Whether you are an adherent or not, the absence of any mention of historical materialism[0] in this essay is like discussing the world's largest ravines without mentioning the grand canyon. The only mention of Marx is towards a cartoonish representation of his vision of the future, a practice he pretty much refused to do. You hate to see it.
Viewpoints like this are so fascinating and useful. It goes to show how deep are the assumptions made in our modern computing environment, and how various aspects we all take for granted could be wildly different in form and function.
In my opinion, this is a benefit, because over time you learn the seasonal harvests. It becomes quite comforting and fun to have your meals change over time. Additionally you are supporting local farmers who do the important and incredibly difficult work of growing diverse crops to sell direct to communities rather than cash crops for corporate sellers.
Not so. I used the word "rich", which you neglected to consider. Natural food has all these flavors already, in quantities much healthier for you. Additionally, letting go of artificial augmentation opens up a world of subtle flavor that is otherwise masked by the extremes.
I’ve been vegan for two years now, and I can unequivocally say that cooking and eating are much easier than when I was constantly having to handle meat, clean up more & cook longer because of worries about food borne illness, etc.
If you do it long enough it gets way easier as your cooking skills and methods adapt.
Some tips I follow:
-I highly recommend a CSA for great vegetables, delivered if possible
-Start a small raised bed garden for greens, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, etc.
-Batch prep veggies and store in bulk (I use cheap rectangular stackable tupperware) for super easy access. Batch prep greens and legumes, store in the freezer, take from freezer to pan.
-When batch cooking, clean veggies with a water and baking soda soak in a large mixing bowl. Just soak for a few minutes and then rinse a couple times
-Using a rice cooker to make grains is much easier than stovetop
-Use walnuts and unsalted nuts (peanuts are great, despite not actually being a nut) with moderation to make foods more substantial, while avoiding processed nut butters and oils
-Use good non stick pans to cut down on oil and cleanup time
-In general, cut back on foods and condiments rich in salt, sugar, fats, and especially processed foods, as they distort your taste palette. It’s a lot like drug addiction...”when I’m not on heroine, life just seems bland!”
-You don’t have to cook veggie meals as thoroughly as meat, experiment with varied levels of freshness and eat raw foods more...less cooking
-simple root veggies are awesome, cheap, hearty, and easy to cook (potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots...all can be boiled)
-Frozen organic blueberries, oatmeal, banana, sprinkling of walnuts, delicious :-)