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Understanding Society and Culture Through Eating
从饮食角度理解社会和文化
An excerpt from Consuming Passions: The Anthropology of Eating
消费激情的摘录：饮食人类学
All animals feed but humans alone eat. A dog wolfs down every meal in the same way, but humans behave in a variety of ways while eating. In North American and European societies, for example, business negotiations are conducted over cocktails and lunch; seductions may begin with champagne and oysters; wedding and birthday parties center around an elaborately decorated cake; and gifts of food are part of the exchange at Christmas time. In simpler societies, eating is associated with initiation and burial rites, the roles of the sexes, economic transactions, hospitality, and dealings with the supernatural—virtually the entire spectrum of human activity. ...
所有的动物都吃东西，但只有人类懂得饮食。一只狗会以同样的方式狼吞虎咽地吃下每一顿饭，但是人类在用餐时的行为却是多种多样的。例如，在北美洲和欧洲社会，商业洽谈是通过鸡尾酒会和午餐会的形式进行的；种种诱惑都是以香槟酒和牡蛎开始的；婚礼和生日聚会上，人们会把一个制作精美的蛋糕放在正中央；圣诞节时，食物也被人们用作相互赠送的礼物。在比较简单的社会中，饮食和人们生与死的仪式、两性的角色、经济往来、待客风俗，以及人们对超自然现象的理解都有联系——事实上，饮食涉及人类活动的方方面面……
