Re:Soylent’s Next Chapter
by ChuckMcM on Wednesday January 14, 2015 @06:45PM
(#8889984)
It certainly demonstrates that there are customer viewpoints that are not well represented by the commenters here.
The interesting thing for me is that 'eating' (and by commutation 'food') is plugged in so deeply into our psyche that it seems people have opinions on it that they developed very early in life. One of the things I noted at Google was the disproportionate backlash when they cut back on the free food available. It was like someone had instituted daily flogging or something, but it was just food. And yet through out our lives and our history food, sharing a meal, etc, is rooted deeply in our tribal culture. Not something you want to mess with lightly. Its not like Christians re-enact the Last Cocktail Party, rather it is the Last Supper.
Given those deep tendrils into our subconscious I wasn't surprised at the harsh response Soylent received. Nor the continuing resistance. And as someone who likes eating too much, I don't think it would be a good product for me but I certainly see how for some it would be ideal.
That the company has made it this far and their problems are "success" problems (can't ship enough, more demand than product) I expect they will grow into something quite a bit bigger than they are. And I too am glad that someone is thinking about this from the perspective of an 'everyday' kind of thing rather than a 'jaw wired shut so you have to' or 'get your kids some protein before school' sort of way.
The interesting thing for me is that 'eating' (and by commutation 'food') is plugged in so deeply into our psyche that it seems people have opinions on it that they developed very early in life. One of the things I noted at Google was the disproportionate backlash when they cut back on the free food available. It was like someone had instituted daily flogging or something, but it was just food. And yet through out our lives and our history food, sharing a meal, etc, is rooted deeply in our tribal culture. Not something you want to mess with lightly. Its not like Christians re-enact the Last Cocktail Party, rather it is the Last Supper.
Given those deep tendrils into our subconscious I wasn't surprised at the harsh response Soylent received. Nor the continuing resistance. And as someone who likes eating too much, I don't think it would be a good product for me but I certainly see how for some it would be ideal.
That the company has made it this far and their problems are "success" problems (can't ship enough, more demand than product) I expect they will grow into something quite a bit bigger than they are. And I too am glad that someone is thinking about this from the perspective of an 'everyday' kind of thing rather than a 'jaw wired shut so you have to' or 'get your kids some protein before school' sort of way.