The central argument, in the article by Alva Noe, is that humans cannot separate certain products just by taste, we need additional information that tells us if it is good or bad. This could be cost or also the sound we make when we eat it, such as a crunch sound. Not only that but our tastes are said to be “complicated strategies to display wealth and win sexual Partners.” From own experience I can say that I just do not go for the taste, I go for the things that seem “better” this could be because of the price or by the appearance, or reputation this certain product has.
Everyone loves ice cream, but do we always go for the cheapest one, or is it rather the look of the package and reputation? From own experience I tend to go for the more expensive one as I hope to seek greater satisfaction from it. I believe if things are more expensive they have to be better. A perfect example is Hängen-Dazs ice cream. It is yummy and expensive! In comparison a brand called Gut&Günstig (Good&Cheap) also offers the same typ of ice cream. But instead of saving money I go for the Häägen-Dazs ice. But if I think about it is most likely not to be better than the cheaper ice cream, of the same type. I believe that having the “better” product is just better as we can be cooler with it and its a pychological effect that we have the “better” things and this could be due to the fact that we just want to display wealth, show our selfes from our best side. Would I taste the difference with closed eyes? Probably not. It seems unlikely that I could distinguish just by taste, I need more facts.
In addition to that the choosing of partners, friends or sexual partners, also includes if such are cool or not cool, if they hang out with the “better people” etc. That is how I feel when I choose my friends, and this is how people around me think. There is always an outcast in classes, school and everywhere, and one thing is for sure. Not many people hang out with them. Imagine if not a lot of people are around, and everyone is not discriminated. I am sure that the partner and friends will be a little different. Of course every person has likes and dislikes but there is not certain system people will fall in. It could be that just like the Indian caste system would be erased from society. Many people will be treated differently. Erasing the caste system would be like choosing friends without any interference.
Choosing friends with out any interference is like comparing two ice creams with different price, but not knowing which one is better. It is true that we just do not separate by taste, other informaiton influences us. Whether it is the price, or the “System” which is strong and crushes the egg, like Murakami explains in his speech when accepting a prestige Israeli literary award, all these factors help us make our choices about what we choose. Food, people, clothes or more. The “System” decides for us.
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