Food Exposure: An Online Obsession

Image from: http://trobairitztablet.blogspot.com.au/

Food exposure by many different forms is something those on Facebook get to witness at least once almost every day. Food is a major part of society and has significant cultural ties. Users on social media sites such as Facebook have the opportunity to upload either images or descriptions of foods they have created or bought. As well as users contributing to the online food obsession, advertisements are also made with companies such as McDonalds, Sizzler and Pizza Hut (Just to 

name a few), advertising their menus in an attempt to gain customers. With just these examples, it can be seen that there is a power surrounding food and the way it is being portrayed to others online. 

In this week's lecture, it was clearly stated that "food is not just food" (Kuttainen, 2015). The foods we eat and share with one another can have an influence on the type of person one may become in both a social and cultural context. By expressing the types of food one eats, they are essentially representing themselves for example, by class and culture. In the reading by Arkins and Bowler (2001), it was expressed that distinctions between social groups  could be determined by the 

consumption of exotic foods. This can link back to the power surrounding foods by empowering those with a high social class that are known to upload 'fancy' foods to sites such as Facebook, while disempowering those who cannot. Power is given in multiple forms; by the likes one may receive on their posts about food, having others know they can eat 'fancy' or 'exotic' foods, and even checking in to a restaurant allowing others to know they dine there. 

Food advertisements are also fuelled by power over its consumers with Facebook pages targeting those online, assisting in the choices we make of where to dine or what foods we should eat, ultimately leading me to believe we don't have much of a say. 

References:

Atkins, P. & Bowler, I. R. (2001). Food in society: Economy, culture, geography. New York. United States of America: Oxford University Press Inc.

Kuttainen, V. (2015). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives, and the making of place, Lecture 8: Food networks. [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from: http://www.jculearn.edu.au.

Image Credits:

Trobairitz. (2012). Moto-blogger food porn humor. Retrieved from http://trobairitztablet.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/moto-blogger-food-porn-humor.html