Supermarket Social-Darwinism

Holly Hogan

EN 102

30 April, 2018

Blog post

In class, we have been reading and discussing Masanobu Fukuoka’s book The One-Straw Revolution. This book discusses a lot of flaws within modern agriculture and how people are affected. On page 91, Fukuoka discusses the issue surrounding the influx of prices in foods that are grown without the addition of chemicals and harsh growing-aids. He proposes the idea that when the prices are elevated, that healthy food is only of access to those of high incomes.

This issue that Fukuoka brings up is very relevant in our current culture in America, and something that bothers me deeply. In our society those who are economically-elite point fingers to the working class families, critiquing their food choices. A walk through the grocery store will show one how anything labeled, “organic”, “all natural”, and “non-gmo” lack chemical additives, but tack on dollar signs. When poor quality food is the only thing working-class people can afford, then it is not their fault, and they do not need blame and fingers pointed.

Also on page 91, Fukuoka reasons with the notion that since there are no additives to food grown organically, then the prices should not be astronomical. I agree with this idea. There is Social-Darwinism in our supermarkets and we need to make it so all people have access to affordable, healthy food. To quote singer Halsey, there is a “survival of the richest” culture in which we live in.

Works Cited

Fukuoka, Masanobu. The One-Straw Revolution. New York, NY, The New York Review of Books, 1978.

Halsey. “New Americana.” BADLANDS, Astralwerks, 2015.