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

May 31, 2008 8:07 PM

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".
posted by blatant gizmo (9 comments total)

Mark Bittman previously -- 1 | 2 | 3.
posted by ericb at 8:15 PM on May 31, 2008 [1 favorite]

I watched his TED video and thought he sounded like a ideologue. Pollan is better, more balanced, less ridged, authoritarian and political.
posted by stbalbach at 9:40 PM on May 31, 2008

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.
posted by blatant gizmo at 10:23 PM on May 31, 2008

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.
posted by felix betachat at 11:15 PM on May 31, 2008 [3 favorites]

I first misread his name as "Mark Batman".



I'm so disappointed now.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:43 AM on June 1, 2008

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."
posted by notmtwain at 6:55 AM on June 1, 2008 [1 favorite]

I don't know from philosophy, but I'ma be cruel to some soft-shelled crabs this summer you betcha.
posted by nicwolff at 7:19 AM on June 1, 2008 [1 favorite]

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!
posted by DenOfSizer at 9:22 AM on June 1, 2008

U.S. officials dither while antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains creep into our pork supply
posted by homunculus at 12:36 PM on June 10, 2008