Good Taste
In a future valuing artificial food, an innovator challenges norms by introducing natural taste, facing exile but seeing future vindication, prompting questions about true progress.
Isaac Asimov's "Good Taste," a compelling inclusion in his 1976 collection The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories, stands as a quintessential example of his genius for blending intricate scientific and philosophical themes with approachable prose and a sharp undercurrent of social commentary. This story is not just a narrative; it is an expertly crafted journey into the nature of cultural values, innovation, and the subtle yet profound ironies that shape human societies. Asimov, consistent with his hallmark style, allows deep truths to surface naturally, guiding the reader through a future that serves as a mirror to our own present and past.
The setting for this profound exploration is Gammer, one of humanity's distant colonial outposts, where society has evolved along a remarkably singular path. On Gammer, life revolves around an almost fanatical devotion to purity – in behavior, culture, and most strikingly, in cuisine. Over generations, the Gammerian people have elevated artificial food, meticulously synthesized through chemical processes, to the zenith of refinement and sophistication. Conversely, anything derived from natural sources, whether it grows from the Earth or is harvested from an animal, has been relegated to the realm of the vulgar and even the barbaric. Herein lies the story’s central, biting irony: the natural has become taboo, and the artificial is synonymous with enlightenment and good taste. This societal inversion establishes a fertile ground for Asimov’s critique, immediately challenging the reader to question deeply held assumptions about progress and value.
Into this highly particular world, Asimov introduces Chawker Minor, a young man brimming with ambition and a keen desire to ascend the social ladder of Gammer. His path to recognition is through a prestigious public event: a taste competition that fuses the elements of an art exhibition, a scientific symposium, and a political performance. Participants in this event are expected to unveil new, original flavors, meticulously synthesized through chemical means. Chawker, like any aspiring innovator, dreams of winning, seeing it as his direct route to social eminence. Yet, within the rigid confines of Gammerian culture, where innovation is permitted only within narrowly defined boundaries and creativity must strictly conform to established aesthetic and moral proprieties, Chawker finds himself harboring a unique curiosity. He is drawn to the past, particularly to Earth and its ancient, forgotten culinary traditions. This private intellectual venture sets him apart, as he delves into historical records that speak of ingredients utterly unknown and unthinkable to his contemporary society.
Driven by this profound curiosity and a powerful impulse to distinguish himself, Chawker embarks on a bold decision. He undertakes a process of recreating an ingredient from these lost traditions, incorporating it into his synthesized flavor composition. This act, born of a conviction that it would create an unforgettable experience, represents a profound gamble: a reintroduction of sensory experience long abandoned, a challenge to the deeply ingrained cultural taboos. Chawker, with the conviction of a true pioneer, rationalizes that genuine innovation often carries an initial shock before it can inspire. It is this very tension between the desire for novelty and the crushing weight of conformity that forms the narrative's core.
When the pivotal moment of the competition arrives, Chawker presents his creation with a quiet confidence. The initial response from the esteemed judges and the gathered audience is one of profound astonishment; there is an undeniable recognition of something powerful and deeply moving in the flavor he has produced. However, once the truth behind the creation becomes known – that it contains an organic compound, a link to the natural world – the astonishment quickly transforms into horror. The societal reaction is immediate and unforgiving. What Chawker perceived as a revolutionary act of culinary genius is denounced as a gross and unacceptable violation of fundamental cultural ethics. His challenge to the unspoken rules of cultural identity leads to swift social condemnation, illustrating the perilous cost of true innovation. The very notion of embracing natural ingredients is perceived not as progress, but as a dangerous regression, a betrayal of Gammer's entire intellectual and moral evolution.
Yet, in a characteristic Asimovian twist, the story's final lines offer a profound shift in perspective. The protagonist, though socially condemned, reflects not with regret over his fate, but with a deep sense of vindication. He holds a profound belief that, in time, the people of Gammer will come to comprehend the richness and depth of what they have willingly forsaken. He envisions a future where taste, like all forms of cultural expression, will be liberated from the shackling grip of prejudice and artificial boundaries. In this final, poignant reflection, he sees himself not as a failure, but as a kind of prophet, a harbinger of a more enlightened understanding.
On a deeper level, "Good Taste" serves as a masterclass in social satire. It deftly critiques snobbery and cultural elitism, illustrating how the society of Gammer constructs its entire worldview upon the perceived superiority of the artificial, the engineered, and the purely intellectual. By doing so, this society has inadvertently severed itself from the profound richness of human sensory experience. The symbolic element, a humble plant with a pungent aroma, becomes a powerful emblem of sensory authenticity – rejected not for its inherent qualities, but for what it represents: a connection to a messy, flavorful past that Gammer has consciously chosen to deny.
Furthermore, the story is a poignant commentary on the perilous cost of conformity and the inherent dangers faced by true innovators. Chawker's condemnation stems not from a failure to create something new, but precisely because his innovation dared to challenge the very core tenets of Gammer's cultural identity. His fate resonates with the struggles of countless real-world pioneers whose groundbreaking ideas were initially met with mockery, fear, or outright condemnation. Asimov, ever the scientist and historian, understood that often, revolutions of thought and culture begin with acts of apparent exile. The narrative compels readers to question the true meaning of progress. Gammer is undeniably a technologically and intellectually advanced civilization, but the story asks: at what cost has this advancement come? In its zealous pursuit of cleanliness, order, and refinement, it has deliberately discarded emotion, spontaneity, and its own historical roots. Asimov powerfully suggests that a civilization that denies its origins, even in something as seemingly trivial as food, risks losing something fundamental to its humanity.
In presenting a culture where artificiality is paradoxically the ultimate virtue, Asimov compels us to critically examine our own world. In our contemporary age, grappling with the promises and perils of biotechnology, synthetic food, and the pervasive forces of cultural homogenization, the questions raised by "Good Taste" remain strikingly pertinent. How do we genuinely define authenticity? Who holds the authority to decide what truly constitutes progress? And what invaluable elements do we sacrifice when we collectively choose to reject the vibrant, often chaotic tapestry of our past?.
Ultimately, "Good Taste" embodies Asimov's enduring faith in the transformative power of curiosity. Chawker Minor, despite the social disgrace he endures, emerges as a hero in Asimov's profound estimation. He is lauded because he dared to question, dared to experiment, and dared to face potential failure, demonstrating immense courage in his pursuit. His audacious experiment, though it ended in societal condemnation, was fundamentally an act of immense bravery. Through Chawker’s journey, Asimov delivers a timeless reminder: both scientific discovery and artistic creation inherently demand risk, and the profound pursuit of truth and beauty frequently necessitates defying the rigid boundaries of social convention. This masterclass in speculative storytelling, compact yet richly layered, seamlessly weaves science fiction with sharp social commentary and culinary metaphor with deep philosophical inquiry. Like the finest of Asimov's works, it challenges its readers to interrogate their deeply held assumptions and to contemplate the future not merely through the lens of technological advancement, but through the more profound lens of human values. In a world perpetually reshaped by innovation, "Good Taste" serves as a quiet but powerful testament to the idea that some of the most radical and enduring ideas often begin with the simplest, most fundamental ingredients.
