The book, Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, is about “The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”. Fast food in America is not as good as it seems. Most customers don’t know that by eating this food, they are putting their health at a serious risk. You only see the good side of things, but never the bad. Fast food chains are now in control. Obesity rates have risen, our food has been modified, and production in America has drastically changed. This book has open the eyes of many Americans, so that they may take a stand and fight for what’s right. The people deserve to know what they are buying and what they are eating. And that's exactly what they don't want you to know. A lot of fast food chains harbor many dark secrets, but they are slowly coming to the light.
Eric Schlosser’s main idea in his work is to show Americans what they are blind to. We don’t see
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Many fast food companies have been exposed in this book. Schlosser goes in depth when talking about the crimes against humanity that these fast food chains have been committing. He also compares the major differences in America then, and their meals, and now. Schlosser describes how the fast-food industry has drastically changed over the years. Schlosser investigated these companies through employees, executives, farmers food scientists, and ranchers. These workers gave very helpful information. The food industry has changed so much over time. According to Eric Schlosser, “A generation ago, three-quarters of the money used to buy food in the United States was spent to prepare meals at home. Today, about half is spent at restaurants--mainly at fast food restaurants.” Schlosser also said that most fast food companies make the bulk of their profits from the “franchise” system, but it's actually the landlord for the
After reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, the readers understand why Schlosser wrote the book. Schlosser uses certain diction, and rhetoric to get his point across. His point of view changes from the beginning of the book, to the end, but the readers are able to relate to his choice for doing so. He effectively gets his purpose across throughout the entire book, he effectively informs the reader about the well-being of the many people in the fast food industry, and he effectively makes it very clear to his readers how he feels a bout fast food, Schlosser wrote this book to inform his readers about the ins and outs of the fast food industry. He wanted the readers to understand what went on behind the counters of their local
Throughout part I of Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the ins and outs of the fast food industry. From the founding fathers to the dirty little secrets that fast food corporations would never want us to know, he reveals it all. As corporations look for every opportunity to cut costs and increase profits, we start to reexamine what type of behavior governs businesses in America. As the days of traditional ‘sit down restaurants’ dominating the market quickly disappeared, large corporations are making use of new machinery and money saving business strategies. The drawback to these business tactics is that the burden lies on another individual.
Eric Schlosser argues that marketing to children is the easiest and most strategic way to meet sales forecasts. In his book Fast Food Nation, Schlosser states that, “eight year olds are considered ideal customers; they have about sixty-five years of purchasing in front of them.” Children are extremely malleable and easily influenced as they are forming their habits, opinions, and tastes. When companies market to kids, it is likely that the child will continue to purchase from that company as they grow up. The fast food industry greatly relies on its familiarity and consistency.
“Don’t blame the Eater” is an essay written by David Zinczenko which claims that fast food restaurants are the source of obese children. Since Zinczenko’s food choices as a child were limited, he became an overweight 212 pound teenager because he would eat at fast-food venders twice a day (241). After his time in college, he joined the Navy and embraced a healthy lifestyle by getting involved in a health magazine (Zinczenko, 241). He believes that fast-food companies are “vulnerable,” and he warns the industries to protect their consumers because there will be kids launching lawsuits against them (Zinczenko 243). Zinczenko makes an excellent point about the need for nutritional labels on fast food items.
Unfortunately, this is the position numerous Americans find themselves in today. David Zinczenko’s essay, Don’t Blame the Eater, provides insight into the issues associated with mainstream fast food ease of access and cost leading to overconsumption such as improperly labeled and hidden nutrition information and incorrect serving suggestions and the justification for placing blame upon big box companies for the
McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s all have one trait in common; they have a significant impact in the United States. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is an eye-opening book that exposes the truths roaming around in the fast food industry. This novel explains the influence fast food has in the United States and even around the world. The main message Schlosser attempts to clarify throughout the book is that the fast food industry, since after World War II, has been contaminating various aspects of American life; whether it be physical health or business life, the fast food world has been a massive negative influence over time. Fast Food Nation begins with the introduction of Carl N. Karcher and the McDonalds brothers and how they were essentially the “founding fathers” of the fast food industry in southern California which became the basis for many other pioneers and companies to evolve around the United States.
In his book Fast Food Nation, Schlosser explains and clarifies the dark side of Fast Food in America and the world. Schlosser starts off the book by telling the story of Carl Karcher, who bought a hot dog cart while working his own job and with the advances in automobile industry he eventually opened a Drive-In Barbeque restaurant. Schlosser explains how the economy after world war 2 helped get Carl a lot of customers. In addition, Schlosser also mentions the story of the McDonald brothers, opening the first Speedee Serive System restaurant and how other restaurants adopted the idea. Schlosser mentions advertising Fast Food for kids and how that increases customers coming in.
Schlosser uses interesting diction and word choice to make it known to the reader the severity of the spread of fast food. He makes it sound like the restaurants are a bunch of enemies that have invaded and are preparing to attack “infiltrated every nook and cranny..." Schlosser used diction to emphasize his main
Furthermore, top fast food restaurant chains have shaped America. Restaurants have changed how people eat and how many calories they consume a day. People don’t pay attention to the harmful chemicals they are putting into their bodies. Awareness of these effects have been brought to light through the non-fiction work, Fast Food Nation.
Most people believe that corporate corruption is one of the worst things about the United States. Eric Schlosser, a famous author and journalist, can be considered to be one of these people. In Schlosser’s nonfiction novel, Fast Food Nation, he shows the extent of the corruption within the fast food industry. He claims that the executives at the top are some of the most powerful and greedy people that walk this Earth. They can get away with basically anything, even bribing government bureaucracies to lie about their data to make the processing plants seem safe.
Ever just wonder what makes the food from McDonald’s, Burger King, Jack in the Box, or other successful fast food restaurants so good. Well in this proposal, you will know 3 things that the fast food industry is hiding. The author of the book, Chew On This, is Eric Schlosser. The book was published in 2006. It’s mostly about the things of fast food; what they hide what they do to become successful.
In the introduction to Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser states something very significant and memorable: “We are what we eat.” The drastic change in America’s eating habits has caused this American culture to grow into something never before imagined, for better and for worse. Our culture is eating so much worse than in the past, and it's affecting the world around us as well. “In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food [over the course of the year]; in 2000, they spent more than $110 billion” (Schlosser 3). What Schlosser is saying is that America’s addiction towards fast food is increasingly worse.
Junk food is responsible for the growing rate of obesity. This is outlined by David freedman in his article of “How junk food can end obesity.” David Freedman has credited the “health-food” motion, and followers of it along with Michel Pollan. Freedman claims that if the America desires to stop the obesity epidemic, or at least reduce its effects, they must shift to the fast meals and processed meals enterprise for assist, now not the “health-food” movement.
Briefly mentioning jobs at the military base, but mainly focusing on jobs that are given out by fast food companies. Using McDonald’s as a large reference to fast food restaurant employment, he mentions that McDonald’s alone hires about one million employees each year and that every one out of eight workers have worked for Mcdonald’s at least once in their life. Schlosser also tells us that Fast food employees are one of the lowest paid workers in the nation despite the 3.5 million jobs that are held by these workers. Fast Food Nation also reports that ever since women started working, (specifically at fast food companies) that there has been a growth in the amount of fast food consumption (mainly because women are no longer at home to cook like how they used
Fast food nation has been an eye- opening book which shows some facts about the complex issues about fast food and the extreme consumerism that the American people are often exposed to. According to Scholosser (2002) the meat industry has been mainly altered in order to provide highest revenue possible to companies. And at the same time legislators have not been able to implement more regulations to prevent the mishandling of meets as well as protecting workers from having injuries due to hazards at work. To that extent the problem that I found is the lack of regulation to the fast food industry starting with the chains, providers, and work environment.