The two articles that will be analyzed in this essay, “Farmer-in-Chief,” by Michael Pollan, and “Wal-Mart vs. Jim Hightower,” by Jim Hightower, both take a behind the scenes look at what is actually going on in major industries today, and how not everything is what it seems. Michael Pollan goes in depth on the agricultural side of things, and how our food is processed and produced. He also uncovers a very disturbing farming method known as “factory farming,” and how it is now a common practice that most large food companies use. The other article by Jim Hightower, takes a look at the superstore known as Wal-Mart, and dives into unethical strategies that makes the large company so successful.
Every day we as people consume food, but when
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Some people may wonder how, with such low prices, Wal-Mart can sustain such a large profit margin. Well according to Jim Hightower, that answer lies within Wal-Mart’s workforce. Hightower believes that Wal-Mart is tricking its workers into thinking they are, “one big, happy family,” when in reality those workers are being exploited. According to Jim, Wal-Mart is diverting their workers from the actual issues such as, “fair wages, hiring discrimination, or unionization.” This is backed up in the 2004 documentary aired by PBS called, “Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” The documentary starts off with a Wal-Mart shareholders meeting, which seems more like a pep-rally. It then goes on to show workers having another so called pep rally in the morning, where they finish with the Wal-Mart cheer. This common tactic of pep rallies is no coincidence, it is essentially a way for Wal-Mart to brainwash its workers. Giving those workers false hope that they actually mean something to the company, when in reality they are just pawns in Wal-Mart’s grand scheme of things, and are merely replaceable when it comes down to it. Hightower did a great job battling through Wal-Mart’s propaganda to uncover the truth on how the company really …show more content…
“I write… because there is some lie that I want to expose, some facts to which I want to draw attention.” This is Orwell’s point of view on writing and it really resonates with the two articles by Pollan and Hightower. Pollan uncovered the dirty truth on how today’s foods are processed and produced. He exposed how larger food companies run their business, and their blatant negligence when it comes basic farming ethics. Hightower exposed Wal-Mart and showed how they really treat their workers. He dug through Wal-Mart’s propaganda and lies to prove his point on how they are practically brainwashing their
In the articles “An Animals Place,” by Michael Pollan, and “The Omnivore’s Delusion: Against the Agri-intellectuals,” by Blake Hurst, the controversial methods of farming in today’s society are examined. Modern farming methods are a relevant topic of discussion because the foods that people consume have a direct impact on their health, therefore they should be aware of the procedures that farming methods employ. Pollan and Hurst have differing beliefs on farming methods, but similar interests in the environment, people, and animals. In the article “An Animals Place,” the author, Michael Pollan sheds light on the barbaric institution of American meat-packing.
The Truth about Walmart Being the world’s fourth largest retailer Walmart still keeps growing, and Walmart CEO earns $1,034 more per year than the average Walmart worker (Kavoussi). Karen Olsson’s article “Up Against Walmart” suggest that the growth of Walmart does not help an individual due to many job problems that are present this is important because it can affect the future of the workers. The problem and the effect in Sebastian Mallaby’s article “Progressive Walmart. Really,” suggests that Walmart helps overcome all the negative criticism of a job company. On the controversy despite their different viewpoints, both articles mention minority discrimination, corporate abuses, and health care.
Sondra Simpson’s article “Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.: Strategy with a Higher Mission or Farmed and Dangerous?” alludes to portraying a controversy involving the popular Mexican fast food chain Chipotle and the agricultural industry, but it reads more as a testament to the restaurant’s environmental and marketing achievements. The introductory paragraphs lead us right into a brief explanation of the issue at hand, as well as Chipotle’s intentions and opposition. Simpson hooks her readers with inciting blog titles illustrating the overall feelings of Chipotle’s offended adversaries, such as, “Boycott Chipotle: My Farm is Not Dangerous” and “Chipotle Unnecessarily Tears Down Agriculture to Build a Brand” (qtd by Simpson p 38). These blog posts describe the agricultural industry’s reaction to Chipotle’s latest attempt at spreading their corporate message through a series of webisodes titled “Farmed and Dangerous.”
In this week’s lecture the theme of choice was “Consumerism and American Values”. When first hearing the word consumerism I tend to think of many things such as the economy, money, shopping, and etc. I thought it was a very interesting topic because Wal Mart was the target for this section. In the first essay titled “The Wal Mart You Don’t Know” the author attempts to persuade the audience that Wal Mart is nothing but a capitalistic company. Using the rhetorical appeals of pathos, ethos, and logos he conveys his argument that Wal Mart is capitalistic in a very good way.
With his Farewell Address in 1961, President Eisenhower warns the citizens of the United States about the dangers of the military-industrial complex’s growth in power. The military-industrial complex is the relationship between the nation’s military and defense industries, which was boosted greatly during World War II and previous wars. In our modern food industry, we deal with the “food industrial complex”. Michael Pollan, in his novel, The Omnivore’s Dilemma Part 1: “Industrial Corn”, speaks out about the problems in our food industry today. Eisenhower’s concerns of misplaced power, short term thinking, and imbalances in solving problems regarding the military-industrial complex are reflected in Pollan’s Part 1.
Relevance between Food and Humans with Rhetorical Analysis In the modern industrial society, being aware of what the food we eat come from is an essential step of preventing the “national eating disorder”. In Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma, he identifies the humans as omnivores who eat almost everything, which has been developed into a dominant part of mainstream unhealthiness, gradually causing the severe eating disorder consequences among people. Pollan offers his opinion that throughout the process of the natural history of foods, deciding “what should we have for dinner” can stir the anxiety for people based on considering foods’ quality, taste, price, nutrition, and so on.
The company can use it to keep consistent prices, track the stocking on the shelves, and figure out which products are demanded most by customers. The article even talks about how Walter Robb was walking through the isles himself, checking in on their products, and trying to see what else he can improve. Mr. Robb says, “We’ve now learned that anytime a story breaks, we’re responding right away, because misinformation gets out there, and people think, well, that is the gospel. It’s on us to be out there.” This dedication to the company and their product illustrates how Whole Foods’ still sticks to their original ideas and values
For decades now, Walmart has been one of the most successful retailers in America. Walmart has become a household name in nearly every house in the country, even outside of this country, because of their low prices and vast selection. But despite all the popularity that has been built up with Walmart, its impact on the American economy and society has been mostly negative. As being one of the biggest box stores in the world, Walmart has left a huge trail of destruction in the way they treat their workers, their customers, small businesses, and local communities. To start off, as the largest retailer in the U.S., Walmart has buying power which they use to negotiate lower prices from their suppliers.
The three essays assigned this week had several common threads running through them. The strongest core theme is the rapid change in the food cycle in America and the vast changes that have taken place in the way by which we grow, produce, and process the food that average Americans eat. The food we eat now is drastically different from what our grandparents grew up eating and the three essays each examine that in a different way. Another theme is the loss of knowledge by the average consumer about where their food comes from, what it is composed of, and what, if any, danger it might pose to them. “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele is a harsh look at the realities of food production in a country where large corporations, like Monsanto, have been allowed to exploit laws and loopholes to bend farmers and consumers to their
‘Is Wal-Mart Good for America?’ On PBS Frontline, May 11, 2015 ‘Is Wal-Mart Good for America?’ is a documentary that examines the relationship between Wal-Mart’s rapid growth and its impact on the US economy ever since it blossomed in trade productivity in the mid 20th century. The documentary, published on February 2014 by PBS Frontline, conveys a deep understanding of how Wal-Mart changed the living standards of many Americans and took consumerism and retail logistics in the U.S. to another level; by cutting costs through offshore outsourcing to China and employing cheap Chinese labor. The documentary focuses on the changing relationship between big retailers and manufacturers and the transition in pricing and decision-making.
The food industry in America is one that has experienced the evolution of food production. During the beginning of time, food was homegrown by farmers and sharecroppers. The chickens were fed naturally and given time to thoroughly experience their normal stages of development. As time progressed, the food industry became more modernized and in higher demand, the food industry has begun to rely on mass production. Food is not being produced as it used to and is being produced at a faster rate.
In the essay titled “Labouring the Walmart Way”, author Deenu Parmar explains the unhealthy effects of Walmart, how to stop them, and the challenges of doing so. Parmar begins by detailing how Walmart has done little for local economies. By hiring financially vulnerable people, the franchise insures that no one would dare to unionize; thus ensuring employees will only earn the bare minimum, and thus out-competing local competition. Parmar also goes on to explain how a local community removed Walmart. They were able to do this through the use of fierce union protests that made the store unprofitable.
Upton Sinclair’s, The Jungle is a novel, which affected the food industry in 1900’s but also in America today. People have learned over the years the truths about the food industry, revealed through Sinclair’s detailed evidence. Sinclair meant to aim at the public’s heart but instead he shot straight at their stomachs. One would easily be convinced to never again buy or eat meat again. Fortunately, people have seen changes from 1906 and have been currently trying to repair the Food Industry.
Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart is the most powerful company in the history of U.S. business. City Council should approve Walmart proposal because Walmart provides low prices on grocery, household item and much more. Walmart provides a variety of choices to customers. Walmart has more choices and choices that are close to home, so they don’t have to drive as far.
Behind the Swoosh is a documentary about sweatshop labor. As a class we watched the documentary and as I learned more about how Nike was running their business; I felt bad for the people that were working. I could not believe that those people were working hard making that company so much money and was getting nothing in return. Then again, I really was not shocked because I know that they are people that put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into a company and do not make enough money.