Comments on: Mark Bittman talks to TED about what's wrong with what we eat.

Mark Bittman talks to TED about what's wrong with what we eat.

blatant gizmo — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:07:46 -0800

Perhaps more widely known as the New York Times' "The Minimalist", Mark Bittman implores us to change the way we think about and consume food during his December 2007 talk at TED. The related NYTimes article. His NYTimes blog, "Bitten".

By: ericb

ericb — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:15:38 -0800

Mark Bittman previously -- 1 | 2 | 3.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:40:52 -0800

I watched his TED video and thought he sounded like a ideologue. Pollan is better, more balanced, less ridged, authoritarian and political.

By: blatant gizmo

blatant gizmo — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:23:06 -0800

You're exactly right, stbalbach: Pollan is much better at this sort of thing. What's interesting is Bittman has gained popularity by writing about how to prepare food, not where it comes from. He's a foodie with a conscience, but also a big audience. I mean, imagine Rachel Ray doing this sort of thing. Oh, right. She's not a foodie, she's an automaton.

By: felix betachat

felix betachat — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:15:10 -0800

I've been cooking with Bittman's vegetarian cookbook for about six months now. It's fantastic and has turned me, an unrepentant carnivore with shockingly high cholesterol, into a joyful and creative mostly-vegetarian. As far as I'm concerned, he can rant all he wants. Pollan may inspire a lifestyle change, but Bittman actually teaches one the mechanics of getting there.

By: Mr. Bad Example

Mr. Bad Example — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:43:24 -0800

I first misread his name as "Mark Batman". I'm so disappointed now.

By: notmtwain

notmtwain — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:55:12 -0800

Which is worse-- Methane from farm animals contributing to global warming or the cruelty of our industrialized animal production system? I'm a carnivore but my daughter became vegan last year and the arguments about the cruelties of the feedlot are starting to sway me, much more than the arguments about the years of life I am throwing away by eating so much meat or the contributions of methane to global warming. The New York Times editorialized on "The Worst Way of Farming" yesterday, "In short, animal husbandry has been turned into animal abuse. " The editorial endorses the conclusion of a Pew Charitable Trust study recommending "new laws regulating pollution from industrial farms as rigorously as pollution from other industries, a phasing-out of confinement systems that restricts "natural movement and normal behavior," a ban on antibiotics used only to promote animal growth and the application of antitrust laws to encourage more competition and less concentration."

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:19:45 -0800

I don't know from philosophy, but I'ma be cruel to some soft-shelled crabs this summer you betcha.

By: DenOfSizer

DenOfSizer — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:22:22 -0800

I adore good meat, and I have no trouble eating it only a few times a month. It makes it more special that way, and it's honing in on being a financial necessity anyway. Looking forward to the great meat price correction!

By: homunculus

homunculus — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:36:36 -0800

U.S. officials dither while antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains creep into our pork supply