Tuesday
Oct112011
Local Spirit
Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 11:51PM
You've probably heard about the benefits of buying "local" produce just as much as I have. Which is a lot.
There are loads of arguments that are convincing. They have to do with health, economy, the environment and unicorns living forever.
Since our move to Memphis, we've been visiting the Memphis Farmer's Market every Saturday and buying interesting fruits and vegetables.
I've eaten some tomatoes these past few weeks that would make you weep sweet tears of joy, my friends.
But this local thing, I think it goes beyond economy and environment.
I feel like we've become very accustomed to manufactured experiences. Maybe we're losing touch with one of the most fundamental aspects of our own reality as humans.
Stuff changes. Life isn't predictable.
Or, basically, life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.
(Thanks for that, Maa-ma. You're a reeal smart, laay-dee.)
Places like Super Target, Wal Mart and other businesses based upon delivering packaged results seem to work in opposition to this basic truth.
Manufactured experiences push us to feel secure in the knowledge that no matter where we are in this country, we're always going to have the same experience. This is great on paper, but it seems to be teaching us that environment and fulfillment of expectation dictate security and comfort. If you know what to expect, you feel safe and comfortable.
If you're safe and comfortable, well, you're more likely to buy groceries and a throw pillow.
This is problematic for me because, as I see it, we aren't here on the planet to buy things and a sense of security should operate outside of environment and fulfilled expectation once you reach a certain age.
Security is being firm in one's knowledge of their own values and, at the same time, a personal ability to adapt, even if the environment, food, colors, people, languages or scenes change. I do, by the way, realize that this is a definition that's mostly specific to nations that are politically and environmentally stable.
I'm enjoying the local businesses and produce of the Memphis area. This place makes me feel that, for the first time in a long time, I'm experiencing a real life and not a manufactured experience in which someone has 32 seconds to say hello to me before they get some sort of demerit. If that's an alien concept to you, you have never lived in the Orlando area.
Sometimes people in the stores and stalls here are super friendly.
Sometimes they're rude.
Sometimes they're meh.
No matter where I've gone, though, it's always real.
There are loads of arguments that are convincing. They have to do with health, economy, the environment and unicorns living forever.
Since our move to Memphis, we've been visiting the Memphis Farmer's Market every Saturday and buying interesting fruits and vegetables.
I've eaten some tomatoes these past few weeks that would make you weep sweet tears of joy, my friends.
But this local thing, I think it goes beyond economy and environment.
I feel like we've become very accustomed to manufactured experiences. Maybe we're losing touch with one of the most fundamental aspects of our own reality as humans.
Stuff changes. Life isn't predictable.
Or, basically, life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.
(Thanks for that, Maa-ma. You're a reeal smart, laay-dee.)
Places like Super Target, Wal Mart and other businesses based upon delivering packaged results seem to work in opposition to this basic truth.
Manufactured experiences push us to feel secure in the knowledge that no matter where we are in this country, we're always going to have the same experience. This is great on paper, but it seems to be teaching us that environment and fulfillment of expectation dictate security and comfort. If you know what to expect, you feel safe and comfortable.
If you're safe and comfortable, well, you're more likely to buy groceries and a throw pillow.
This is problematic for me because, as I see it, we aren't here on the planet to buy things and a sense of security should operate outside of environment and fulfilled expectation once you reach a certain age.
Security is being firm in one's knowledge of their own values and, at the same time, a personal ability to adapt, even if the environment, food, colors, people, languages or scenes change. I do, by the way, realize that this is a definition that's mostly specific to nations that are politically and environmentally stable.
I'm enjoying the local businesses and produce of the Memphis area. This place makes me feel that, for the first time in a long time, I'm experiencing a real life and not a manufactured experience in which someone has 32 seconds to say hello to me before they get some sort of demerit. If that's an alien concept to you, you have never lived in the Orlando area.
Sometimes people in the stores and stalls here are super friendly.
Sometimes they're rude.
Sometimes they're meh.
No matter where I've gone, though, it's always real.
Saturday Special at Our House: Homemade cream cheese spread on baguette with tomato, arugula and cucumber salad & sugar melon (not watermelon) ~ all purchased at the MFM