There’s somewhat of a trend these days to call everything “basic.” There’s controversy online and elsewhere whether we should really call anything basic, but I’ll focus more on my own personal experience here. My question is this: how did avocados suddenly become a “basic” thing to eat?
Avocados are absolutely terrific. They are delicious in every way possible, and they can be used in so many different dishes. They have enormous health benefits as well. As someone who grew up celebrating and enjoying Mexican traditions and culture, you didn’t need to convince me that avocados are scrumptious. When I was 7 years old, guacamole and salsa were as common as ketchup and mustard in my household. When I got to high school, I realized that other kids didn’t grow up with guacamole regularly. I really did feel sorry for them.
By 2010, I was in my first year of college, and Chipotle had exploded in popularity, thus mainstreaming Mexican food into every college dorm, airport waiting area, and suburban strip mall. Chipotle did for fast food what Uber did for transportation, or what Airbnb did for travel. And no one can think about Chipotle without thinking “the guac is extra, is that okay?”
For some people, this was the first time they had ever tried (or heard of) guacamole. That rules. Guacamole should be on every dish everywhere and at any time.
Here’s what really takes the cake. When Snapchat came out with it’s overhaul update including new face filters and sticker emojis, one of the stickers is an avocado that says “basic” on it. At first this confused the hell out of me. For Snapchat, avocados are right in line with pumpkin spice lattes. I personally hate PSLs, but that’s just a personal preference. As someone who grew up eating avocados and guacamole regularly, it felt as though avocados were being co-opted by Snapchat to represent mainstream millennial culture.
I have nothing against the popularity of avocados. They are absolutely amazing. But I ask of you, instead of just putting avocados on your toast and calling it a day, try a new recipe, try making guacamole from scratch, learn about different cultures and heritages that have been using the avocado for generations. For me, the avocado is part of my identity, on par with the color of my skin and the tamales I make during the holidays. I’m not saying you can’t eat it, just remember where it came from.
NICOLAS MARTINEZ 
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