I love words. And I recognize the value in taking a seemingly benign word (in this case, "authenticity") and blowing it up, exploring it deeply. But for the sake of cracking this open, I'll offer a counter-position, because I think the author is 100% ass-backwards across the board:
Increased interest in authenticity is A GOOD THING. It is diversity in action. We should encourage people to be interested in other cultures and experiences and it's even better if they want to experience things in an authentic way. Food is a perfect place to start. In addition to "of undisputed origin; genuine," authenticity implies with heart.
I have some personal examples to bring to this conversation:
My friends own a (badass!) vegan restaurant. They are vegan. Deeply so. It's their all-day everyday passion and you can tell when you talk to them. Plus, everyone who works there (as far as I know) is also vegan. They spend a ton of time in the restaurant, elbows deep in the food, "chef-owners." This is an aspect of authenticity that the author completely ignores. (For comparison, I also know a non-vegan who works at a hella-trendy "fine dining" vegan spot in LA. So if you go there, you're likely to get food advice from a non-vegan. And you're going to pay an arm and a leg. That's not authentic.)
But it's not just that the author dismisses all aspects of "authenticity" that have nothing to do with race or ethnicity. (The grilled cheese opener offers an damning insight into the mind of author that I'm fairly certain she didn't intend.) It's that she's really hurting a simple, meaningful cause: Go to Mexican restaurants owned and operated by Mexicans. Go to Italian restaurants owned and operated by Italians. Authenticity is beautiful. McDonalds (which serves poison instead of food) is the antithesis of authentic.
PS -- I never use Yelp and it wouldn't surprise me to find out that it's drenched in subtle racism. That's how these huge platforms work, they reflect or even amplify the racism and discrimination that is already present across all aspects of society.
PPS -- OK, now I'm really done. And, for the record, I'm a bit embarrassed that I spent so long thinking and writing about this. And I'm really stoked to be able to give it a "1" on the new rating scale!
No. No no no.
I love words. And I recognize the value in taking a seemingly benign word (in this case, "authenticity") and blowing it up, exploring it deeply. But for the sake of cracking this open, I'll offer a counter-position, because I think the author is 100% ass-backwards across the board:
Increased interest in authenticity is A GOOD THING. It is diversity in action. We should encourage people to be interested in other cultures and experiences and it's even better if they want to experience things in an authentic way. Food is a perfect place to start. In addition to "of undisputed origin; genuine," authenticity implies with heart.
I have some personal examples to bring to this conversation:
My friends own a (badass!) vegan restaurant. They are vegan. Deeply so. It's their all-day everyday passion and you can tell when you talk to them. Plus, everyone who works there (as far as I know) is also vegan. They spend a ton of time in the restaurant, elbows deep in the food, "chef-owners." This is an aspect of authenticity that the author completely ignores. (For comparison, I also know a non-vegan who works at a hella-trendy "fine dining" vegan spot in LA. So if you go there, you're likely to get food advice from a non-vegan. And you're going to pay an arm and a leg. That's not authentic.)
But it's not just that the author dismisses all aspects of "authenticity" that have nothing to do with race or ethnicity. (The grilled cheese opener offers an damning insight into the mind of author that I'm fairly certain she didn't intend.) It's that she's really hurting a simple, meaningful cause: Go to Mexican restaurants owned and operated by Mexicans. Go to Italian restaurants owned and operated by Italians. Authenticity is beautiful. McDonalds (which serves poison instead of food) is the antithesis of authentic.
PS -- I never use Yelp and it wouldn't surprise me to find out that it's drenched in subtle racism. That's how these huge platforms work, they reflect or even amplify the racism and discrimination that is already present across all aspects of society.
PPS -- OK, now I'm really done. And, for the record, I'm a bit embarrassed that I spent so long thinking and writing about this. And I'm really stoked to be able to give it a "1" on the new rating scale!