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Mon 22 Mar, 2010 08:31 am
1)food and health have culturally ridden shotgun = ?
2)Yours = your plate (your food)?
Context:
"Let medicine be thy food and let food be thy medicine." " Hippocrates
Ever since man first climbed down from the trees (or, depending upon your view, plucked that apple off that tree), eating has never been far from his mind (survival has a way of prioritizing everything). Given that sustenance equals life, food and health have culturally ridden shotgun throughout the ages. "Good men eat and drink so they can live," noted Socrates. "Eat, drink, and be merry!" commanded Solomon. "You’re famished. I’ll make a plate!!" pleaded my mother.
And, most likely, yours.
hoo boy, how to explain this one. In the 19th century, passengers over long distances in the American West travelled in large horsedrawn carriages called stagecoaches. The West was often lawless, and bandits would rob the stagecoaches. To deter them, an armed guard would ride on the high front seat with the driver. He'd often carry a shotgun, which was a close range weapon that sprayed a lot of balls over a wide area, hence was good to take out several bandits at once. He was said to be "riding shotgun".
Today, when several people are climbing into a car, one person will claim, "I'm riding shotguen". It means he wants to sit in the front seat, next to the driver, rather than in the back seat (because the front has a better view and has more room). It doesn't mean he's actually carrying a gun, but rather that he and the driver are in closer proximity.
By analogy, it means that food and health are closely allied and sort of mutually reinforcing with each other.
@oristarA,
"Riding Shotgun" = riding next to the driver/in the front passenger seat of a car.
"Food and health have culturally ridden shotgun" = The common foods that a culture eats are intimately related to how healthy that culture is.
Got well enlightened!
Thank you both.
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