Localization: Fresh to Convenient

Topic:  My topic is really about how the localization of fresh foods has resulted in the localization of myself.

Source:  Shopping for groceries at Safeway in McKinleyville around midnight on Thursday night.  (no long lines at midnight!)

Relation:  As said by our teacher "Anthropology is literally everywhere!"  I have noticed that it really is... it just takes some time to really think about things culturally and view how they differ from things in other areas.

Description:  As I walk through the grocery store, I walk past the pre-made pastas and soups.  The smell reminds me of cooking in the kitchen with my grandmother when I was younger; however, there is a huge difference when it comes to cooking with grandma and buying food at Safeway.  My grandma always used fresh ingredients and made sure you got  the food straight from the stove and not from the microwave.  She would make fresh Portuguese bread and it would be completely devoured while it was still warm.  She would make potato and bread soup from the potatoes that she grew in her garden and the bread that she baked herself.  She would make fried kale and linguisa from the kale that she grew and the linguisa she would order straight from Portugual.  When I was younger, I use to eat all of these fresh foods and I wouldn't even think about eating a TV dinner.  Being a college student has changed me dramatically.  Now when I walk into safeway, I head for the frozen isle.  Why do I head there?  The answer is simple... it is more convenient.  Instead of eating fresh foods, which were a lot better for me, I now eat mainly frozen foods, "just add water" foods, and foods that are prepared already.  I have changed in order to fit in with the schedule of a college and working life.

Analysis:  I had orignally intended to talk about the localization of fresh foods but then realized that my changed environment has caused me to be localized.  I have lived here my whole life but I was very close to my family when I was younger and we all use to cook fresh foods together.  Now I face time limits that I did not have to face before college or a job and I have "adapted" to this new setting.  When Rebecca first explained localization, I thought of it as being mainly product oriented and came to the realization that I have changed in order to fit the environment in which I live.

Balinese Cock Fight v.s. American Status

Source:  Robbins, Richard H. "Deciphering the Balinese Cockfight." Cultural Anthro. Student ed. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth, 2012. 21-22. Print.

Relation:  An example of a culture text that is presented in the class reading, "Cultural Anthro" by Robbins.

Description:  The Balinese like cockfighting just as much as Americans like football.  They fight their prized roosters until one dies and many may see this is a disgrace.  "Rarely do cocks owned by members of the same family or village fight each other" (Robbins 21).  The people who fight cocks are usually the leader of the communities.  "A man will never bet against a cock that is owned by someone of his family group or villiage or a friend's family group or village, but he will place large bets against a cock owned by an enemy or the friend of an enemy"(Robbins 21).  The owners of the cocks are usually among the leaders of the communities and the winner takes home the loser's rooster for dinner.  One may view cockfighting as disturbing, but the Balinese do not do it for violence.

Commentary:  The Balinese use cockfighting as a cultural text to represent status in society.  If one is known to be successful in cockfighting, they have a higher status in their community.  I think it is important to try an understand the reasons behind what people do, rather than fall into ethnocentric fallacy and say that their belief is wrong.  The Balinese use cockfighting to represent status and the United States uses money.  The more money you have the more "success" and "progress" you have made in your life.  Balinese cockfighting is similar to the way American's determine status because most successfull Americans (political leaders and large companies) are willing to eliminate their competitors now matter how many people it hurts.  There is always one winner and one loser, one made richer and one made poorer.  Once I compared American status and Balinese status, cockfighting didn't seem so bad.  Is the way Americans get status really any better?

To the readers:  I am not sure if my commentary makes sense.  It does to me but I'm not sure if my comparison is understandable.  Was trying to compare how Americans and the Balinese get status and how they are similar.  If it doesn't make sense to you, please email you so I can explain and so you can help me fix it. :) Thanks!