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Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

theguardian.com

101–110 of 272 posts

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#101

Next up: Google beef. If they know our ad/browsing preferences, they also know our food/taste preferences.

They will also know your shopping habits more precisely once "Google Shopping Express" gains widespread usage. I don't think ad/browsing habits can gain that much precision.

I am not sure thats actually a bad thing. They are trying to get the same data thats widely available to Amazon like services.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#102
post #97

I can't wait to see the cognitive dissonance from the "natural" people. On one hand, it could quite possibly replace factory farming and eliminate a huge amount of waste, pollution, and animal cruelty. On the other hand, it's GMO. I love seeing True Believers in Movementarianism squirm. I'm equal opportunity here. I like pointing out the philosophical inconsistencies of dogmatic positivism to your typical Reddit /r/a…

You wouldn't really call lab-grown meat "genetically modified." We're not actually altering the genomic information at all (yet). You would certainly not call the process "natural" though.

It really would be great to see a split between nautreopaths and vegitarians. I don't understand how the communities have grown so close together.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#103
post #93
post #77

How about a return to traditional agriculture, which would provide more jobs, cleaner food, and decentralization and localization of food infrastructure? Why the relentless pursuit of industrialization and homogeneity at any cost?

Because some of us have heard about the conditions subsitense farmers (and that is really what you are talking about) lived under. Industrializations biggest contribution to mankinds improvement of life is to get us away from the farm. The farm you imagine will never and can never be. If we can't used modern farming methods then we have to work with hard back-breaking labor 14+ hours a day from childhood and until we…

That's what I am doing, actually. As a beginner, I'm producing about 15% of my food now, eggs and vegetables, while also running a software business, and hanging about on HN. I live in a small city on about 1/4 acre. I expect to improve my yield quite a bit — three or four times in the next few seasons.

I buy almost exclusively organic, local produce and meat. It's amazing how the savings begin to add up when you cook your own meals and buy in bulk when possible.

Sure, not everyone will want to do all this, but I think it goes to show how many assumptions about the current food economy/infrastructure are not true and how much could change thinking creatively, and prioritizing health, the environment, self-determination, etc. over convenience of industrialized and junk/fast foods.

Someone with mechanized equipment and a few acres could produce much more organic produce than I do in the same amount of time, and meat, cheese, and eggs. Enough to supply dozens or more families with food. And because internet access is available, they are not disconnected from the world and could even run a software business like I do (or be an artist, or accountant, or mechanic, or virtual assistant, chef, or any number of jobs).

There are dozens more creative ways to reduce or eliminate our dependence on industrialized food. Technology should promote life, not seek to replace it.

If you read all that, then thanks.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#104
post #3

Does it taste like despair? Seriously though, that's always my first thought when I read a story about something like this. It's like my brain can't help but cringe of the thought of eating something made this way, even if it's irrational.

Here's some reviews from food critics on the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23576143

I applaud the idea on general principle, but the last paragraph of this article spells that it is probably too late already:

> The latest United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report on the future of agriculture[0] indicates that most of the predicted growth in demand for meat from China and Brazil has already happened and many Indians are wedded to their largely vegetarian diets for cultural and culinary reasons.

While I think it would be a good idea because we should actually strive to reduce our production of greenhouse gases, the above paragraph indicates that it's unlikely to become economically viable.

[0] http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/ap106e/ap106e.pdf

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#105
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps it's true that you can't feed the whole world without industrialized food, but you could feed the vast majority of people who live in cooperative climates. It's debatable whether the rest couldn't be fed as well. Also, it wouldn't take "most people" to support small-farm agriculture. Many would gladly raise organic produce and livestock, and sell locally if the food economy were not stacked against them. It a…

Creating jobs that people don't want and won't show up for, more like. With unemployment where it is now, you'd think Americans would sign up to pick fruit. But they don't, and we're dependent on migrant labor. More labor also means more expensive food. In the whole spectrum of human existence, farming sucks. It sucked so much that people remained hunter-gatherers as long as they could to avoid it, and it sucks so mu…

Unfortunately, your opinion just isn't based in fact.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#106
post #97

I can't wait to see the cognitive dissonance from the "natural" people. On one hand, it could quite possibly replace factory farming and eliminate a huge amount of waste, pollution, and animal cruelty. On the other hand, it's GMO. I love seeing True Believers in Movementarianism squirm. I'm equal opportunity here. I like pointing out the philosophical inconsistencies of dogmatic positivism to your typical Reddit /r/a…

You wouldn't really call lab-grown meat "genetically modified." We're not actually altering the genomic information at all (yet). You would certainly not call the process "natural" though. It really would be great to see a split between nautreopaths and vegitarians. I don't understand how the communities have grown so close together.

[deleted]

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#107
Mostly carnivorous guy here; I have started playing around with the use of tofu and mushrooms in stead of meat and have come to the realization that it is actually a lot easier to substitute them for meat. Another, even bigger realization I have come to is that it seems that my addiction, yes, addiction, to meat and meat having to be a minimum requirement for having any interest in a dish, is that it is really a psychologically conditioned addiction. I don't think that the meat alternative market is really addressing the real problem, people's habitualized addiction to meat by industry, special interests, and marketeers manipulating a vulnerability in humans.

I am not advocating universal vegetarianism, but the fact that Americans eat insane amounts of meat is proof in and of itself that something is not right. There is a healthy level of meat intake and we far exceed it. Just think of how many meals have some form of meat in it. It's probably approaching 100% for most Americans that are not vegetarians.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#108
post #49
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm the opposite, I love meat, but hate the animal suffering. Even if it tastes half as good and costs around the same, I will switch.

It doesn't even have to taste like normal beef. As long as it can be made tasty in other ways, I would happily pay more than for beef just to have another interesting source of protein.

There are plenty of plant-based products available right now that meet this criteria. Find a local Veggie Grill for a taste. http://www.veggiegrill.com/

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#109
post #44
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

At both food stores I shop at, there are already freezer sections of fake meat. Mostly (entirely?) based on extremely heavily processed soy. I would imagine this different form of fake meat would sneak into that same section. I would bet you could sell more "real" fake meat to vegetarians sick of flavored tofu easier than selling "real" fake meat to omnivores used to the real stuff. Back when I used to eat soy, I occ…

There are also fake meats made out of a hell of a lot of gluten.

There is some pretty good stuff that is actually confusable with meat; Veggie Grill on the west coast has chicken sandwiches that are damn good.

Re: Sergey Brin invests in synthetic beef

#110
post #103
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because some of us have heard about the conditions subsitense farmers (and that is really what you are talking about) lived under. Industrializations biggest contribution to mankinds improvement of life is to get us away from the farm. The farm you imagine will never and can never be. If we can't used modern farming methods then we have to work with hard back-breaking labor 14+ hours a day from childhood and until we…

That's what I am doing, actually. As a beginner, I'm producing about 15% of my food now, eggs and vegetables, while also running a software business, and hanging about on HN. I live in a small city on about 1/4 acre. I expect to improve my yield quite a bit — three or four times in the next few seasons. I buy almost exclusively organic, local produce and meat. It's amazing how the savings begin to add up when you coo…

Okay that is fair enough, I love people who try new things but I am somewhat tired of those who just want to recreate an idillyc past that never was.
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