Please: Food and the Infinity of Desires
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MORE PLEASE: FOOD AND THE INFINITY OF DESIRES A Dissertation by JOHN MICHAEL KAINER Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, W. Alex McIntosh Co-Chair of Committee, Stjepan G. Mestrovic Committee Members, Reuben May John J. McDermott Head of Department, Denis O’Hearn August 2017 Major Subject: Sociology Copyright 2017 John Michael Kainer ABSTRACT This dissertation might best be described as a discussion and analysis of the tendency towards excess at the heart of modern American culture. In studying excess, the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer—whose writings on the limitless desire of the will had such a profound influence on the writers and thinkers at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century— is linked to Emile Durkheim’s theory, which informs much of this study. Durkheim’s conception of anomie is examined using a combination of etymology and hermeneutics culminating in the understanding of anomie as derangement, or, as rules that are lack of rules. To illustrate this tendency in a concrete way, food is employed as a vehicle for discussion. I outline and critique the various definitions of food, and offer my own definition of food as something that sustains life, but does so through the utilization of the collective constituent elements (vitamins, minerals, calories) that naturally occur within a material substance. Defining food holistically and in terms of nature allows me to also identify unnatural foods by employing Durkheim’s concept of derangement. I trace the origins of excessive willing in modern American culture back to the Protestant religious doctrines of predestination and the calling, arguing that tendency towards worldly asceticism has been removed—replaced by an insatiable desire to consume more—and resulting in the formation of what I am calling the consumption industry. Recontexualizing Mestrovic’s postemotional theory, I contend that the food ii industry in particular, and the consumption industry in general, rely on prepacked ideas as well as prepacked emotions to sell their foods in modern American society. This includes the consumption industry’s research on human biology and neurology—which has led to the production of deranged foods that actually induce hunger in consumers. Finally, the rise of monopoly capitalism is examined in light of Eros’ unitive power— highlighted through a comparison of Plato, Freud, and Durkheim— leading to the conclusion that the modern spirit of capitalism is postemotional Eros – a drive towards greater unity, divided against itself, fueled by recycled emotions and inflamed desires. iii DEDICATION The following project is dedicated to my wife, Katie Kainer, who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, who listened to me when I felt ignored, and who brought me back when I lost my way. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation could never have been completed had it not been for the kindness and self-sacrifice of my wonderful support system. I would like to thank my wife, Katie Kainer, whose love and encouragement kept me motivated when I felt I had burned out. I would like to thank my parents, Bill and Theresa Kainer, whose self-sacrifice and concern for others inspired the sections on cooperation discussed throughout this work. I would like to thank my sisters, Kate, Margaret, and Lucy whose pride in my smallest accomplishments made me appreciate the little victories in this process. I would like to thank my in-laws, Duane and Patricia Martin, who never ceased to check on me and ask about my progress and experiences— even when my responses were grumpy. I would like to thank my brother-in-law, Zachary Martin, and my sister-in-law, Kristen Martin, for their emotional support and friendship throughout this process. Finally, I would like to thank my dog, Biscuit Kainer, who reminded me daily that life is something to be excited about. I could not have completed this work without considerable help and encouragement from my committee. To my co-chairs, Stjepan Mestrovic and Alex McIntosh, I am eternally grateful. I would like to thank Dr. Mestrovic for the countless hours he spent reading and discussing sociological theory with me. His enthusiasm and selflessness were infectious and made me want to be a better teacher and a better researcher. I would like to thank Alex McIntosh for answering my limitless questions v concerning the food system over the course of our five years together. His generosity and humility made me want to be a kinder and more helpful teacher and person. I would like to thank Reuben May, whose sociology of sport class was my favorite undergraduate class, and whose zest for life and scholarship gave me confidence that academia was the right career choice for me. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank John McDermott who told me the truth about my work and trusted that I could handle it. The times spent listening to his lectures and stories are among my most treasured memories from graduate school. Finally, I am extremely grateful to Texas A&M University for the opportunity to receive my undergraduate and graduate degrees from the same wonderful institution. I would like to thank the Department of Sociology for supporting my academic journey, in particular, I would like to thank the Mystics for their support and friendship. I am thankful also to Jane Sell, who looked out for me when I was a scared and confused graduate student who didn’t know what he was doing with his life. vi CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES This work was supervised by a dissertation committee consisting of Professor Stjepan Mestrovic [chair], Professor Alex McIntosh [co-chair], and Professor Reuben May of the Department of Sociology and Professor John McDermott of the Department of Philosophy. All work for the dissertation was completed independently by the student. Graduate study was supported by an assistantship from the Department of Sociology at Texas A&M University. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...............................................................................................v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES .......................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ...........................................................................................................x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 CHAPTER II SCHOPENHAUER AND FOOD STUDIES ............................................14 The Current State of Food Studies ...............................................................................15 Schopenhauer’s Influence on Durkheim ......................................................................18 Food, Will, and Representation ...................................................................................25 CHAPTER III LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................28 Anomie: The Roots and Meanings of Derangement ...................................................28 Durkheim’s Critique of Guyau’s Moral Anomie, and Subsequent Use of Anomie.... 34 Contemporary Depictions of Anomie ..........................................................................44 Social Integration, Solidarity, and Durkheim’s Conception of Suicide ......................46 Food for Thought: Food and Social Theory ................................................................54 CHAPTER IV SETTING THE TABLE ..........................................................................60 Methods .......................................................................................................................60 Derangement in Modern Society .................................................................................65 The Consumption Industry and the Manipulation of Constraint .................................70 CHAPTER V FOOD: THE NORMAL & ABNORMAL FORMS .................................77 The Problem with Indefinable Food ............................................................................77 Food Defined ...............................................................................................................79 Deranged Food .............................................................................................................92 viii Adulterated Food & Fake Food .................................................................................102 CHAPTER VI POSTEMOTIONAL FOOD ..................................................................109 The Role of Emotions in Weber’s Protestant Ethic ...................................................110 Recontexualizing Weber’s Protestant Ethic ..............................................................112 The Labors of Eros: Plato, Freud, & Durkheim ........................................................115 Postemotional Eros – The New Spirit of Capitalism .................................................118 CHAPTER VII CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................131