Monoculture and Instant Gratification

Food will always be considered a need, a means for survival, and a centric part of the human experience. Much like breathing, drinking water, and shelter it is one of the most basic forms of connection between all people. But the more society progresses, industrializes, and becomes modern these aspects begin to take "the backseat" in people's daily thoughts. Most people in first world countries rarely think about every breath they take, how much clean water they consume in a day, or if they will have food at some point that day. People worry much more about their jobs, their relationships, and their wants in a day when they do not have to think about their primal needs in order to survive. But with this progression comes a disconnect from our most primal roots, and it makes us focus on the more pleasurable or luxurious parts of life in the 21st century. 

It is well documented that sex, affection, attention, and food all release "the happy chemical" in our brain- dopamine. And throughout history little boosts of dopamine periodically have satisfied generations of people. But in the modern era, people are much more stimulated, even overstimulated in some cases. It is harder now more than ever to feel the effects of dopamine in smaller instances. This can be seen especially through the generation of millennials. Millennials are deemed to be more entitled, lazy, and narcissistic than any other generation in American history because they have grown up in the era of instant gratification. Instant gratification is the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay or deferment. It does not take the same time as it once did to contact someone, to work up the courage to ask someone on a date, or to get a certain kind of food. Take the example of food, it does not take more than a phone call or even a virtual order (one that does not involve any in-person interaction) to get yourself food. You no longer have to know how to make the food yourself correctly in order to enjoy it, and it is much easier to order food than it is to learn how to cook for yourself. So how has this Americanized way of thinking affected food? The answer is monocultures and aesthetics. 

Monoculture is the cultivation of a single strain of a crop in one area. Monocultures were created in order to meet the demand for a certain type of crop that became the favorite strain to a community. More times than not, if the strain was not recognizable or it was too different from what the primary crop was then it did not sell. If the crops did not sell then that also meant the farmer risked their livelihood in order to maintain a diverse harvest. So as time went on, farmers began to all grow the same crops because they knew they would sell. This is when federal subsides were set in place to make sure that the market was diverse but supplied what was needed in order to keep the country fed.

This means that only one strain of a crop is grown which increases the chances of disease, infestation, and extinction of other strains. From monoculture we have seen a whole new set of problems arise within society itself. In order to keep the same variation of the crops we know and depend on, the DNA of the crops is being altered and harsh pesticides are used to ward off insects. Synthetic pesticides are used to kill pests directly or to immobilize them, in doing this they contain chemicals that in large doses have been identified by the EPA as poisonous. Synthetic pesticides have been shown to affect the rates of cancer, degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and infertility in the sprayers/ farmers immensely. In order to avoid pesticides and the side effects, scientists have taken it upon themselves to change the genetic makeup of the crops to ward off disease and insects. Biopesticides are made from natural materials such as plants, animals, bacteria, and minerals. There are three main categories of biopesticides: microbial pesticides (microorganisms that target certain pests), biochemical pesticides (mimics insect hormones to ward off infestation), and plant-incorporated-pesticides (PIPs). An example of a PIP is Bacillus thuringeinsis or Bt crops. Scientists have identified this gene in crops as a natural pesticide, and in doing this they have found a way to engineer it to grow with the crop itself and in a way be its own defense against pests. Though the EPA has analyzed the crop and found it does not pose any significant risks to human health there has been a major backlash. Genetically modified organisms are said to be bad for a human's health and for the environment despite the EPA's claims. "The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) urges doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients. They cite animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. Human studies show how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind inside us, possibly causing long-term problems." GMO's are said to not decompose in the same way that natural crops do and the long lasting effects will begin to show in the soil and when it disrupts the plant's cycle. 

People are so focused on the aesthetics of food that up until now they have largely neglected the natural process and progression of food. They become fixated on one strain of a crop that they do not let it stray too far away from their idea of it, less they want to. It is then easy to see the connection between monoculture in the US and instant gratification, in the end people want consistency and they want it when they want it. Americans have branded themselves with the attitude that you can be whatever or whoever you want to. Because of this there is also a disconnect from the food, and an ignorance that is almost wanted in order to eat what food is available. More than this, Americans want to eat what other people are eating- what is considered "hip". This can be attributed to a lot of things but according to Eve Turow, the author of A Taste of Generation Yum: How the Millennial Generation’s Love for Organic Fare, Celebrity Chefs, and Microbrews Will Make or Break the Future of Food, this can be attributed to the lack of connection in the digital age. Millennials especially are focused on the idea of food because they lack physical and deep connection with the people around them (sometimes). Food is a physical entity that requires people to be together. And if you and other people only eat certain kinds of food it makes dining with all vegans or all vegetarians much easier, and even creates a smaller knit community in a way. Eating healthy, eating organic, or eating certain kinds of food is now a part of your social status. It is now much more "cool" to eat healthy, or vegan, than it is to eat fast food or cheeseburgers. Indirectly, monoculture in the US has made food into a commodity instead of a necessity. Because if the food does not meet the standard of beauty or does not fit into the category of what we define it as then it does not usually get eaten.

It will be interesting to see the progression of society following the millennial generation, if the trend of eating healthy or ethically continues. The fad that is new food movements, although they do embody a kind of fetishism, may just help to improve the environment and the health of Americans. In the end, monoculture in the US that comes from the selfish ideal of instant gratification may be the straw that breaks the camels back.

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