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Our Savory, Spicy, Significant Relationship With Food | June Jo Lee | TED
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Our Savory, Spicy, Significant Relationship With Food | June Jo Lee | TED

What Does Our Food Choices Reveal About Us?

The Deeper Meaning of Food

  • Food is not just about taste, trends, or nutrition; it reflects our modern hungers and desires for self-improvement and connection.
  • School lunches symbolize our values and the complexities surrounding food choices in contemporary society.

Understanding Gen Z Through Food

  • June Jo Lee introduces herself as a food ethnographer aiming to understand generational changes through food preferences.
  • She emphasizes the importance of listening to Gen Z's perspectives on food, which begins with asking them what they find delicious.

Personal Connection and Ethnography

  • Lee shares her personal experience with her son Blue, who felt disconnected during middle school. This prompted her to approach him as an ethnographer rather than a parent.
  • Blue describes his feelings of uncertainty using a surfing metaphor, highlighting the challenges faced by Gen Z.

Characteristics of Gen Z

  • Gen Z is characterized as open, fluid, globally connected, and hyper-self-aware. They navigate a chaotic world shaped by digital influences.
  • Luis expresses that the current climate feels "spicy," reflecting the urgency and anxiety surrounding environmental issues.

Cultural Significance of Food

  • For Luis, tacos represent more than just food; they embody family, friendship, and hope amidst societal challenges.
  • Olivia discusses her efforts in zero-waste initiatives and learning about fermentation techniques like kimchi-making.

Addressing Waste and Creativity

  • Lee highlights that waste represents resources out of place; Gen Z seeks to reclaim their creativity through sustainable practices.
  • A conversation between Lee and Blue reveals how flavors can symbolize trust (savory) and change (sour), emphasizing adaptability in uncertain times.

Encouragement for Future Generations

  • Lee encourages parents to support their children’s journeys while recognizing the unique contributions of Gen Z as innovators in food culture.
Channel: TED
Video description

Exploring the rich meaning behind what we choose to eat, food ethnographer June Jo Lee unpacks how our "modern hungers" — or our deepest desires and need for connection — inform every bite. She decodes what Gen Z's palate says about the present moment and the shape of the future. (Recorded at TED Countdown Dilemma Series on June 6, 2024) If you love watching TED Talks like this one, become a TED Member to support our mission of spreading ideas: https://ted.com/membership Follow TED! X: https://twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world's leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit https://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Watch more: https://go.ted.com/junejolee https://youtu.be/0jBhEPtC0fk TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com #TED #TEDTalks