-Kathy Patalsky, aka the author of this blog.
We've been duped.You've gone mainstream Mark, bravo! Cater to the masses and reel in the big bucks right? Why cater to the anemic vegans when you can impress the Texan boys, Batali fans, slaughterhouse cheerleaders, Big Mac fan clubbers, and meat eating 'environmentalists' with your articles titled "Eating Meat is Only Human," and your recipe for Roman Veal?
Where did the Mark Bittman I first fell in love with go?
The Bittman who proclaimed loud and clear at the December 2007 TED conference:
-Mark Bittman. (video above)
And today as I strolled through my local Whole Foods Market at Houston and Bowery in NYC, I noticed just the day before, January 24th, Bitty had done a signing of his latest book, (the cover has a big morphed apple-into-earth image on it.):
Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman.
Huh? What? Try UNCONSCIOUS eating, Mark.
I recently watched in horror as you sat quiet-as-a-mouse watching Mario Batali wolf down tapas dish after tapas dish of meat, seafood and pasta. No consciousness there Mark. Not even a peep to Batali about possibly consciously thinking about the food he was stuffing in his face as fast as he could.
....and I'm not done....keep reading folks...
Mark Bittman: It's not really his fault.
Mark surely is not a vegan. He eats lots of meaty stuff on the PBS show Spain: On the Road Again. But he has frequently admitted that he thinks the world would be a better place if more people embraced a vegan lifestyle. But this fact is not what makes him a hypocrite.....
Mark Bittman is a hypocrite because he goes and nonchalantly writes a book with an apple morphed into the earth on the cover, and titles it "Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating."
Come on! Authorship 101:
That's also breaking rule number one of making a difference:
Thinking about making a change is not going to help the make the change.
Change requires action. Talk is cheap Mark.
Maybe you should've called your book, "Here's How to Eat Consciously, Even though I don't"
Classic Case of Repressed Vegan Syndrome
But Mark has a classic case of repressed vegan syndrome.
We vegans and vegetarians shut up about our beliefs because we are afraid that the world will put us in that category of:
"hippie-tree-hugging-tofu-loving-ooey-gooey-boneless-snobby vegan."
I've been there. I've simply shut up as my friends discussed the joys of deep south BBQ or had foi gras-gasms at french restaurants.
But when you get to be as big as Mark Bittman, Mr. New York Times Food Writer, you have an obligation to your fans on both sides, to define your moral food compass and stick to it!
The "Bitty" as Claudia called him, on the Spain show, was nothing like the Bittman at the TED conference. (video above) Or the Bittman who writes books called Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating.
Wake up Mark, Conscious eating can't be done with a pen, paper and a brilliant mind. Conscious eating is done with a fork, knife and spoon.
Read Mark Bittma's New York Times Blog, Bitten.
Spain: On the Road Again, my rave review. Minus the Bitty-with-no-spine factor, I actually love this show.
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Kathy says
Chanel,
Thanks for the comment.
You're right! I'm sure the book is great! I do plan on reading it soon. I actually just perused it in B&N the other day.
BUT I do think he acted a bit quiet-lipped on the SPAIN:ON THE ROAD AGAIN show. I have watched about five episodes and not one mention of his philosophies on food. This show is getting a lot of press and blogging and is pretty mainstream (even for PBS), so he should've been a bit more assertive to express his beleifs! That is the Bitty brand right?
I appreciate the comment though. I can't wait to blog my review of the book.
Kathy
chanel says
You should read the book before you decide he is a sell-out. It is great and fits right along with everything he said at the TED talk and the way he eats.
MyMyMichl says
I love the way Bitty writes about food, and do not blame him for taking that free trip to Spain courtesy of the Spanish Tourist guys. It was clear to me that he had more than food on his mind, such as history, people and place. But how could anyone resist the temptation to go and eat alongside Mario, who was at times just shoveling it in. The show was like many things you can't look at and yet can't look away, either.
Anonymous says
I like Bitty, but he's venturing into sell-out territory very fast.
That's the way of the foodie path these days. Ho hum.
yasmin says
I like Bittman too, although I agree that he is a little hypocritical. As far as I understand, his idea is to cut back on meat consumption,which he does by having vegetarian breakfasts and lunches, I think, and doing whatever he wants for dinner. Still, if he really wants to encourage people to eat vegetarian more often, he could stand to post about vegetarian food more often on his blog.
DJ Karma (of Vegspinz) says
No doubt it's difficult- you have the same going on with Al Gore and leaving out veg as an important solution to global warming. But even though it's difficult and you're gonna piss people off, and lose some money... what's more important- setting a good example and having a clear conscience, or biting your lip to avoid "controversy?" It's a toughie.
TLC says
I like Bittman. He will often explain his stance on food, and he admits all the time that he is not vegetarian. I like what he has to say, so I would still be interested to read his book. Everyone has a little hypocrite in them I guess.