How Not to Offend

Michael Pollan offers a wimpy defense of his use of the word "mostly" in his now-famous motto about how we should eat: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." With the word "mostly" he succeeded in offending both the meat-eaters and the vegetarians/vegans. He called "mostly" a "compromise." He says, "You can't please everyone"—yet it appears that's exactly what he was trying to do; mollify the multitudes without taking a stand. The sign of a great politician (or perhaps a really wise man who plans to eventually remove the "mostly" in a future book—just winning the battle by inches at a time instead of all at once).

Michael Pollan is a very smart guy. But I don't think for a minute that, knowing what he knows, he believes eating any meat at all is a healthful thing to do. Until he writes a book debating the findings of Dr. Colin Campbell in The China Study I think he ought to humble himself before those who have scientific abilities he lacks. He's done amazing work in raising the subject of food and eating in the national consciousness—and has moved gradually toward a plant-based position in his books. But he should go ahead and make the leap.