Eric Schlosser’s essay “What We Eat” addresses the impact of the fast food industry on America. He argues that fast food has expanded so rapidly that it “has helped to transform not only the American diet, but also our landscape, economy, workforce, and popular culture. Fast food and its consequences have become inescapable”(668). In other words we have not realized the magnitude of the fast food industry.
In order to explain how the fast food industry has affected the economy, workforce, and popular culture, Schlosser uses a mixture of writing techniques. For examples, he uses description to explain the experience of entering a fast food restaurant. “Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk in, get on line, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, place your order, hand over a few dollars, watch teenagers in uniforms pushing various buttons, and moments later take hold of a plastic tray full of food wrapped in colored paper and cardboard.”(668). He evokes pathos to show how buying fast food is almost second nature. It is a routine. We don’t think about what we are buying, how good the quality of the food is, or if small business farmers have been replaced by major corporations.
Definition is used when Schlosser elaborated on the term “McDonaldization”. This term meant that as the fast food industry increases it poses a “threat to independent business” and serves as a “homogenizing influence on American life”(669). This sense of “uniformity” makes people rely on fast food. They know that if they go to any franchise they will receive the exact same thing. This means that there is equality, and everyone is treated exactly the same. Comparing and contrasting is used in the essay to show how the fast food industry over time. At first there was more skilled labor in the industry and a varied workforce. There were also less fast food establishments. Now “McDonald’s Corporation has become a powerful symbol of America’s service economy” and “has about thirty thousand restaurants worldwide” (668). The workers are usually teens too. The preparation of food does not require skilled labor, so these chains can pay low wages and hire large amounts of unskilled laborers.
Process analysis is used to describe on how rapidly the food is prepared and served. “Most fast food is delivered to the restaurant already frozen, canned, dehydrated, or freeze-dried. A fast food kitchen is merely the final stage in a vast and highly complex system of mass production (671).” Schlosser uses this to express how systemic we are becoming. We are not focussing on quality, but rather quantity. The personal touch along with our humanity is being diminished by this industry. Convenience is relied on too much and we do not understand what the value of this food truly is.
Schlosser’s decision to incorporate all these methods is what makes his argument so strong. He can provide evidence in different ways. These methods help readers better understand a topic, relate to it and analyze it further. The essay flows and is informative because of these methods. If he chose to focus on method his essay may have become dull. Even though I found Schlosser’s essay to be very informative, I would have changed the way he organized it. I feel that he jumps around a bit too much. It would have been more effective if he grouped how the food is prepared with the small farmers portion. He leaves that off until the tail end of the essay. It should have been addressed earlier. I also think he should have explained why fast food is so bad for our health. He mentions that there are harmful substances in this food, but not what they do to us directly.
I have to say that I do agree with his argument. The fast food industry is definitely taking over. We have to realize its impact on society. It is a shame that so many small business are being trumped by it, and that obesity is spreading. We are brainwashed consumers. I am a foodie and I always trying to find a small restaurant that is not necessarily a chain. Quality means something to me, and I do enjoy that there is effort and creativity put in to what I am eating. For me the fast food industry has destroyed the art of food. This essay helped reinforce my dislike of the fast food industry. I will definitely continue to boycott it and search for restauranteurs that take pride in their work.
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