Horwitz reading

Horwitz argues that with the advent of increasing globalization and technology-fueled multitasking, society is reverting to a state in which eating is dictated by one’s individual needs. This is as opposed to a more concrete schedule, be it dependent upon eating at certain times, in certain places, or with certain people. The end result of this shift towards smaller, individualized meals is greater productivity, possibly at the cost of traditional social structures and healthiness.

            The author here tends to illustrate his points by providing in-depth analysis of examples. In order to describe the efficiency of the emerging “on-the-go” system of eating, he describes a Campbell’s Soup At Hand can, and details the large number of ways in which this seemingly simple object is designed to promote the efficiency of the user. When he talks about the declining importance of mealtime gathering, he provides the space station example, wherein the designers assumed that a communal meal table was essential, only to have the astronauts using it gradually come to the conclusion that it was increasingly unnecessary. To illustrate the greater importance of a personal schedule in comparison to the actual time of day, he describes how society has adapted to globalization in order to make time-displacement due to air travel virtually irrelevant, especially in regards to eating. He uses these examples to conclude that we, as a society, are fulfilling our needs with regards to food individually, and as such, are free to free to follow our own natural work cycles, leading to an increase in productivity.

            I must admit that my own experiences do mirror the conclusions to which Horwitz comes. In particular, I sometimes substitute an energy bar for lunch or breakfast when I am rushed. While dinner remains a family affair in my house, other meals are permissible to skip, and this does allow me much greater freedom in my schedule. It gives me the freedom not only to work through these times, but also to be where I choose when I eat them, as they are very portable. As such, they provide the increase of in productivity, the “timeless time”, and the “freedom of place” that Horwitz describes.