DOI: 10.18848/2160-1933/cgp/a246 ISSN: 2160-1941

Can We Still Eat Together?

Daniel Coelho de Oliveira
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<p>The metaphorical table serves as a fundamental space for commensality, where diverse food ethics converge to foster both alliances and conflicts. Digital platforms like Twitter have transformed how food-related debates unfold, creating virtual spaces where the question of “who can eat together” becomes a battleground for broader societal divisions. Objective: This study examines how daily, private food debates gain public engagement meanings on Twitter as political actors “politicize” the act of eating, creating conflicts around the digital table that extend beyond culinary preferences. Methods: Empirical data were collected via Python scripts accessing Twitter’s API, analyzing two polarizing cases: Wagner Moura’s “shrimp” meal at a Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) occupation and Xuxa’s veganism controversy. Network visualization was performed using Gephi to map actor interactions and identify polarization patterns. Results: Food-related conflicts revealed clear intersections with LGBTQIA+ identity, political party debates, and issues of inequality and social class in Brazil. While some actors built interconnections translating common interests around shared tables, radicalized ethical positions emerged that hindered meaningful dialogue about commensality. Conclusion: Food, as a moral domain, becomes a contentious space where the fundamental question “can they eat together?” reflects deeper societal fractures. This digital commensality reveals how eating practices serve as proxies for broader political and social conflicts within polarized online environments.</p>

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