July 2, 2012
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Hungry
I have been on a reading spree that happens to have a common theme – everyone is hungry. I started with All is Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque about German soldiers during World War I. I then read Wild by Cheryl Strayed which is about a backpacker on the Pacific Crest Trail. Finally, I reread Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, a memoir about a hungry family in Ireland. The common theme was hunger, and their description of food was so rich and detailed that reading it made me hungry, myself.
There were several lines that stood out to me, but the one that I remember the most about hunger was from Angela’s Ashes and his obsession with eggs. He heard a story about a boy in another country who had an entire egg he could eat himself, and yet he only had part of it and threw it away. Frank was outraged and in disbelief. “Oh, God above, if heaven has a taste it must be an egg with butter and salt, and after the egg is there anything in the world lovelier than fresh warm bread and a mug of sweet golden tea?” - Frank McCourt, ‘Angela’s Ashes’ (1996)
When you are hungry, not much else matters in the world outside of finding food. You don’t worry about politics, religion, art or culture. You don’t worry about recycling, global warming or the long term economic impact of the nation’s debt. You only worry about finding a meal.
Even with the abundance of food we can develop today, 925 million people face starvation right now.
I believed I had been hungry before. I have never felt more hungry than I did after working outside all day, or running a long, hard trail run. I believed I was famished and would die without putting something in my belly. But that is an exaggeration, I have honestly never known real hunger, and neither has anyone I know personally.
Looking into this, I found that the world does produce enough food to feed everyone, 17 percent more than enough, actually. Obviously, the primary cause of hunger and starvation is poverty, but there are varied reasons why this is including conflict, war, government mismanagement, etc. In the US, 14.5 percent of households were considered food insecure - ‘A situation that exists when people lack secure access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life’. I can’t understand how that can happen in the US.
I think my next series of books are going to be about happier topics.
http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/us_hunger_facts.htm
Comments (23)
Ugghhh, but how do you remedy the problem? It’s awful.
@amateurprose – I don’t know? I think if anyone knew how we wouldn’t still have this problem. But I have faith the xanga community can find the answers
I heard a BBC feature story about a Nigerian hustler who got a government position and stole billions — with a B. He owned yachts and mansions on the Riviera and in Switzerland. There is a cause of hunger for you.
@we_deny_everything - There is a reason. I think that falls under mismanagement, and it is probably the number one cause!
Sometimes I do wonder about the criteria set up by our government when they publish these studies, though. Are they only looking at how much food, calories, or are they looking at a balanced diet? Either way, one hungry person is too many.
I knew hunger once. I purposefully starved myself until I could no longer stand it to try to see what it felt like. It took several days, and it actually hurt. I’m not even sure how to describe it, and I’m sure it was still nothing compared to what too many have to go through.
The weather and other factors did not cooperate much with me this year, but I’m still hoping to have enough from my garden to do some more donations this year.
I think it can always be whittled down to gov’t mismanagement in some shape or form. Either they’re stealing, or they’re doing moronic things like paying farmers to not grow food. Instead of paying them to not grow it, give them the same amount after expenses and provide it to those in need.
World hunger. Help by going Veg.
Some interesting stats to put it in perspective…..
- It takes 2 pounds of grain for every quarter-pound of burger meat produced.
- 70% of all grain produced in the United States is fed to animals raised
for slaughter.
- The 7 billion livestock animals in the country consume
five times as much grain as is consumed directly by the American
population.
- If all the grain currently fed to livestock were consumed
directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be
nearly 800 million.
- And worldwide?
Animals are fed more than half of the world’s crops. Agricultural
production accounts for 70% of freshwater consumption (UN FAO)
Our appetite for flesh, there you have it. linkage
U had moi at the platter of breast looking eggs.
@amateurprose - I’m really surprised cannibalism isn’t making a bigger comeback seeing as how “civilized” people practiced it much more than is admitted. Mmm fried wife.
I believe from the bottom of my heart that human greed is the cause of hunger. Eradicating human greed would probably wipe hunger from the earth. Not that that’s a feasible solution.
I chased that same rabbit quite some time ago and went from desperately sad to righteously pissed off. It’s one of those things you can’t really delve too deeply into without becoming outraged.
Those eggs look very tempting, made me feel hungry too.
I think a lot has to do with convience. Growing gardens, hunting, fishing, etc is work and takes time. People want to go out get there food and no work.
I actually find it more affordable to take myself on the boat for a couple days and have supper for a couple weeks vs going to the store.
Maybe going Little House & the Praire will help with consumer need and inflation of prices.
I had leftover BBQ chicken, pasta salad, and garlic bread for lunch. I woulda shared!
Angela’s Ashes is such a moving book. Sad, and beautiful, but yes, so much about hunger.
I think that if people could put politics and religion aside, we could properly address poverty and hunger. Politics and religion are one and the same, and they cause all of the wars. It’s said that religion is the cure for all wars and hunger, etc, but this is untrue, in my view.
At their outsets, at their cores, all major religions were/are focused on the person: loving and caring about individual people and meeting their needs regardless of whether they are like you or not. Somewhere along the way, most religions put their faith and beliefs first, waging war or putting strictures or control trade with those who are not of the same faith. Christians go to drill wells and start clinics, but only if they can make converts to Christianity. Other countries clamp down and punish people of other faiths. They imprison or refuse to buy or sell with people of differing faiths. Shunnings and censuring people of other beliefs. Starvation and disease is the result.
I don’t know why I got off on this tangent. It seemed important, for some reason. In my eyes, we are all one. we are all the same, and deserve the same love and attention and respect that white anglo saxon american christians get – without having to listen to a sermon to get it.
okay. I’m done ranting.
I’ve never starved, either. I should practice what I’m talking about, it seems.
@lucylwrites - 100% correct, we have plenty of food & plenty of space to grow it, it is all greed & suppression.
funny enough I’m having eggs for brunch with bread & tea…
i can’t read this right now. i need lunch.
Cold leftover pizza seems to keep for a week. I don’t think I’ve ever got sick eating old pizza.
However raw chicken should be avoided, just touching it could make you sick.
Food handling is important and I approve of most dried fruits
I was looking into my crystal ball the other day and it revealed to me that in the distant far future problems like world poverty and hunger will cease to exist. Mosttly because the world will be governed by a new goverment of equality. In that time in the future, there will be no empires or nations telling others what to do, but a sole governing body, sort of like the United Nations, that will look over the affairs of the world and in which all its citizens will be equals under the law.
I know I’ve never experienced, real, true hunger. I just know that when I’m hungry, you are right, nothing else matters. When I’m hungry I get irritable and its kinda like the Snickers commercial, I’m just not myself. And of course, I would go to great depths to get food forgoing any manners or polite human behavior.
But the hunger that the 925 million people face is no laughing matter I’ve donated to the World Food Programme and you can do the same by going to
http://www.wfp.org/
@grim_truth - In this case, I agree with you. Why would you starve yourself intentionally? That’s not an experience I ever hope to have!
@AncoraImparo - I have heard those arguments, but can’t agree. Especially since there is already more than enough food produced, just not distributed. My daughter is a vegan and I applaud her for it, she has a ton of energy and feels great. But agriculture isn’t squeaky clean either, and both cause environmental harm.
@Jacques_Duclo - Funny, I am reading about cannibalism right now!