You are what you eat人如其食 社会学论文(英文原创)

“You are what you eat” (Victor Lindlahr). Does the food that you eat reflect who you are? Or is who you are an effect of what you eat? Using two case studies from your current diet, discuss the relationship between food and identity. 1. Introduction With the progress of globalization, importance of people’s local identity and global identity rapidly become prominent. In a broad sense, local identity means individuals regard themselves as a whole with local communities, and global identity refers to individuals see themselves as a whole with people all around the world1. Based on relevant literature and the researcher’s own life experience, like other identities, local identity and global identity can co-exist within an individual, which means an individual can own two kinds of identities simultaneously. Food do not just have the function of satisfying one’s hunger, due to the differences in religion, geography, economy, culture and so on, food in each place, group or nation has different characteristics, while these uniqueness just reflect people’s unique backgrounds and identities. As Lindlahr points out, “you are what you eat”, these two identities can be fully and faithfully reflected from one’s diet2. In this paper, the researcher argues that food people eat do reflect who they are. Two case studies from the author’s current diet will be analyzed to prove the close relationship between food and people’s local/global identity. 2. A case study of Chinese dumping and local identity of Chinese Chinese dumplin gs have the social effect of Chinese people’s identity. It is not just a kind of food, but also belongs to the cultural field in which Chinese construct identity and strengthen social relationship. Material culture and dietary behavior with the core of dumpling is an important part of Chinese 1Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization of society 6. Pine Forge Press, 2010. 30. 2Lindlahr, Victor Hugo. You Are What You Eat. Borgo Press, 1980. 1. people’s identity. Dumping is a representative cooked wheaten food in China. Since its birth in Han Dynasty, it has linked closely to Chinese people’s diet3. After over 2000 years of development, the unique folk culture of dumplings has formed. Dumplings’ effect and position in Chinese dietary culture and folk culture cannot be replaced by any other popular auspicious food4. Characteristics of dumplings include thin skin, full filling, unique shape, fresh and delicious taste. Raw materials of dumplings include all kinds of meats and vegetables with numerous mixes and matches, plus the cooking process of boiling makes very little nutrient loss, they really conform to the essence of Chinese dietary culture, which is the great combination of color, aroma and taste. As a folk food with a very long history, dumplings enjoy great popularity among Chinese people. During the Spring Festivals, dumplings are also a kind of indispensable delicacy. As a typical northern Chinese, the researcher has a deep affection for dumping. In the researcher’s hometown, on every Chinese New Year's Eve, families will get together and enjoy a big meal. On that day, making and eating dumplings is an indispensable content of the festival. In order to coordinate the festive air, some conventions about the dumpling have come down till today. For instance, in the researcher’s family, people usually randomly pack a few candies, peanuts, dates and coins in some of the dumplings. Family members who pick candies symbolize they will have a more sweet life in the new year; while those who find peanuts in their dumplings mean they will be healthy and longevous; people who eat dates means they will have new babies soon; if a person finds out a coin in his or her dumpling, it means this person will be very lucky to make a lot of money in the new year. Chinese dumplings and local identity have a very close relationship. Making and eating dumplings has become a significant symbol of Chinese’s identity, 3Avieli, Nir. "Roasted pigs and bao dumplings: festive food and imagined transnational identity in Chinese–Vietnamese festivals." Asia Pacific Viewpoint 46.3 (2005): 281. while such identity is not just a consensus of Chinese people, but also an important mark to represent traditional and contemporary Chinese culture. Value of the dumpling is its content and form contain values of Chinese society. Firstly, ancient Chinese believed that souls from divinity and their ancestors dominated everything in their life, even today, modern Chinese still think these souls can at least bless them5. Therefore, people actively hold all types of ritual activities. They think gods and ancestors will certainly like what they like, so they usually consecrate much food during ritual activities. As the dumpling is a delicious cuisine, it appears at almost all ritual occasions. Such exchange seems to be equal and reasonable to Chinese, now that they give gods and ancestors the best food, gods and ancestors will in turn give them wealth and happiness. Secondly, the dumpling is a carrier of emotional transmission in Chinese people’s social contact. When people treat guests, they usually use delicious food to express their sincerity to friendship. Or in other s, a plate of hot and tasty dumplings is enough to fully express people’s deep friendship, and there is no need for any language. This is because most Chinese do not like to use direct words to show their affections, so they just adopt this implicit way6. While the “inclusiveness” implied in dumpling seems to be more appropriate to show their inner world. As a result, the dumpling is an ideal carrier for emotional exchange. Such implicit exchange way may be one of the unique emotional expression ways of Chinese nation. Thirdly, the dumpling is also an ideal form to show Chinese people’s aesthetic view. A feature of Chinese folk activities is the groupment7. For example, the Spring Festival is a great opportunity for family reunion. When people use the dumpling to express ideological content, they also make judgments on the look of this carrier. Though during that time, dumplings are not artworks, families 5Mintz, Sidney W., and Christine M. Du Bois. "The anthropology of food and eating." Annual review of anthropology (2002): 100. 6Anderson, Eugene Newton. Everyone eats: Understanding food and culture. NYU Press, 2014. 15-16. still tend to use their own aesthetic standard to judge them, such as whether the shape is elegant, whether the making method is exquisite, whether the taste is first-class, whether the cooking is proper. Unconsciously, these activities also become good changes for people to show their cooking talent. Sometimes, even the quality of dumpling making becomes a key part to show people’s pious mind for blessings from gods and ancestors. In the researcher’s families, all family members would participate in the family contest of dumpling making, people always get a lot fun through it. Such unmeant competition is actually an initiative action to create beauty, as well as a reason for the long-lasting prosperity of Chinese dietary culture8. Moreover, it also reveals Chinese people’s pure and unadorned aesthetic taste and their consistent pursuit for a beautiful life. The researcher has come to Australia for over three years and got used to local festivals, however the significance of Chinese festivals becomes even larger for him. The Spring Festival is still looked forward by the researcher every year. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, even if the researcher could not got back to China, he still held a big party with his Chinese friends in Australia and making dumplings was a vital activity. All in all, dumplings on New Year’s Eve are a symbol of Chinese identity. It always reminds the researcher that no matter where you are, you are always a descendant of the Chinese nation. 3. A case study of McDonald's and global identity When the researcher went to Australia for the first time, the researcher had no idea what to eat because of the huge differences between Chinese food and Australian food. The researcher finally chose to have meals at a nearby McDonald's restaurant because McDonald’s is highly standardized around the world. There is no script there, staff do everything totally with accurate machines and the operation manual. Besides, when they serve customers, they also use a full set of standardized skills. Therefore, customers would feel very relaxed in any McDonald’s restau rant in the world because they are accustomed to “routines” of this international fast food chain9. After the researcher got used to the life in Australia, the researcher still visits McDonald’s very often, mostly during busy days. McDonald’s always serve food within one minute, so the researcher could save much time in waiting. Besides, packages of these food are very simple, so the researcher could finish the meal quickly. In a word, the researcher believes that McDonald’s really provides people much convenience in this fast-paced society. Like some other fast food brands like KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut, it has become an important part in modern urban people’s diet, especially the young group. Moreover, it also reflects people’s global identity in the context of globalization. There is no wonder that the Economist once developed a set of “Big Mac indexes” to measure the price level in all countries10. It is because McDonald’s is indeed a symbol of globalization. Almost every country and region has its chain restaurants and the tastes are almost the same in each chain restaurant. For tourists, immigrants and overseas students, it may be the most familiar place in the strange environment. This is maybe the largest achievement of McDonald’s during its 74 ye ars of history11. Food is a core of an individual’s identity, which is usually closely connected with family, culture and nation. As a foreign heterogeneous element to all countries and regions except for America, McDonald’s incredibly enters this core with huge success, letting several generations regard it as their second home, a safe shelter. The researcher’s life in Australia can also be summarized as the positive aspects McDonaldization, which are efficiency, calculability, predictability and proper control12. The researcher has heavy study burdens and does not want to waste a second during overseas study, besides the researcher has also 9Ritzer, 44. 10Ritzer, 51. 11Ritzer, 1. learned to manage a lot of learning skills, so the researcher can always make proper plans and fulfill each task effe ctively. The researcher’s choice of eating at McDonald’s just reflects that the researcher lives a busy life, perishes limited time and always pursues efficiency. The researcher regards himself as a global citizen, because the researcher has been profoundly influenced by globalization and has established dual identities. Superficially, the researcher eats foreign food, studies abroad, speaks different languages, and have friends from different countries. In nature, the researcher owns three elements of global citizenship, which are knowledge, value and action13. Through readings, the researcher has understood the interdependent relationship of the entire world, the relationship between globalization and localization, the importance of sustainable development etc., meanwhile the researcher has also accumulated certain critical thinking skills, cross-cultural communication skills and decision-making skills. The researcher respects different cultures and values, and often thinks of personal responsibility to the world. The researcher also actively takes part in various voluntary programs of NGOs, so as to make some contributions to build a fair and sustainable world. 4. Conclusion As a conclusion, food can reflect one’s identity. The researcher’s habit of making and eating dumplings on Chinese New Year’s Eve shows that the researcher values his local identity as a Chinese, the researcher also enjoys having fast food at McDonald’s, which reflects the researcher’s global identity to some extent. As a representative of the young generation, the researcher has dual cultural identities of globalization and localization. His concept of ego and value system are open and inclusive, as he has identification to both western culture as well as traditional cultural identity. 13Hall, Stuart. "Cultural identity and diaspora." Identity: Community, culture, difference 2 (1990): 234. Global citizen is more like a kind of multiple identity. It does not mean that one abandons original national identity. On the contrary, a true global citizen can realize the relationship between global culture and local culture, and cultivate the local identity in local culture and the global identity in the scenario of globalization at the same time14. Global universal specifications with certain homogeneity is promoted today, however in real representation forms, local cultures in different regions and nations are still colorful in a hashed way. References: Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen. "The psychology of globalization." American psychologist 57.10 (2002): 774. Anderson, Eugene Newton. Everyone eats: Understanding food and culture. NYU Press, 2014. 15-16. Avieli, Nir. "Roasted pigs and bao dumplings: festive food and imagined transnational identity in Chinese–Vietnamese festivals." Asia Pacific Viewpoint 46.3 (2005): 281-293. Fischler, Claude. "Food, self and identity." Social science information 27.2 (1988): 275-292. Hall, Stuart. "Cultural identity and diaspora." Identity: Community, culture, difference 2 (1990): 222-237. Lindlahr, Victor Hugo. You Are What You Eat. Borgo Press, 1980. 1. Mintz, Sidney W., and Christine M. Du Bois. "The anthropology of food and eating." Annual review of anthropology (2002): 99-119. 14Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen. "The psychology of globalization." American psychologist 57.10 (2002): 774. Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization of society 6. Pine Forge Press, 2010. 1-127.