What the Pig in the Swamp Has to Say to America

One of the most fascinating parts of the Phantom's recent trip to New Orleans was a boat tour of the bayou/swamp/wetlands, during which our most excellent guide steered us into a stream where we saw a group of wild pigs, trotting after us, along the banks of the bayou. The mother pig was in a great hurry to get to our boat.  She plunged into the water, swam out and hooked one great hoofed leg over the side of our boat, leaving her two piglets to fend for themselves , one struggling behind her in the water, the other timidly, frantically, trying to follow but mired near the shore. She ignored her offspring. She was riveted on what she knew the guide would have in the boat--a supply of marshmallows.

Our guide popped one white sugary treat after another into mother's mouth, which she held open like a hippo in the zoo, getting pelted with peanuts--occasionally, the guide would send one toward the piglet, treading water frantically behind mother, and mother pig would grunt indignantly and demand another marshmallow.

What all this meant to the Phantom is that something in that pig brain was highly rewarded by the sugar fix.

Chemists for American food companies have discovered the same thing and created foods which appeal to that phenomenon in human brains. You cannot blame the chemists--they are just doing their jobs. They are increasing demand for their companies' products; they are increasing profits.

But this becomes the perfect example of the conflict between free enterprise, the profit motive, a capitalist economy and the public health. You are giving people, giving consumers what they want, even when it's bad for them. Cigarettes, even more so. Some would argue alcohol, marijuana, recliner chairs, big screen TV's and nachos all fit this description.

When Mayor Bloomberg tried to take away the 20 oz soda pop from New Yorkers there  were cries of government oppression, the nanny state, black helicopters and Brave New World dystopia.

As Michael Pollen and Food, Inc. have said, the modern American cathedral, the supermarket is in great measure, an illusion. You see what appears to be a wide variety of colorful choices in all those middle aisles of the store, but they are all just high fructose corn syrup, in the end, in a great variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

And the food industry advertises Fruit Loops as a healthful food to feed your child--because it has "fiber."  Well, Fruit loops probably have some water and some grain, but saying they are a "good source of fiber" is like saying a pint of whiskey is a good source of hydrating fluid and will calm your baby down at the same time.

That pig was an eye opener for the Phantom. Next time, the Phantom will bring his camera.