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Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side Of The American Meal, By Upton Sinclair

626 Words3 Pages

“‘If they’ve got a pulse… we’ll take an application’” (Schlosser 162). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal by Eric Schlosser and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair convey corporations treating the public inhumanely. The books discuss how the companies will fix their prices, the lengths they will go to avoid unionization within their establishments, highlight how their employees are struggling to survive on their low wages, and provide a look into the risks of working for these corporations. Food processing industries want to exploit their profits and will do so through any means necessary, legally or otherwise. “The intense pressure to return a bigger bag of money every year has prompted a number of ConAgra employees to break the law” (Schlosser 159). These companies will gather to discuss prices, fix them, and do anything else that they can to pull in a larger profit. “He was in the same plight as the manufacturer who has to adulterate and misrepresent his product. If he does not, someone else will;” (Sinclair 134). Both of these quotes are discussing how the companies are selling falsely advertised products at unfair prices. To continue, the owners of large …show more content…

They do not offer any sort of benefits and will pay as little as they legally are allowed. Most people working for these establishments cannot survive off of their salary. “... the fast food industry seeks out part-time, unskilled workers who are willing to accept low pay” (Schlosser 68). They would rather hire these young people, disregarding the strain it can put on their education, than shell out a decent pay for adults. The events in The Jungle relate to issues that are still around today. “... he would carry home three dollars to his family… just about his proper share of the total earnings of the million and three-quarters of children who are now engaged in earning their livings…” (Sinclair

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