THE END
Jonathan Wang '10

Dear reader,

And that's that. I hope your exploration of modern food technology has been insightful and fulfilling, but realize that what I've produced here is only a mere taste of what truly happens with the food so many people eat. I could go on about international practices, fine details about the manufacture and health effects of specific synthetic foods, such as high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils (the two cornerstones of modern, packaged food, in my opinion), and certainly a whole ton more about organic agricultural practices and ideas. I could have explained in full detail my experience of working on Hidden Villa, the environmental education center, organic farm, and summer camp, but so many details would have been totally irrelevant to the idea of the cyborg. There is certainly a plethora of relevant information, as well, that lies outside of the scope of this project, and I urge anybody interested to continue learning. Certainly, technology is everywhere, and constantly blurs what we perceive to be true. Fiction likes to apply this to humanity and intelligence, but before we can get that far, we have to realize how far it has already reached in other aspects of life. The primary factor in being a more food-conscious person is an unrelenting awareness and curiosity; these qualities apply to any critical thinking or analysis of the future, as well. Food appears as such an important subject, however, because it is the as of yet inescapable aspect of the human experience; people need to eat, no question about that, and food has always been a cultural, personal thing to so many people. It represents more than just life; for the chef, it is an art, for the parent, it represents love, for the farmer, it comprises a livelihood, for the scientist, it outlines an experiment, for the businessman, it promises profit. Food can be so many things to so many people, and I hope that this project has opened your eyes to a truer reality of what food means in today's ever-changing world. You are what you eat, so watch what you put in to your mouth!

Many thanks to Professor Landow, Jean Baudrillard, Donna Haraway, William Gibson, Jason McKenney, Duangjai Rungrojcharoenkit, and Niki Ruch, and Michael Pollan for providing limitless insight, inspiration, ideas, and information.

If you weren't actually finished, here is your chance to return to the beginning. There is always the back button for finding the last page you visisted. Alternatively, you can also return to the Cyborg Self website.

Thank you for visiting this project, and I hope you had a good time!

Sincerely,
Jon