Memory and Culture
visual media and how they shape our collective memory.
Zelizer and food culture
According to B. Zelizer's analysis of the book Realms of memory: "We are enlightened by the curious notion that one's food an indicator of one's level of civilization" (Zelizer 1999: 202-203). In discussing the symbolic language of France, food plays an important role in the author's analysis. Food symbolizes collective aspects of the culture as well as personal aspects of nutrition. This can be seen in every nation. Cultural constructions affect personal tastes, and quite often what food symbolizes is equally important as how the food tastes. The visual of a steak or piece of meat has symbolic significance in America beyond providing information about what is available at a supermarket or restaurant.
Red meat has come to symbolize indulgence and decadence in the...
This is partially because it is expensive, relative to some other food products. But expense alone cannot explain the symbolic significance of red meat, given the fact that there are many other expensive foods like fish that do not have the same symbolic weight. People who do not eat meat like vegetarians and vegans rally against the idea that meat is a good thing to eat, and some people in the name of health claim that meat is a kind of 'heart attack on a platter.' Going out to eat at a steakhouse is seen as a celebration of food, versus eating a salad, which is seen as a sign of self-denial.
On a logical level, this does not always make sense. A salad can be very decadent, and a small piece of lean meat can be very low in calories. However, 'a steak dinner' carries a symbolic cultural weight that transcends the artifact itself. The visual image of a slab of red…
