A profound psycho-somatic sensation I experience when logging into Instagram, I have become to associate as “food-envy.” This leads me to consider the role that social media plays in our connecting over food in contrast to the Biblical concept of table-fellowship. Far from a reverent occasion, how many of us now eat lunch in front of our laptop/phone screen? In a world of constant distraction and drive for personal success, eating is becoming more individualised and less community oriented as it is less convenient to come together to eat.
It is also notable that social media has simulated for us a shared experience of food which lessens our desire to physically connect over food. The “faux-sensory” experience of food social media creates has made relating our sensual experiences of food through social mediums our norm. One of the implications of this is that without the sensory perceptions of those around us as we eat, we are becoming less mindful as eaters.
So is there anything wrong with replacing physical presence with online presence when it comes to sharing food? The apostle Paul suggests that there is a sacrality in the sharing of food as it is physically blessed and broken together with an emphasis on the oneness of the body. As social beings we were designed for authentic interaction; so when you next experience “food-envy” online, perhaps the rumbling in your stomach is the universe telling you it’s time you connected with others over food!
