A Humorous Encounter with Reddit: The Bug Pizza Debacle
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Chapter 1: The Unexpected Discovery
As an avid reader and writer with a passion for scientific research, one of my unique hobbies involves scouring Google Scholar for intriguing studies that often go unnoticed. Generally, the titles of scientific papers tend to be mundane and uninspiring, or they fall outside my areas of interest. However, a few weeks back, while exploring an unrelated topic, I stumbled upon a fascinating headline: “Newbie consumers try pizzas in which bacon is replaced by Tenebrio molitor L. larvae: Not as healthy as expected and not as terrible as they thought.”
This headline was pure comedy gold—too amusing to ignore! Surely, it would make for an entertaining and light-hearted news story that no one could possibly find offensive, right? RIGHT?!
Photo by Harish Shivaraman on Unsplash
Chapter 2: Crafting the Article
Eager to share the findings, I penned a post summarizing the research and uploaded it on Medium:
Study: Mealworm Pizza “Not as Terrible as Consumers Thought”
A recent study indicates that worm larvae pizza isn’t as dreadful as one might assume—and that’s significant.
The article was rather tame, merely recounting the research and sprinkling in some light-hearted commentary about insect protein and its potential appeal. I even mentioned that I would be open to trying mealworm pizza if given the chance. Initially, the post received some applause and polite remarks from Medium readers, which was promising!
Section 2.1: Entering the Reddit Arena
However, I erred by posting the article on Reddit, specifically in the r/Futurology community, which focuses on “Studies and speculation about the development of humanity, technology, and civilization.” Given that emerging food trends align with this theme, it seemed appropriate.
The Reaction
To my surprise, the article failed to garner the light-hearted response I anticipated. Instead of playful banter or discussions about consumer acceptance of such foods, I was met with a barrage of vehement comments:
- “This sub just LOVES to try and make people eat bugs. Well, it’s not happening.”
- “Globalists and leftists will keep pushing bugs onto people.”
- “Why do companies keep trying to force bugs on us? Nobody wants this nonsense!”
- “I WON’T EAT BUGS, YOU LEFTIST GLOBALIST ELITE!”
To make matters worse, I received a message from RedditCareResources stating that “a concerned Redditor reached out to us about you,” suggesting I had been reported for suicidal thoughts. While I can't confirm the source or if it was linked to this post, it’s peculiar given my usual Reddit activity revolves around running shoes and JavaScript frameworks. Ultimately, my post was removed by moderators for being “off-topic.” But honestly, I didn’t need the negativity; my intention was simply to entertain.
Chapter 3: Clarifying My Intent
Let me be clear: I’m not advocating for anyone to eat bugs—unless they want to, of course. However, this topic is worth exploring. Meat has significant costs, both financially and environmentally. With the variety of dietary choices people make—whether for health, ethical, or environmental reasons—there seems to be room for a discussion on insect-based proteins.
Section 3.1: A Hypothetical Scenario
Imagine a future where a company launches a steak substitute that mimics the taste and appearance of real steak, priced at just $2 a pound and made from insects. Would you consider purchasing it? Would you at least be willing to give it a try? Personally, I would!
Chapter 4: The Fallout
It turns out that what I assumed was a harmless article inadvertently placed me in the crosshairs of a right-wing conspiracy. By merely writing about a humorous study, I had unwittingly aligned myself with figures like Bill Gates and George Soros in promoting the consumption of insects.
In hindsight, should I steer clear of discussions about eating bugs, or perhaps familiarize myself with right-wing conspiracies before delving into research topics? This experience only reinforced what I already suspected—we're living in quite bizarre times.
Jonathan writes about startups, software engineering, and health & science. If you enjoyed this article, consider joining Medium to support Jonathan and countless other writers.