Comments on: Primae Noctis Burgeris and the (Burger) King http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:36:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tovah http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13107 Tovah Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:31:32 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13107 Just saw this ad for the first time and it made me want to puke. I think these ads are disrespectful, I think they are racist, and I think they are frankly quite scary. I basically agree with all that's been said. They made me extremely angry, especially knowing what I do about nutrition, native foods, and the way corporations influence diet even in remote areas. Grrr. Just saw this ad for the first time and it made me want to puke. I think these ads are disrespectful, I think they are racist, and I think they are frankly quite scary. I basically agree with all that’s been said. They made me extremely angry, especially knowing what I do about nutrition, native foods, and the way corporations influence diet even in remote areas. Grrr.

]]> By: Katie H http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13057 Katie H Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:45:52 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13057 Melinda made a great point about the loss of native foodways and the crap that followed. I think of what I've heard about akutaq or "eskimo ice cream." It used to be made of berries, seal oil, reindeer fat, and liver. Read: full of omega 3, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Now it is commonly made of berries, Crisco, and sugar. Nothing more to say there. Melinda made a great point about the loss of native foodways and the crap that followed. I think of what I’ve heard about akutaq or “eskimo ice cream.” It used to be made of berries, seal oil, reindeer fat, and liver. Read: full of omega 3, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Now it is commonly made of berries, Crisco, and sugar. Nothing more to say there.

]]> By: Melinda http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13049 Melinda Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:55:35 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13049 That's really interesting. I haven't seen the ads and I'm more on the aggie side than on the foodie side so I haven't seen it discussed anywhere else. Certainly the choice of the word "virgin" is problematic because it means more than just "hasn't done that before," it also has all sorts of associations around purity and whatnot. I'm basically with Kerr. For those interested in that sort of thing Francis Spufford's "I May Be Some Time" is an enormously interesting look at English imaginings of the Arctic and the people who live there, along with a look at the question of what drove the English to explore the region even while suffering terribly. Rejewvenator, I wouldn't assume people are eating well just because there's no fast food restaurants nearby. There are severe diet-related health problems in villages through northern North America (both the US and Canada). People were settled in villages by their respective countries and are no longer living subsistence lifestyles. There's been a tradeoff in remote northern communities between reliable access to food and quality of diet, and what's available in northern stores is a lot of crap. Extremely expensive crap. That’s really interesting. I haven’t seen the ads and I’m more on the aggie side than on the foodie side so I haven’t seen it discussed anywhere else. Certainly the choice of the word “virgin” is problematic because it means more than just “hasn’t done that before,” it also has all sorts of associations around purity and whatnot. I’m basically with Kerr. For those interested in that sort of thing Francis Spufford’s “I May Be Some Time” is an enormously interesting look at English imaginings of the Arctic and the people who live there, along with a look at the question of what drove the English to explore the region even while suffering terribly.

Rejewvenator, I wouldn’t assume people are eating well just because there’s no fast food restaurants nearby. There are severe diet-related health problems in villages through northern North America (both the US and Canada). People were settled in villages by their respective countries and are no longer living subsistence lifestyles. There’s been a tradeoff in remote northern communities between reliable access to food and quality of diet, and what’s available in northern stores is a lot of crap. Extremely expensive crap.

]]> By: rejewvenator http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13047 rejewvenator Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:32:04 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13047 Uh, if these people are "burger virgins" aren't they eating far healthier and tastier food than fast food burgers on a regular basis? I mean, you people make it sound like burgers are cocaine! People don't eat fast food because it's so tasty. They eat it because it is fast, cheap, and reliable, and our culture places a premium on those attributes. Uh, if these people are “burger virgins” aren’t they eating far healthier and tastier food than fast food burgers on a regular basis? I mean, you people make it sound like burgers are cocaine! People don’t eat fast food because it’s so tasty. They eat it because it is fast, cheap, and reliable, and our culture places a premium on those attributes.

]]> By: Kerr http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13042 Kerr Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:30:23 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13042 If by "a number of things that are a little uncomfortable with this experiment" you mean it's a crock of sh**, playing on nauseating pseudo-ethnography memes from the 19th century, I'm right there with you. Unfortunately some of the outraged protests I'm seeing in the blogworld are creepy for the same reason—the idea that these particular individuals are somehow "pure" and that their innocent state will be sullied by this first intrusion of the dirty global capitalism into their lives is itself naive and paternalistic. On the other other hand... McManifest Destiny! That gave me a chuckle. If by “a number of things that are a little uncomfortable with this experiment” you mean it’s a crock of sh**, playing on nauseating pseudo-ethnography memes from the 19th century, I’m right there with you. Unfortunately some of the outraged protests I’m seeing in the blogworld are creepy for the same reason—the idea that these particular individuals are somehow “pure” and that their innocent state will be sullied by this first intrusion of the dirty global capitalism into their lives is itself naive and paternalistic.

On the other other hand… McManifest Destiny! That gave me a chuckle.

]]> By: Stephanie http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13041 Stephanie Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:49 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13041 This campaign is so disturbing on so many levels. As you say, it infantilizes and fetishizes these people, and implies that they are ignorant because they have never heard of fast food (but of course they must have. McDonalds has reached every corner of the world). The implications of de-virginizing these "pure" people is also rife with the worst kind of racial and sexual stereotypes. This whole docu-commercial was filmed like it was some kind of humanitarian operation, and the directors of this "experiment" sound as if they received a divine calling to spread the fast food gospel, like purveyors of McManifest Destiny. This is the marketing direction that I expect these unhealthful industries will continue to take - now that they are probably foreseeing more public health regulations (such as bans on trans fats) being implemented in big western cities. It is exactly what big tobacco did since their profits took a tumble in North America and Europe due to stronger anti-tobacco legislation. Their biggest targets are now women in the developing world. This campaign is so disturbing on so many levels. As you say, it infantilizes and fetishizes these people, and implies that they are ignorant because they have never heard of fast food (but of course they must have. McDonalds has reached every corner of the world). The implications of de-virginizing these “pure” people is also rife with the worst kind of racial and sexual stereotypes. This whole docu-commercial was filmed like it was some kind of humanitarian operation, and the directors of this “experiment” sound as if they received a divine calling to spread the fast food gospel, like purveyors of McManifest Destiny.

This is the marketing direction that I expect these unhealthful industries will continue to take – now that they are probably foreseeing more public health regulations (such as bans on trans fats) being implemented in big western cities. It is exactly what big tobacco did since their profits took a tumble in North America and Europe due to stronger anti-tobacco legislation. Their biggest targets are now women in the developing world.

]]> By: Al Hunter http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/comment-page-1#comment-13036 Al Hunter Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:57:41 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/primae-noctis-burgeris-and-the-burger-king/#comment-13036 From what I've heard, they obtained the 2 burgers from locally existing stores. There's probably a cultural and financial divide between the 'virgins' and the surrounding commercial retail environment. Pretty soon there won't be any local Romanian, Icelandic, and Thai food, just more of the same global burgers with identical taste all over the planet. This is not something to look forward to. From what I’ve heard, they obtained the 2 burgers from locally existing stores. There’s probably a cultural and financial divide between the ‘virgins’ and the surrounding commercial retail environment. Pretty soon there won’t be any local Romanian, Icelandic, and Thai food, just more of the same global burgers with identical taste all over the planet. This is not something to look forward to.

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