time (18m13s).

Reclaiming Food as a Means of Reclaiming Humanity

• Reclaiming food is essential to reclaiming humanity, and this can be achieved one shared meal at a time (18m13s).

A Thanksgiving Meal with Byron and His Family

• Years ago, the author had a memorable experience when a cook from her vegan restaurant, Byron, and his family from Guatemala came to her home on American Thanksgiving, and together they managed to create a beautiful meal despite her empty refrigerator (18m31s).
• This experience highlighted the importance of sharing meals and creating warmth and happiness, even with limited resources (19m50s).

The Importance of Sharing Meals and Creating Warmth and Happiness

• This experience highlighted the importance of sharing meals and creating warmth and happiness, even with limited resources (19m50s).