Ode to Loop broccoli

As we are all aware, Duke’s dining program is ranked consistently as one of the top in the nation. While many students grumble and complain that this statistic does not reflect the actual quality of food on campus, I disagree. The reason that I disagree is not WaDuke, Merchants on Points or any of the hoity-toity food trucks that come to campus every week. Instead, I feel that the true cause of Duke Dining’s greatness is the broccoli from Duke’s very own Loop Pizza Grill.

Don’t get me wrong—I am not saying that Loop broccoli is better than any of these other options, or even that it tastes good. To claim such would be an exercise in futility, and we all know how bad it smells. Loop broccoli is great for reasons other than flavor. Loop broccoli demonstrates that food can be more than sustenance: Loop broccoli shows us that food can be art.

But what is art? Every so-called “art historian” with a graduate thesis and a thesaurus would jump to answer this question with a competing claim. For the sake of simplicity, in this discussion we treat art as an interpretation of the values and conflicts of the society in which the art was created, and a reflection of the emotional response that these paradigms cause in the artist that created it. Aesthetics also play a significant role in art—to distill this to a phrase, recall that Pablo Picasso once stated, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls”.

By this definition, Loop broccoli is art. This becomes apparent when we examine the process of consumption of Loop broccoli. To begin, consider the decision to order broccoli at the Loop. Broccoli is one of many options that you are presented with when ordering your meal. You could also order fries, onion rings or soup, yet you choose broccoli.

There are many reasons why you might choose broccoli, and all of them are subtle but undeniable emotional reactions to the culture at Duke. You may want to make the healthy choice —after all, you are going out this weekend, and will likely drink more calories than you care to think about. Eating broccoli lets you feel good for a few moments, and allows you to avoid the emotional conflict of coming to terms with your unhealthy college habits. Maybe you just failed a midterm and are angry with yourself, so you decide that you don’t deserve the fries that you so desperately want. So, broccoli it is, because if nobody else is going to punish you, you should punish yourself. Whatever the reason, the decision to order broccoli is not an isolated incident, but rather the culmination of your emotional state in the form of steamed, green vegetables.

As is true of all art, the significance of Loop broccoli changes over time. After you order, the broccoli enters a new phase of existence: consumption. The way in which we consume Loop broccoli reflects the social dynamics of the environment in which we are eating it. This fact is most evident when you take your food to go. When you open your container of broccoli, you release a Loop broccoli’s uniquely vile scent into the room, and expose everyone else in the room to the overpowering odor. By forcing the smell of your broccoli on others, you effectively make your broccoli consumption a communal experience, and your actions at this juncture are another emotional reaction to Duke.

You could choose to finish your broccoli quickly, showing consideration to your fellow students by limiting the time that they are assaulted by the smell of the broccoli. This choice shows consideration for your peers, and indicates a positive attitude and a feeling that Duke is a nurturing community. Alternatively, you could eat your broccoli slowly, at the same pace as the rest of your meal. While this latter decision seems logical, it shows a lack of consideration for your peers. Your decision may reflect narcissism, nihilism or selfishness, or may even reflect a deep-seeded anger held towards Duke that takes form as an olfactory middle finger to everyone else in the room.

Regardless of the choice you make, there is one thing that will always be true: Loop broccoli makes you feel. Whether it be satisfaction or joy, pain or spite, the feeling is personal, pure and honest, and as such is a medium for communication with yourself and with others. In this capacity, Loop broccoli is so much more than steamy, oily, smelly nutrients. Loop broccoli is art that everyone at Duke can experience, and through experiencing it, come to know themselves. Loop broccoli is truly the zeitgeist of our time at Duke, and, if for no other reason, Duke Dining deserves our respect for Loop broccoli.