I am presented with images of perfection on a daily basis. In mediums that mirror life, I am told that perfection is what’s attractive. So when I was given the opportunity to get a free organic tomato the other day, I was a bit picky about picking the perfect one. Nevermind that it’s organic and free. I need it perfect!
Perfect = red, juicy looking, plump, and no blemishes.
Read somewhere that all of the food we see in television and magazines ads are professionally touched, so that they aren’t edible anymore because of the dyes and other chemicals they inject into their foods to make it more appealing when photographed. It’s disturbing to say the least that we need to go to such lengths to make food appear perfect.
Yet, I do understand this concept. I think unconsciously, most of us go for the perfect looking items too when we are shopping. I found myself doing that when I buy milk recently. Picking the ones in the back because of the better expiration date. Nevermind that the milk will be consumed long before that expiration date, I want that one in the back because it’s perfect. Or when I buy a magazine. I will read one to see if I like it, and then I will buy the one behind it because it hasn’t been read yet; therefore, not wrinkled. It’s perfect right now. Does this make any sense to you? Not really right… but that’s what most of us do. I see other people do it too. Are you one of us?
So now that we are aware, what do we do? Do we ignore our instincts and get the blemish tomato? Or should we forge ahead knowing that we are indeed, not perfect, yet we seek perfection around us?
I don’t know…will have to see next time I am given a free tomato.
Your thoughts?
ft. // la vie éclectique 
I do the same too, with milk, magazines, even meat!! Over here in London, the ugly mushrooms are hugely discounted, simply because of the way they look, even though they are still the same mushrooms as the good-looking ones. I think this says a lot about how consumers pick their foods