Culture, Tradition and Nutella. Emotional bonds and reality.
Nutella was an answer to a war induced chocolate scarcity. Using Hazelnut butter extended the volume of chocolate. Chocolate came from South America, where the beans were known to sustain energy levels and reduce feelings of stress. This benefit of chocolate aided the soldiers. The chemical effects on the body helped soldiers face the stresses of war. So, available chocolate went to the pawns fighting resource wars for profiteers who voiced their desires under the guise of development. This development, over time, lead to the monopolizing of resources into monocultures that erode forests and the environment. The starting point was of profit before life. The story of Nutella, overall, is the story of changes made in organizing this world in ways that are not beneficial and sustaining for earth, and by extension ourselves.
Emotionally, we tie Nutella to cultural definitions, without investigating and understanding where and how and why this product exists. In the history of mankind, Nutella has not been around for very long. In essence, eating fresh unprocessed hazelnut butter would probably be a healthier choice then the acquired-taste-building-turned-national-icon - Nutella. Thus, that cultural tie, that is by association an emotional tie, is really an illusion. Investigating the history reveals this, and within this, can give the space to see more directly what is happening in this world. If we realize that our emotional ties are illusory, and lacking in any depth in man’s practice in living on earth, could we realize how little we use our depth perception? Why do we get lost in some idea made HUGE, as huge as our advertising makes a product appear in the space of our landscapes? We are lead by icons, tied to false positives manifest as a ‘ feel good’ moment, made history. A very limited history. And a happiness that needs to be perpetually fed to exist.
Behind that cultural identity that has no real history, there are animals and the biodiversity in the forests, a real history, dying to serve a lesser god that supposedly makes one feel less stressed and more energetic. Somehow, this is addiction over what is best for all. Is this separation from the real history of earth the cause of that stress and consequential need for something to sustain energy levels? Are we doing the same things again and again and expecting change without really looking and investigating reality- the very cause of the effects we want to seek solace from?!
Our game of association composed of emotional values brought forward using dimensions of the forms and functions of practical reality, are the chaos separating us from practical actions that respect and support real living. And this game is stressful.
Boredom and stress are similar, they are both a consequence of lack of practical FOCUS on reality. The story of Nutella, and the havoc this product imposes on the physical world is the story of our separation from reality, and the story of our disquiet state of beingness.
Meanwhile, to segue out of this systemic structural violence there are solutions that lessen resource abuse in many ways. One suggestion is to use the oils from algae. This can be grown anywhere, lessening the use of shipping- which lessens the use of fossil fuels. At one time, the vegetable oils in Nutella, which was not directly stated, yet implied, was the cocoa butter. Somewhere, other vegetables oils were used to create, or maintain at lesser production costs, that smooth spreadability of Nutella, this hazelnut butter and chocolate paste. If we withstood that change, could we not withstand another? And, do we really need Nutella? Do we need men working in a factory all day to make this stuff? What order on this earth could we build that gives men the space and time to discover and respect all aspects of this earth? We can use the resources in ways that do no harm, we are ingenious when we use our common sense. We can find ways to live that are stress-free, no longer needing a chemical motivation because we are happy in a constant way, because we self direct in being aware of, in being focused on the value being life.
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