#existential crisis

Greetings, Earthlings! 

I have resided on your remarkable planet for many years now, and despite the continued access I have to much of my own species’ advanced technology, one element I’ve had to adjust to—beyond your planet’s unpredictable weather patterns—is your energy source. By “energy,” I refer, of course, to your food. Initially, I gave little thought to its origins or composition, but in recent times, it has seized my attention. Particularly in your more developed nations, where the abundance of food presents its own unique challenges. The scarcity of food in less fortunate regions is well-known and tragic, but in places where there is plenty, I find your relationship with food to be both fascinating and bewildering. Under the cover of clever disguises I’ve regularly ventured out to gather necessities to satisfy my energy requirements and through some careful observations and analysis from your own people, this seems to be the real existential crisis humans are facing.

The Processed Wonderland

One of the first things I noticed is the overwhelming abundance of what you call processed food. Supermarkets are bursting with colorful packages, offering ready-to-eat meals, snacks, and beverages, all designed to delight the human senses. I see aisles filled with chips, sugary cereals, frozen pizzas, and soft drinks, all of which are processed to the point that their original ingredients are almost unrecognizable. It’s as if your food has evolved, not organically like your life forms, but through chemical transformations and engineering.

In my interstellar travels, I’ve come across planets where food is designed to provide maximum nutrition with minimal processing. Earth, on the other hand, seems to prioritize convenience and taste above all. Your scientists have become adept at manipulating flavors and textures, creating highly addictive combinations of salt, sugar, and fat that keep your species craving more.

Health Consequences: A Growing Concern

While your processed foods are an impressive technological feat, initially driven by the need for convenience during your first two world wars, they now come with a significant cost—your health. In first-world countries, where access to food is abundant, paradoxically, malnutrition in the form of overnutrition has become a major issue. I’ve observed an alarming trend in obesity rates, particularly among children. A significant portion of your population consumes far more calories than they expend, which according to your very own doctors and scientists, leads to an array of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and even mental health disorders.

What strikes me as odd is the coexistence of abundance and suffering. You have the resources to feed everyone healthily, yet many of your citizens fall victim to food-related illnesses. It seems that the food industry prioritizes profit over health, promoting products that are cheap to produce but expensive in terms of long-term societal costs. This imbalance between consumption and well-being would be considered irrational on many other planets, where food systems are built to sustain health rather than harm it.

Sustainability: A Forgotten Ideal?

In many wealthy nations, sustainability seems to be a secondary concern when it comes to food production. I’ve witnessed vast fields of monoculture crops like corn and soy, which are grown not to feed humans directly, but to create animal feed, biofuels, and high-fructose corn syrup—another staple in your processed foods. This approach is incredibly resource-intensive, requiring large amounts of water, land, and synthetic fertilizers, which have far-reaching environmental consequences.

The heavy reliance on meat production is another puzzle and not an easy one to solve. The importance of protein in a well balanced diet of course goes without saying, however the quality of said protein has visibly diminished due to factory farming and other non-ethical strategies of animal production. In my travels, I’ve encountered civilizations that long ago transitioned away from animal-based diets due to the inefficiency of feeding animals to feed humans. On my planet, we have developed technologies that allow us to produce high quality proteins, without the need of mass animal production.

Of course, I also noticed that some of your citizens are attempting to change this pattern. There’s a growing movement toward plant-based diets, sustainable farming, and reducing food waste. Although there is still much room for improvement in these efforts, it does give me hope for your planet. However, it seems that large corporations in the food industry are resisting such changes, as they threaten their established profit models.

A Glut of Choice, Yet Inequality Persists

First-world countries boast an incredible variety of food choices. Walking through your grocery stores, I am astounded by the sheer diversity of options—from tropical fruits to exotic spices and gourmet cheeses. It seems that in these wealthier nations, people have the luxury of choice. However, I find it odd that while some people spend exorbitant amounts on organic, gluten-free, or specialty foods, others struggle to afford basic nutritious meals.

Income inequality plays a significant role in food access. Despite the wealth and technological advancements of first-world countries, millions of people still face food insecurity. The rise of food banks and charitable organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry is evidence of a system that fails to provide for all its citizens equally. How is it that in nations so advanced, with every imaginable resource at your disposal, not everyone has access to the same level of nourishment?

The Future of Earth’s Food System

As I gaze into Earth’s future, I see both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, the current trajectory of the food industry—favoring processed, unsustainable, and profit-driven production—is leading to a health and environmental crisis. On the other hand, there are glimmers of hope. I see innovation in lab-grown meats, sustainable agriculture practices, and a growing consciousness about the importance of healthy eating.

The question is: will your species make the necessary changes in time? Will you prioritize the health of your planet and its inhabitants over the short-term profits of a few corporations? In many other civilizations, we have seen such crossroads, and those who chose sustainability flourished, while those who didn’t faced dire consequences.

From the perspective of an extraterrestrial visitor, Earth’s food industry is at a pivotal moment. The choices you make now will shape the future of your planet, not just for humans, but for all life forms you share it with. I hope that you make the right ones. For in this vast universe, planets like yours, capable of sustaining such a diverse array of life, are exceedingly rare.

Love and Health,

P.a.L.