Why Food Porn??
Some questions to ponder:
1) Why are we interested in food?
2) What is the function of food in our individual and cultural identities?
3) How has food moved, for many, from a necessity into entertainment?
- Have we always been interested in it? Or is this a recent phenomenon?
- What factors contribute to this interest? Are we captivated by the aesthetics, aroma, texture, quality, or flavor of food? Or are our interests informed by socioeconomic status, cultural influence, "authenticity", or social networks?
- In what ways does food garner pleasure in us that is not informed by nourishment or subsistence?
2) What is the function of food in our individual and cultural identities?
- How does the globalization of food cultures affect the way we eat and view foodways within the United States?
- What role do culture, media and social hierarchy play in determining American food choices?
3) How has food moved, for many, from a necessity into entertainment?
- Has food always been considered “art”? Does food only have symbolic meaning within other media of art, or is it able to stand alone on the plate and receive recognition and approval as its own form of art?
- In the past, chefs were low-key, unknown, and behind the scenes. How did our contemporary horde of celebrity chefs–such as Guy Fieri and Giada de Laurentiis–come about? Is the focus still on food, or has it shifted to fame?