Chocolate: it has a ton of different varieties, and most of them are deeelicious. That's it... to me, at least...
Why do some people not like chocolate? it has tooth-rotting sugar. It's packed with calories. It even has a little bit of lead in it. Eww. Some people just don't like the taste.
Can chocolate possibly benefit your health? I guess so. Everyone talks about how wonderful it is, it's gotta have something actually good for you in it. Antioxidants?
What if no one ever discovered how to make chocolate candy and it was forever known as "xocolatl," bitter water? Well, there would probably be a few less cavities in the world, maybe mankind could be a few pounds lighter, but there would be a huge worldwide industry missing on earth. What would people give boxes of on Valentine's Day, candy corn? Buy a vanilla bar from the vending machine? What would you call that pretty shade of brown, tree bark? My pet bog is a brown lab; that just sounds wrong.
What if chocolate had some huge health benefit that hasn't even been discovered yet?
I'm curious about how chocolate is affecting the world. Really. Someone who stole millions of dollars might have started out by sneaking a Hershey Bar out of Walgreen's one day.
How does chocolate affect people. Well, everyone I know has heard of it, and just knowing what it is means it has an influence. But even people who have never heard of it could have some unknown connection. They could pick up a piece of paper that was recycled from a chocolate wrapper. Maybe they met someone who smelled like chocolate and they wondered of what the scent was. I know it's a stretch, but you know it could be possible. Chocolate is everywhere.
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3 comments:
Melanie,
I really liked your blog about chocolate. Maybe that's just because I'm a chocolate-aholic myself, but I also thought you brought up some really interesting ideas. Chocolate does influence many different people (as well as groups of people) in all kind of different ways. I especially liked your question about what people would give each other on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is a classic gift on Valentine's Day (or really any holiday...think chocolate santas!) because so many people like it. What would people give on Valentine's Day if they couldn't give chocolate? Twizzlers? Some other kind of candy? I would be disappointed if chocolate was replaced with...let's say, Starburst. Chocolate just has that specific taste and satisfaction. Great idea for the blog!
Melanie, I really enjoyed this piece because you utilized your knowledge of chocolate, through experience and research from the Columbian Exchange project,to debate the pro's and con's of chocolate. I found it powerful how you used historical names (allusion) to support your ideas; it gave you credibility. Lastly, my favorite thing about your post was the contemplation of a world without chocolate. While reading that portion, I realized that chocolate is more than a confectionary delight. It's a symbol of love, color, sweetness, and much more. You made it clear that chocolate, whether viewed as positive or negative, has several influences on the world.
Hi Melanie!
I think part of the reason chocolate has a special place in society is a simple fact: Cocoa is a DRUG. A stimulant. Cocaine is made from it. Cocaine is highly concentrated and has other additives, but the same stuff that makes chocolate... chocolatey makes illegal drugs. Perhaps more than eating chocolates on valentines', people like getting high.
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