MetaKnigel - Latest Comments

Re: Ursula K LeGuin — The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

David Singhiser — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 07:59:31 -0000

I would like to think that I'd have the courage to break in, save the kid, and run off to care for the child. In our day and age, however, that's not possible, so I would at the very minimum walk away.

Re: Generically Memeified Organisations

Knigel Holmes — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:49:00 -0000

By the way, did you see this rebuttal to Seralini's rebuttal in my references? http://www.efsa.europa.eu/e...

What is your opinion?

Re: Generically Memeified Organisations

Knigel Holmes — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 21:26:49 -0000

Hey, thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. Also, if you have credible references to back up your criticisms, I'd certainly be willing to check them out. If the evidence is strong, I'd likely change my view. When I was researching this issue, I focused on credible sources, and support for Seralini tended to be quite poor. Still, I actively seek to change my view, so if you've got information to update me, I'd like to read it.

Thanks again for your comments.

Re: Generically Memeified Organisations

Alan Emery — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 21:05:51 -0000

Nice article and well-written.

As a scientist in another field (ecology and evolution) I have been astounded and insulted by the reception I get when I ask what I consider straightforward questions (e.g. Are there any good GMO long-term studies?). The amazing storm of criticism is as if I had suggested something foul and nasty. I notice that you referred to the now infamous Seralini paper but did not give mention of his item-by-item rebuttal including your comment on his use of SD rats which are standard in Monsanto studies as well as many toxicology studies, and that his study was not a cancer study. Nor did you note that he won a court case in which he sued for defamation of character in a smear campaign against him. You also implied that the only comments his study received were critical when in fact there were perhaps 40 scientists critical and 300 in favour. While I have no real ability to critique his style of study, I do note the unbalanced approach even you took.

You begin with a balanced view but when you hit GMOs suddenly your objective perspective seems to disappear in favour of GMOs and not looking at both sides. I have recently become interested in the idea of GMOs so was trying to find articles that test the dietary effectiveness of GMOs in long term studies. Very difficult to find, and most have some negative connotation so are attacked viciously by GMO advocates. There are several recent reviews of GMO health risks, but they are also attacked (Artemis Dona and Ioannis Arvanitoyannis review attacked by Rickards). What does not seem to be there is the recognition that DNA guns are crude devices that smash the normal genome in random locations as well as adding the intended material, so there is reason to be vigilant especially as the intent is to feed the entire world on these GMOs. Doing so on the word of Monsanto experts and on short term (usually 90 day) experiments for toxicity is not good enough.

I believe you should have commented on the potential usefulness of long-term studies examining not just single variables but also cumulative effects, interactions among GMOs, delayed expression of adverse effects, and multi-generational effects of the pesticides both in GMOs and used alongside GMOs.

I am pleased you undertook this writing exercise, but caution that your intended objectivity fell apart when you looked at GMOs. I personally have no idea what the correct answers are, and currently find little in the way of balanced treatments to allow me to come to a reasonable conclusion.

Re: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. — Harrison Bergeron

Alifart — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:00:32 -0000

i really like this story... if your really good at something you should flaunt it... dont let talent go to waste!

Re: The Candy Vaccine: Prejudice and Generosity in South Korea

Knigel Holmes — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:18:27 -0000

Thank you for your comment. You don't have to apologise. This is a human behaviour to which we are all prone. Be it Korean or Canadian, we all have those who have wrong-headed ideas that lead them to anti-social and irrational behaviour.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Knigel Holmes — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:33:02 -0000

Also, please put yourself into my situation. How would you go about discussing the patriarchy with a major language barrier? We could barely communicate anything beyond a few gestures. Moreover, I was 18 at the time and was not educated in feminist studies. She was, by far, much more educated than I was.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Knigel Holmes — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:13:43 -0000

I think that you are assuming that she is not a feminist herself and that she did not want to be in that role. Some feminists like to be housewives. Cuban women are pretty revolutionary. Many strong women like specific gender roles. There was very little that I could have taught her that she didn't already know.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

adam — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:00:16 -0000

So discourse with women about patriarchy is cultural imperialism? My understanding of dialogue is that it's aim is mutual understanding, not domination and paternalism. In any case, if my notions of social order are no better than hers, then hers are not necessarily any better than mine. If so, what is the harm in discourse?

Only a naive multiculturalist would disengage from all cultural critique and communication. Is there no feminist movement in Cuba? And if not, would there be if it wasn't a dictatorship? Cultures are not monolithic and static, they are fluid and diverse. I don't consider it imperialist to share perspectives and experiences and engage in philosophical discourse. Perhaps critical thinking and communicative action are inappropriate for other cultures though from your perspective.

Your ad hominen ('pseudo-intellectual arrogance") doesn't grant you any argumentative ground, nor does your backlash ("Get over it"). What is it exactly that I should get over: thinking? To be tongue-in-cheek: if my culture is imperialist, then perhaps you
should stop judging me for practicing my cultural values--"societies and
cultures are different."

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Knigel Holmes — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:12:11 -0000

Thank you. From my understanding, telling a woman what she should be doing is sexist—whether it is telling her to cook or telling her to throw off the shackles of her oppressor.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Alex — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:06:15 -0000

"In any case, if "I was the man of the house," I would discourse with
"the women" of the house on the injustices of patriarchal rule and not
merely establish myself in such a social structure."

This is nothing more than first world cultural imperialism, Adam. Just because you think your notions about social order are better than theirs does not mean they are, within that social, economic and economic context.

Societies and cultures are different. Get over it. Drop your pseudo-intellectual arrogance over "how many injustices dance on the head of a patriarchal pin" and learn some humility, like Knigel seems to have done.

Re: The Candy Vaccine: Prejudice and Generosity in South Korea

HS — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:08:24 -0000

The young are easily swayed by harmful influences of the Korean media. As a Korean, I'm sorry that this happened to you and thank you for reporting it. I really wish the nationalistic mind set of Koreans to change some day.

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

Knigel Holmes — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:06:20 -0000

You seem to have grasped exactly what I'm trying to get across. For me, if I were vegan again, I would perhaps flip a coin if a host offered me some animal products while visiting Japan. After I would simply be a vegan again. If possible, I might enter a dialogue with my host about food and ethics. If someone is feeding me with food they already have, there isn't too much ethically wrong with that. They might have to buy more, but just eating a little bit to show respect isn't going to influence that much. Thanks for your comments.

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

J. Sanders — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:41:33 -0000

I certainly agree with your point about food snobbery and the arrogance of refusing food offered by people whose culture does not incorporate the idea of optional food refusal. I am vegetarian and I know that if I went to such a country, I would eat what I was offered. But when I went to Japan, I did my best to avoid meat products, although I was much more lenient than I am at home (ignoring broths, stocks, seasonings etc). Japan is wealthy enough that people's misunderstanding of my beliefs is purely a cultural difference; people there would be able to make the same decision as me if they chose to.

Just for the record, to restrict a spread of disinformation: the Ojibwe thing by no means applies to all or even most Ojibwe people living now. It's something I was told was traditional by one person I met, but I do not believe most people observe it currently.

Leaving aside scenarios such as that of a vegetarian refusing food in an economically poor country, I agree that encountering other cultures provides an excellent opportunity to question your own societal norms. But I disagree that it requires you to disregard your own values, especially if they are well-considered and not simply a practice you have adopted without thinking because it is what your people do. If someone came to my home and chose not eat X or do Y, I would do my best to respect that. I'd also want to learn why they choose to live that way, and perhaps (if it is appropriate) discuss why I do it differently.

Encountering another culture can provide an excellent opportunity to compare, contrast and question without having to check your values at the door.

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

Knigel Holmes — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:01:52 -0000

Thank you for your comment J. Sanders. You bring up a point that I am specifically against. I am arguing against absolutes. I am not saying always accept or always reject. I'm arguing to pay attention to the context of the situation and competing ethics. If someone really doesn't want to eat something, I wouldn't force it on them. I would, however, debate them if it seemed that they were not challenging their own cultural norms.

For religious beliefs, I would most certainly challenge them since religious beliefs are one of the strictest forms of cultural beliefs. If there is no evidence of a deity, then religious restrictions against certain types of food cannot be based on that idea alone. Religious reasons are not beyond questioning and criticism. If I am the host, I would respect my guests and prepare food that they want. If, however, I were Jewish going into an impoverished country and my hosts offered me some of their pork, I think I should eat a little.

I think that I could have a reasonable conversation with an Ojibwe person about drinking milk to challenge their assumptions, yet I'm not sure if they should "force" themselves to drink it. There are foods that would be a challenge for myself as well. I do not think that I could eat everything offered to me. I would try, however, to question my hesitation.

While I think that it is more ethical for everyone to challenge their food norms, I am specifically challenging scenarios in which there is an imbalance of economic power that results in food snobbery. I think that it is unethical to look down on other cultures when they have had more food insecurity. I think that it is more ethical for two economically balanced cultures to criticise the other's food choices. It's harder to criticise people for simply trying to survive and eating what they can get.

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

J. Sanders — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:35:01 -0000

This article is interesting and certainly addresses the issue in a considered way, but would you really apply the same argument to every culture facing another? For instance, should a Muslim or Jew unhesitatingly eat pork served to them by a non-believer? Should an Ojibwe person, raised to believe drinking milk is despicable, force themselves to do so simply because someone who does not share that belief has offered it to them?

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

Knigel Holmes — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:31:13 -0000

Hi, thank you for taking the time to read my article and give your insights. You have a good question. A question for which I do not have an easy answer. As I stated in my article, I do not think it would be ethical to participate in all cannibalistic culture. Some, in the right context, yes. I'm not a moral relativist. I think we have an obligation to criticise and change other culture that is harmful. The problem is that we do not have evidence of absolutes. We have to consider each context on its own and try to make the best judgement. I really do not mind rejecting food if I really don't want to eat it. My point isn't that we should eat everything no matter what. My point is that we should challenge ourselves to step out of our own cultural norms while also asking ourselves if our ethics are competing with other higher ethics.

In the end, I'm not really saying that we should gorge ourselves on food with which we are uncomfortable. I'm suggesting people take a bite or two, thank the host, and carry on with whatever diet they wish to have.

Remember also, I am arguing against moral absolute thinking styles, so I wouldn't say any ethic applies to every situation.

Kindness,
Knigel

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

LiseyDuck — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:09:31 -0000

Since you mentioned cannibalism, I guess that makes the comment that was running through my head during your first paragraph appropriate. (This is kind of rare!) Were you to visit a culture where it was normal for humans to eat other humans, based on whatever criteria - enemies killed in battle, their own honoured dead, randoms captured somewhere, doesn't really matter in this scenario - can you honestly say you would join in? You wouldn't weigh up how disrespectful it would be to your hosts to politely decline versus how much you really do not want (for whatever reason - we can put it down to the health angle rather than morality if you'd prefer) to eat part of a dead human?

Re: Vegetarians: Don’t Be Bad Guests

SpeciesistVegan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:08:40 -0000

Okay, I agree with this one much more. You're keeping it confined to the situation at hand (traveling) and not trying to generalize it to life choices in general.

However, I don't think you've demonstrated why cultural tolerance and
bending one's values for that is a moral good. I believe that it is in a
lot of ways, but all that proves is that you're preaching to the choir.
If you want to put it up there as a moral good that is in competition
with veg*anism,
I think it would behoove you to be more explicit as to why you think
this is true. You've claimed that "breaking bread... brings cultures
closer together," but I don't think you've really demonstrated it. I
think it can bring individuals from different cultures together, no
doubt, but whole cultures? If this is what you're tying to say, you
would do well to offer some evidence, even if it's anecdotal.

Also, if you're going to be fair about this and not slip into a "western
= bad, non-western = good" kind of thing, I think you should explore
the flip-side of the traveling phenomenon: what do we, as hosts, owe our
guests in the way of trying to respect their culture, values and
ethics? Say you're living in England and your friend tells you that he's
bringing over his friends for dinner to your place, and his friends are
Muslim. Do you serve pork? If his friends are Indian or Buddhist, do
you prepare all dishes with meat, or do you assume that there's a decent
chance that they could be vegetarian and take the time to serve some
vegetarian dishes? Would you be offended if they declined? Why or why
not? This also brings up the question of motivation: are
religiously-prescribed food restrictions deserving of more or less
respect than food restrictions done for ethical reasons? How about taste
preferences?

If you're really going to explore the ethics of these situations, you
can't put all of the onus for correct action on the visitor, the guest.
Surely the host has some responsibility, right? My culture surely says
that we do, and I'm guessing yours does, too. What about these other
cultures in Cuba, Korea, Guam, Dakar etc? Don't you think they have
ideas about what a host owes his guests? I'm guessing they do, even if
they don't jibe with what my culture says.

All in all, this is vast improvement, in my opinion. Kudos.

Re: The Candy Vaccine: Prejudice and Generosity in South Korea

Knigel Holmes — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:07:04 -0000

Thank you very much for your comment Hhjames. I do hope that someone gets something out of my essay. Perhaps one day it will get around to that Korean kid and he'll respond. To be honest, my one regret is that I didn't offer to buy him a coffee. Looking back, I think I missed an opportunity to talk to him and discuss his thoughts while letting him know that not all people fit his stereotype.

Kindness,
Knigel

Re: The Candy Vaccine: Prejudice and Generosity in South Korea

Hhjames — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:09:27 -0000

It's is unfortunate that in stressful times that people find relief in nagative forms or interaction with others. It does noting but escelate the existing tension. Many can learn from your experience of trying to get an understanding for why the situation occured instead of adding to the chaos themselves.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Knigel Holmes — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:27:53 -0000

Hey Adam, thank you very much for your response. You have very valid and rational responses with which I agree on any levels. I have little time now, but allow me to throw out some quick ideas. First of all, I am not arguing against vegetarianism. I encourage it. I agree that we have to look at systemic and economical issues. I'd like to see these make room for a more humane society.

Secondly, we have different views of culture. I see a lot of culture about how people perceive another. I know that culture changes; however, I try to be careful about exporting my own culture. At this time, I feel as if North American culture is too overbearing; therefore, while traveling I try to minimize my own cultural footprint.

Similarly, while talking about the patriarchy has its time and place, I do not feel that I have to engage in every instance. More importantly, as a white male, it is not my place to tell Carmen what her role should be. Open discussion is fine; however, I'm not about to dictate to her. I would see this as continuing the androcentric imbalance. Many women enjoy the housewife role. They are aware of the imbalances; however, they feel they want to be in that role. There is nothing wrong with that. I assure you, Carmen is a strong revolutionary Cuban who can stand her own philosophical ground. She did her part of the chores, so other duties such as murdering the chicken rests with the man of the house. Splitting chores is a duty in Cuba. As a host, she is accommodating. Similarly, as a guest, I am also accommodating. In this case, I felt that I was the one who should accommodate my host. They gave me so much, that's the least I could do.

As for your last comment. As stated, I'm still in cognitive dissonance. I have, and will never fully be able to solve the problem of the inevitable sacrifice of others to live. Even the extremes of Jainism has not solved this. I am fully aware that I am taking away enriching experience from others, and this is something that I continuously think about. This is not a justification for eating meat, and I am sure that I could reduce my meat consumption is I focused on it; however, as I said, I have other priorities to focus on. Everyone has their ethical strengths and weaknesses. Vegans choose to focus on veganism, yet at the same time, they sacrifice other ethical areas. I could eat fewer animals, but I have other priorities.

I am not arguing that other people should not be vegetarian. In fact, I encourage it. I titled this essay as a confession for a reason. The original title was "Why I eat meat". I am trying to explain why I personally eat meat and how I have solved some of the conflicts.

Again, I appreciate your comments. They have helped me think more deeply on the issue.

Re: Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

adam — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:26:33 -0000

Knigel, you wrote: "I realised that much of my vegetarian
philosophy derived from first world luxuries that could not satisfactory
compete with strife from those who endured the economic hardships" but these hardship are not essential and certainly not ideal. As you mentioned, "With The United States continuing an illegal economic embargo punishing
the Cuban population, the Cuban government rations food so that no one
starves." I think it is fair to say that any "luxury" of the first-world is not an argument against vegetarianism but against the political-economic system.

You also write: "My only regret comes from assuming superiority and allowing myself to
be judgmental. There is no evidence of absolute good or evil, but there
are diverse paths to ethical living." I agree there is no grounding for any absolute moral, but you seem to forfeit morality purely to circumstance, de-politizing the practices of a society, and how those practices structure and are structured by a society.

For instance, you wrote that "Food and culture intertwine; to reject food is to reject the culture.
To say a food is wrong is to say that the culture is wrong." But that's not completely true. One's food isn't essential to one's culture, and critiquing certain "food" is not to critique an entire culture. The judgement is not a mere aesthetic one, but a normative one stressing concrete avoidable harms deliberately generated and unfairly distributed to certain members of that community that are objectified as "food." Cultures adapt and transform with and without colonialism and market imperialism. People within society sometimes voice their dissent about the future permissability of such things. This is what we see going on today in Spain with Bullfighting--a cherished centuries-old tradition just a decade ago.

You wrote: "Carmen—judging by her mischievous smirk—gained perverse satisfaction
from watching me go against my morals; however, this was the
culture—patriarchal or not—I was the man of the house." Perhaps it is not our place to evangelize to others about how to live when we enter their homes, but as guests one would think the host would be hospitable to one's own being and respect that difference. I would not coerce an Arab Muslim into slaughtering a pig or gambling and drinking at a casino, but find an activity that's suitable for both our moral parameters. In any case, if "I was the man of the house," I would discourse with "the women" of the house on the injustices of patriarchal rule and not merely establish myself in such a social structure. Self-understanding does not operate unidirectional. If we are equals, as you say, then we should listen and learn from each other. Perhaps you giving-in resulted in less enrichment for them experimenting with new dishes in the creative production that makes culture what it is.

Finally, it's not as if you have stepped out of a bias perspective, but only into a newly prejudicial one. While it's admirable you have gotten past narrow-minded "vegan" ideology, you've sacrificed ideological-critique for the sake of "enriching" one's life. However, such an enrichment has come at the ultimate expense of the annihilation of another's enrichment. I'd like to think both our international and ecological relationships are co-enriching to humans and non-humans alike which involves, as you say, " try[ing] to eat as little meat as possible".

Re: Master

Knigel Holmes — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:12:24 -0000

Thank you very much. To be honest, we haven't had too much of a summer here in South Korea, so I'm glad I have pictures as memories

Re: Master

wetcasements — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:34:20 -0000

Fantastic pic. You can feel the summer in it.