[TrendTalk] Bringing home the bacon

[Warning: vegetarians, this article contains pictures of bacon and pigs waiting to become bacon.]

Some of the best righteous indignation came from mainstream media as well as social media when, dare I say it, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that BACON and other processed meats, including BILTONG, cause cancer.

The world was not having it. They want their bacon and they will eat it. "We've all got to die sometime," read one tweet. A lament on NewsThump, stated, "I would sooner a short life filled with bacon and happiness than a long life of misery caused by lentils."

The brilliant article from NewsThump all but summed up the collective angst of the world on learning that one of everyone's favourite foods, idolised by gluttons and banters alike, can cause cancer and suggested the WHO may want to shove their findings where the sun don't shine.

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) today announced that bacon and other processed meats are carcinogenic, and added them to the same list as alcohol, cigarettes and anything else that might bring you a snippet of joy in this otherwise cruel and desolate world." I couldn't have said it better.

Journalists wrote stories, Twitter started a hashtag. #Freebacon starting trending globally, as well as #Jesuisbacon in reference to #JesuisCharlie in support of Charlie Hebdo magazine that was targeted by extremists earlier this year.

if processed meats are cancer causing, is eating at @Arbys now a symbol of rebellion?? #freebacon #JeSuisBacon

- Jason Spicer (@ValpoJ) October 29, 2015

Turning up the heat, there was even a bacon 'ribbon' shared on Facebook: "Post this ribbon to support Fearmongering Awareness. And then, eat your damn bacon. It's not going to kill you that much faster than anything else."

Serious stories were written by publications like Newsweek and The Guardian. As columnist JC Johnson wrote in The Guardian: "Maybe bacon causes cancer. So does sunshine. Everything that might possibly sustain us and bring joy to our lives only hastens our inevitable deaths... Something is going to kill you. Life is about what happens before that."

While Newsweek Europe reported that politicians, butchers and the world's oldest person have rejected a WHO report linking red meat to cancer, they did carry comments about "everything in moderation".

According to Reuters analytics, negative tweets rejecting or questioning the WHO report, outnumbered positive feedback by seven to one, reported NDTV. One tweet I noted even suggested "giving up" science in favour of bacon.

"I told you we would win..."

#FreeBacon pic.twitter.com/FaYvNNbAWg

- Mo (@VelikiMo) October 26, 2015

"I want to kill myself" starter pack: #OMS #FreeBacon pic.twitter.com/t6zk8AzQDy

- Ángel J. (@AngelBroMa) October 26, 2015

We're all going to hell. #FreeBacon https://t.co/zMPQR0m2jH pic.twitter.com/qOU9YEaD4Q

- Laura Martínez ® (@miblogestublog) October 26, 2015

Forget Lady Gaga's meat dress statement, even bacon brassieres added sizzle to the debate!

#FreeBacon

Shame on you, OMS
https://t.co/lMMNJHjT2l pic.twitter.com/0xrjRJQ2KD

- NoPuedoCreer (@NoPuedoCreer) October 26, 2015

And a bacon-scented soap was defended...

#FreeBacon

You can bathe and smell like it all day....
#RealProduct pic.twitter.com/tEbklb4iyl

- Sarah Baker (@IamBakeryum) October 26, 2015

The best commentary on the topic was summed up by International Business Times, which served up the meatier tweets from around the world.

Mmmm, think I'll make my bacon and tomato quiche this weekend!