- One of Pollan's theses is that Americans eat according to rules laid out by dubious food experts, nutritionists, etc. who are part of some nefarious food system. This does imply a degree of paleofantasy, which is ironic given that that's another fad food diet.
An irony of Pollan's writing in general is that he can not actually step out of food culture. You could just as easily put this in the nutrition section and call it another diet book. A reader - like me - can just as easily read this book and overnight convert to its implicit prescriptivist diet, just like the Americans Pollan criticizes within the first page abandon carbs overnight for fat because Atkins said to.
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Begins painting the picture of America as having an immature food culture, in contradistinction to say France. Demonizes Congress, food pyramid. French paradox, American paradox.
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The omnivore's dilemma: Discusses the multidimensional ways we know whether to eat something (reason, tradition, taste).
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Connects America's lack of food tradition with vulnerability to food marketing.
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Lays out discussion of 3-4 food chains and makes some assertions. Implies what nature does is better, but this claim is defended very well later in the book I already know, rather than taken as a given.
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Broadly claims that food yields anthropology. Uses this to persuade reader that it's really bizarre that we don't even know what we're eating nowadays.
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First food chain is industrial monoculture. Most of what we eat. Necessarily obscures relationship to what we're eating.
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Last food chain is more philosophical. What value is there in preparing a meal all of whose ingredients you hunted or gathered yourself? "To eat in full consciousness of everything involved in feeding myself." Is this compelling to you?
Book's thesis: Since ecological food chains determine our anthropology, it is urgent both for spiritual and physical health that we understand what our food is and where it comes from and develop a personal relationship to this. Over the course of this, we will see that industrial food is terrible and other food is better. Life's greatest pleasure is eating in full consciousness; it's not a burden.
One thing I find extremely compelling about this is that Omnivore's Dilemma is also a case-study in understanding any industry. If Pollan can trace the industrial chain behind a meal, can I do it behind a book or a computer or a law? This type of investigative intelligence I find extremely compelling. Food is just the starting point since it's so important.
I also like the spiritual message in "the truth will set you free."