I don’t have a huge problem with “veggie burger” but I will say that I think there’s a value in having rules about what things can and can’t be called. I think France probably overdoes it, but they have a rigorous approach to defining and defending specific foods; the old “it can’t be called champagne if it’s not from Champagne” and other rules around cheeses, meats, etc. It’s also true in other European countries like Italy. These rules prevent corporations from diluting the meaning of traditional terms for food, and ensure better consumer awareness. We’ve let corporations run amuck with their labeling practices here in the US and I think more rules like this (not jailable offenses, but by the FDA) make sense. If it’s not milk, it shouldn’t be called milk. If it’s not bacon, it shouldn’t be called bacon.
And yes, I might be a little sensitive to this issue because I bought vegan “chorizo” the other day by accident. And you know, it was actually pretty good.
There’s an unspoken understanding that no politician or new program can fix the crushing poverty, disease and suffering that pervades daily life. No matter what anyone claims, the money just isn’t there. In such a hopeless condition, what can local politicians meaningfully offer their constituents? Memes.
So because there isn’t a magical bill that could fix everything in Mississippi they might as well not try? There are a lot of things - many small - that would help people in Mississippi, and instead of taking the first tentative steps towards eventually getting back on track the state government is shitposting legislature… I have a hard time giving them a pass on that.
Further, this acceptance of turkey- and chickenburgers undercuts the potential argument that “when one says burger, the default, least ‘marked’ case invokes a beef patty.” By ‘marked,’ I mean degrees of linguistic specificity and/or information necessary to convey the idea in language.
“Traditional”, right, let’s call everything the way “we” always used to call it - always love that reasoning…
And to ensure “consumer awareness” - why not better call milk the “gland secretion of mammals”?
Or meat “dead animal tissue”? Or french fries “deep fried potato chunks (with trans fat)”?
Every language is full euphemisms and neologisms when it comes to food and recipes and the moment you buy processed foods - especially derived from animal parts - you need to check the label to know what’s in there.
Nah, they figured they can just fill up those apparently empty prisons with veggie burger purveyors, women who had miscarriages and doctors abiding by professional medical ethics and doctor/patient privilege.
Easy fix. You put the word BURGER in large, bold, glowing letters, and either the word ‘replacement’ or ‘analog’ in fine print. Marketing & packaging teams get raises.
The controversy is specifically about “burgers”, not “beef”. The problem is already solved then, because I’ve seen veggie burgers, turkey burgers, buffalo burgers, ostrich burgers, etc. on menus for as long as I can remember.
If this is legit, why is nobody making a big stink about hamburgers not having any ham?
