The alienation of abundance: A resonance theory perspective on food waste

Abstract

This paper examines the global challenge of food waste through the lens of Hartmut Rosa's resonance theory. Moving beyond conventional explanations of waste grounded in economic inefficiency and limited consumer awareness, it presents food waste as a symptom of alienation in modern human-food interactions. Methodologically, building on the theory adaptation approach, this paper applies and expands Rosa's concept of muted relationships, drawing parallels with Marxian alienation, across horizontal, diagonal, and vertical axes, to inform the discourse on food waste. It argues that the prevailing instrumental rationality and social acceleration of late modernity hinder meaningful consumer engagement with food throughout its lifecycle, particularly in the production and disposal processes. By framing food waste as a relational rather than ‘purely’ logistical, economic, or behavioural challenge, this paper offers novel theoretical insights into human-food interactions. It highlights how such policy interventions as ethical storytelling, experiential learning, communal initiatives, and slow food campaigns can re-cultivate resonant relationships between consumers and food for more effective waste reduction.