Europe and its settler nations have an interesting history with spice. When colonialism expanded its availability to the lower classes it became something that “lesser peoples” indulged in while aristocrats took pride in eating food undefiled by “alterations” of flavor (many cultures would call it an enhancement).
That attitude persisted to a degree to the modern day. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s amidst the descendants of european settlers and immigrants, spice was not seen in a positive light. In fact, many in that demographic would proudly proclaim it gave them profuse diarrhea and would joke that people in the nations from which those foods originated must simply have diarrhea all the time.
Which obviously is not true, and I cant say why or when it happened, but the culture shifted to you’re the precious one for not being able to handle this and I’ll say I’ve enjoyed the comedy around it ever since.
I get everything you’re saying, but genuinely, taste is still subjective. Call them picky eaters if you want, but some people just genuinely don’t like spiciness in any capacity. For some people even black pepper is too much. And, who cares? If they want to eat something without any spice at all, why does it bother people?
Oh I wouldn’t take it too seriously. Back in the day it was very racially driven and definitely punching down so to speak. Nowadays it’s mostly directed at descendants of Europeans, perhaps as a reaction to the past, but if it’s happening in the Western world I see it as punching up and more along the lines of a harmless joke.
At our high school we managed to convince the teachers to allow a pepper eating competition. We had quite a few Hispanic and South Asian folk that could definitely handle their capsaicin but it was a white lad that won in the end through sheer force of will. He had to call out of school for a few days due to aftereffects. But it was clearly something important to him. He wore the mantle proudly despite the consequences.
Actually, I do genuinely think it’s a reaction to the past and things will balance out over time. When I was growing up spicy cuisine was very much met with disdain. Kids would make faces, pinch their noses, verbalize disgust (while eating their nutritionally rich lunchables). I know you’ll say well that’s children but it did continue into young adulthood and it was fairly clear the parents felt that way too. So I can’t help but feel a little vindicated by how those tables have turned. Especially since I and many others had to resort to eating blander foods to avoid ostracization.
It’s literally subjective. Some people have sensory issues. Some people are autistic. Lumping everyone with zero spice tolerance in as boring borders on ableism.
Fucking laughable strawman bullshit. There literally have been studies that linked dislike of spicy foods with dislike of travel and other exciting activities. But yes I’m an ableist.
Thank you for this incredibly stupid opinion. Now I can block you, sparing myself moving forward.
I don’t see what’s wrong with catering to people with different tastes.
Europe and its settler nations have an interesting history with spice. When colonialism expanded its availability to the lower classes it became something that “lesser peoples” indulged in while aristocrats took pride in eating food undefiled by “alterations” of flavor (many cultures would call it an enhancement).
That attitude persisted to a degree to the modern day. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s amidst the descendants of european settlers and immigrants, spice was not seen in a positive light. In fact, many in that demographic would proudly proclaim it gave them profuse diarrhea and would joke that people in the nations from which those foods originated must simply have diarrhea all the time.
Which obviously is not true, and I cant say why or when it happened, but the culture shifted to you’re the precious one for not being able to handle this and I’ll say I’ve enjoyed the comedy around it ever since.
I get everything you’re saying, but genuinely, taste is still subjective. Call them picky eaters if you want, but some people just genuinely don’t like spiciness in any capacity. For some people even black pepper is too much. And, who cares? If they want to eat something without any spice at all, why does it bother people?
Oh I wouldn’t take it too seriously. Back in the day it was very racially driven and definitely punching down so to speak. Nowadays it’s mostly directed at descendants of Europeans, perhaps as a reaction to the past, but if it’s happening in the Western world I see it as punching up and more along the lines of a harmless joke.
At our high school we managed to convince the teachers to allow a pepper eating competition. We had quite a few Hispanic and South Asian folk that could definitely handle their capsaicin but it was a white lad that won in the end through sheer force of will. He had to call out of school for a few days due to aftereffects. But it was clearly something important to him. He wore the mantle proudly despite the consequences.
Actually, I do genuinely think it’s a reaction to the past and things will balance out over time. When I was growing up spicy cuisine was very much met with disdain. Kids would make faces, pinch their noses, verbalize disgust (while eating their nutritionally rich lunchables). I know you’ll say well that’s children but it did continue into young adulthood and it was fairly clear the parents felt that way too. So I can’t help but feel a little vindicated by how those tables have turned. Especially since I and many others had to resort to eating blander foods to avoid ostracization.
These are some basic motherfuckers you are simping for
Acidic father enjoyer detected
If acknowledging different people have different food tastes is simping then yeah I’m simping.
Yes, won’t someone think of the aggressively boring people?!
It’s literally subjective. Some people have sensory issues. Some people are autistic. Lumping everyone with zero spice tolerance in as boring borders on ableism.
Fucking laughable strawman bullshit. There literally have been studies that linked dislike of spicy foods with dislike of travel and other exciting activities. But yes I’m an ableist.
Thank you for this incredibly stupid opinion. Now I can block you, sparing myself moving forward.
Source for those studies, please? Even then, you’re lumping them all together.
Also, I didn’t say it was ableist, I said it borders on ableism.
But yes, my friends who don’t like spicy food, but do like to travel, must be so fucking boring. What a lazy take.
i know someone with geographic tongue for whom even just a little bit too much pepper physically hurts and burns on her tongue.
Nothing really, it’s just a counter point.