I think we all realise the huge impact that research on the human body will have. Researchers are for example making great strides in the understanding of genetics, cells, the brain, and tissue regeneration. It is easy to forget that food is about to undergo a radical change, and we are what we eat! In the not too distant future meat will be grown in culture, as well as on animals. This will enable cheap mass-produced high quality food that takes up less land and other resources, impacts the environment less, and can be engineered to be better for us, with for example an array of vitamins and better kinds of fat. It will also be good news for the vegetarians who abstain based on cruelty. We can also culture other expensive foods, like fish, or truffles. Companies can also start to compete on how good for you this food is, even how it might improve your health, looks, longevity, and intelligence. We can then start to create new kinds of food, never before seen. Truly, a brave new world!
Marginalising Men
Increasingly in UK advertising, men are depicted as feckless and infantile. This has been the case for some years, as men play the fool to the women. Recently I have come across a few adverts that extend that subjugation, placing the children ahead of their father. Only the family pet remains to supersede the men, and they are often on par with men.
Perhaps this is only permissible because men are so confident in their status. Perhaps it is an over compensation in the movement to promote the cause of those perceived to be marginalised in the past. Unfortunately, whatever the reason, men are marginalised in this trend and consequently offer negative role models to boys. If our boys continue to be immature into adulthood, are these role models partly to blame?