The Meat, The Myth, The Legend

Here is a transcription of a recent speech I delivered in my public speaking class. It was an ode to bacon. Something that I have had a long relationship with; as companions, as lovers, as soulmates.

Now we’ve all heard the saying that dog is man’s best friend. But it seems that in America, man’s best friend is actually a pig. And for one reason, and one reason only: baby got back. See, America has been infatuated with a certain back cut of the pig for decades, and recently, bacon’s popularity has spiked, and has transformed into a cult phenomenon. But why? Why has bacon achieved divine status in America? And more importantly, why is it so tasty? The answer falls into two categories, and we’ll address them both accordingly. We’ll explore the ways in which bacon has become so irresistible for both the individual, as well as our society as a whole.

On April 1^st of this year, the Los Angeles Times asked the question, “Why do we love bacon?” The answer? Simple; it’s delicious. Everyone loves bacon, whether it’s a part of our breakfast in the morning, wrapped around a steak for dinner, or even, alone as a midnight snack, we just can’t get enough of it. Even, vegetarians can’t seem to resist the allure of bacon, as there is a new subsection for vegetarians called flexitarians. Flexitarians are able to bend their values when they feel it is necessary. The most common reason? Bacon, of course. But, simply stating that bacon is delicious isn’t enough. Because we already know that. It’s like saying the sky is blue. And that’s where science comes in.

According to Telegraph, a British news publication on April 6^th, 2009, bacon’s power of temptation stems from the Maillard reaction, a scientific term explaining a chemical reaction between the amino acids of the meat, and the sugars in the fat being reduced by heat. The combination of flesh, fat, and flame creates an eruption of aromas and flavors, and has the power to bring us all to our knees. But that’s only one side of it. Now that we know why bacon is so amazing to us as individuals, maybe we can understand how it has affected us as a society.

Now for us to understand this unprecedented bacon craze, we really need to understand the psychology of ourselves and of us as Americans. It’s natural for us to be rebellious. It’s ingrained in our thought process, thanks to Colonial America. How bacon factors into this is simple. As journalist Sarah Hepola writes in a 2008 article of Salon Magazine, “Loving bacon is like shoving a middle finger in the face of all that is healthy and holy.” And it’s true. With all of its health risks and concerns, bacon shouldn’t be adored at all. But, we’re human, and we like things that are bad. Bacon has become our mode of self expression, our rebellion. The 60s and 70s had civil rights marches. The 80s and 90s had funky fashion and riots. Well today, we have chocolate covered bacon, and bacon infused vodka. Because just like our predecessors, we don’t play by the rules. If there is one reason why we adore bacon so much, it is simply because we can, and we do.

So, maybe it’s time for us to start looking at bacon a little differently. We now know why it seems so good for us, in mind, body, and soul. And in our obsession lies something uniquely American. And we can never have enough excuses to be more Patriotic. So eat on, Bacon lovers, eat on.