Consuming Passions: The Anthropology of EatingHow people eat reveals to an astonishing degree all of the other qualities of their society. A look at an American fast-food restaurant is as diagnostic of culture as a New Guinea headhunter's shopping list of edible relatives. Beginning with an explanation of what happens to a steak dinner--and to you--when you eat it, Farb constructs a fascinating demonstration of the connections between eating habits and human behavior, explaining, for example, why Bantu society would unravel without beer, why Chinese don't drink milkshakes, and why Moslems and Jews abhor pork. |
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Page 159
... social bond . Accordingly , in most societies a restraint is placed on selling or exchanging food for other kinds of goods . In those indigenous societies possessing rudi- mentary forms of currency — such as certain groups in Melanesia ...
... social bond . Accordingly , in most societies a restraint is placed on selling or exchanging food for other kinds of goods . In those indigenous societies possessing rudi- mentary forms of currency — such as certain groups in Melanesia ...
Page 161
... social ob- ligations beyond those of close kin . The offering of highly valued foods such as an antelope steak among the San , or in North America an aged Smithfield ham from Virginia , lobsters from Maine , or caviar from the Black Sea ...
... social ob- ligations beyond those of close kin . The offering of highly valued foods such as an antelope steak among the San , or in North America an aged Smithfield ham from Virginia , lobsters from Maine , or caviar from the Black Sea ...
Page 213
... social interac- tions all but cease to occur . Members of the same household now compete with one another for food . People sit silently at home . Social , political , and religious institutions no longer function ; whatever energy ...
... social interac- tions all but cease to occur . Members of the same household now compete with one another for food . People sit silently at home . Social , political , and religious institutions no longer function ; whatever energy ...
Contents
The Biological Baseline | 17 |
The Emerging Human Pattern | 40 |
Eating as Cultural Adaptation | 57 |
Copyright | |
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adaptation alcohol amounts animals appear associated become behavior believe blood body bread calories cattle cause century certain changes Chinese common considered consumed contain cooking course cuisine cultural developed diet digestive discussed drinking early eaten effect energy environment Europe Europeans example explain fact famine feast females fish four fruit give given groups hand human hundred hunting important increase Indians Italy kinds known land least less living maize males meal means meat milk natural North American nutritional obtain occurred offered once original particular percent plant population potatoes practice preferences prepared produce prohibited protein reason recent regarded result ritual roasted served sharing simply social societies sugar supply symbolic taboo taste things tion United usually various vitamins women