paragraphs two and three: www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/politics/8844521/the-horsemeat-scandal-shows-the-true-extent-of-europes-power-in-britain/
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 17:55, Share, Reply)
Surely it shows the true extent of Europe's powerlessness
Europe is unable to regulate meat effectively.
This idea that Britain on its own would stop all meat imports is ludicrous.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:10, Share, Reply)
And the idea that Europe wouldn't ban Mexican meat if it contained BSE is equally ludicrous
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:12, Share, Reply)
surely the elephant in the room is profit?
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artifus is doing it all wrong, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:18,
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haha!
or are you suggesting that it's 'human nature' rather than our current economic systems and social/cultural values at work here?
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artifus is doing it all wrong, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:33,
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The economic and social conditions of modernity do not have an exclusive ownership to mislabelling food
Archaeologists have consistently shown that many British medieval pubs served cat in their meat pies.
What today's conditions do offer is a global surveillance culture targeting food, consumer-law, and branded and accountable produce. Modernity is part of the solution if you wish pure beef in your burger.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 21:59, Share, Reply)
agreed...
this bloke is very good on that point and always worth a read...
www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/rod-liddle/8843011/the-poor-have-been-sold-horse-dressed-as-beef-and-they-should-be-compensated/
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:23, Share, Reply)
dunno, probably something nasty happened in his childhood
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Liddle#Controversies
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 19:27, Share, Reply)
Agree with him
everyone who's got a horse burger - head for the courts
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 21:52, Share, Reply)
but that says 'it is feared that...'
Where-as the Romanians have said they have killed the horses, havent denied it, showed dockets that say its been sold as horse, signed by the French companies. They may have sold dodgy horses, but they admitted they sold the horses officially and legally-ish.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:39, Share, Reply)
you're missing the point. it's not about horse meat.
some bloke turns up in a white van. paper is exchanged.
what drives this behaviour?
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artifus is doing it all wrong, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:42,
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Psychologically?
A combination of survival and ego. Survival in that they need what the other person is exchanging (so will lie or cheat to get it) and ego that they feel good and big for having made the deal (Winning a barter feels good).
/Edit - obviously there's probably a bit more to it than that. If I won a barter by cheating or survived by swindling, it wouldn't feel that good. I'd like to think a lot of other people are similar, but there's plenty of exceptions...well, like the person who switched the horsemeat labels for one ;-)
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:56, Share, Reply)
isn't that quite short sighted behaviour? competition vs cooperation?
in a so called first world country survival is pretty much assured. an evolutionary hang up?
this photo was taken about 50 years ago: www.nasa.gov/images/content/54428main_MM_image_feature_102_jwlarge.jpg
i'd kinda hoped that people would have got it by now.
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artifus is doing it all wrong, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 19:01,
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I wasn't meaning to justify the behaviour, only explain it
Yes, it's pretty short-sighted, but it's also the main trait of capitalism - make what you can now and sod everyone else because they'll do the same to you as soon as look at you. There are many communities and countries around the world who try to live a more cooperative life, where, for instance, everyone might take part in a harvest and everyone gets provided for. I think I'd rather live in one of those places.
The company who re-labelled the meat may have needed to save a few quid or die. Then again, maybe the people who instigated this wanted to make a shortsighted "fast buck" and are no longer in charge, living the high life somewhere. Either way, it's a pretty broken system.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 19:09, Share, Reply)
agreed.
curiously, we haven't had as many 'and the markets reacted badly to this news' reports, if any (and i'm exposed to far more r4 and world service than is healthy), compared to when a car or kettle is recalled. i recall hearing findus being in serious trouble and being bought by a 'financial' company not so long ago...
*edit* considering that next to oil, it's bound to be a big hitter on the world market, food. right up there with water and air.
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artifus is doing it all wrong, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 19:14,
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Economics appears to be the saviour in this case - if your gripe is with mislabelling meat.
Food companies know that proper control of food production is in their best interests - to avoid negative media exposure, avoid unsaleable stock, to avoid dwindling customer confidence and loyalty.
The rise of this story in the headlines is one indicator of what we value, that we have self-interest in what we eat - I'm guessing the beef/horse story beat famine and war stories in the editing floor, and that the media could never run with the main story that our eating horse could improve the environment. The media narrative was all about 'ew I've been sold horse' and less about 'what are the conditions like for horse and cow farmers' or 'how can we help those who have little to eat'.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 22:14, Share, Reply)
well, that's three abattoirs. the article claims 20 million euros was spent last year alone on importing mexican horse meat. given the near zero demand for the stuff outside of france and italy, and even there demand is fairly limited, where is all that meat going? petfood? all of it? there's not a lot of money in that gig. i think it's more than a 'fear', i think it's a dead cert.
(, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 18:46, Share, Reply)