The Omnivore's Dilemma

The Omnivore’s Dilemma presents a dichotomy between the logic of nature and the logic of man. The logic of nature emphasizes biodiversity—everything works in a balance. It is also unforgiving and formidable. The logic of nature represents a functionality that has prevailed since the beginning of time, while the logic of man, although highly influential and widespread, signifies only a tiny section of the history of time. The logic of man is singularly focused. Industrialized agriculture promotes monoculture, despite monoculture’s tendency to expose plants and animals to myriad problems like disease and soil depletion. Pollan suggests that industrial agriculture removes nature from the eating process entirely, presenting food as a series of chemical compounds and byproducts. Pollan explains it as follows: “It takes a certain kind of eater—an industrial eater—to consume these fractions of corn, and we are, or have evolved into, that supremely adapted creature: the eater of processed food” (90). The embrace of processed foods for the sake of expediency best represents the logic of man.

The logic of man looks at nature as a commodity and asks what can be taken from it. Pollan cites how, even though corn agriculture produces more products than can be utilized by humans, the emphasis upon increasing yield for profit prevails.