Eric Schlosser is the Upton Sinclair of the 2000's or at least he thinks he is. His book was quite annoying and there were only a few bits and pieces that I was even interested in or that told me something new.
The entire first part of the book is devoted to US migration patterns and how the automobile was the cause for the fast food industry and how apparently the industry is the cause for the decay of humanity. Everything turns bad when a fast food restaurant is built in a community. Eric also showed us his first hidden agenda of the evils of urban sprawl. Apparently progression of society is a bad thing. Then he showed us a repeat of "The Jungle" in his description of slaughter houses and how horrible they are and dangerous and how the fast food industry is what's causing this since they are the leading purchasers of the meat coming from slaughterhouses. Then he shows us his 2nd bit of hidden agenda when he praises the Clinton administration in their fight against the slaughter houses in getting the USDA to reform and make things more sanitary and how the Republicans fought it the whole way. (aka: Democrats: good, Republicans: bad).
Like I said earlier though, I did find a few interesting points in this book and learned a few things as well. I was sickened when Eric spoke about how in depth companies go to market towards kids and how food and drink companies (like Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, etc) are partnering up with schools to get their products in the school and their advertisements to promote more buying of their products. Now our children aren't safe at any time during the day. School was the one time they weren't bombarded with ads and commercials. Now because of funding issues, schools are turning to these corporations for money. I don't know if there's a solution for this. On the one hand I would hate for my children to go to a school that was underfunded and without the equipment necessary to teach my children properly but is there another place they can get their funding from?
I was also surprized to learn that McDonald's puts beef flavoring in just about everything from their fries to their chicken nuggets. No wonder they taste so good. And on that thought, I had no idea there was such a thing as a flavor company that supplies flavors to tons of food companies as well as perfume companies, etc. I just thought the food companies manufactured their own flavors. Man what did I know.
I was also appalled at the way the fast food industry is trying to make it so that they can have a "zero training" environment for people to work in. I would love it if the people handling my food had actually taken a food handler's class or food safety class before they were even allowed to work at a place that sells food. I worked for McDonald's in high school and don't remember having to take said classes in order to work there and at the time, it didn't seem weird or wrong to me. When I got to college any job I did that involved food required me to take those classes.
Anyway, in conclusion I wasn't pleased about Schlosser's hidden agendas and page after page of facts and no answers. He didn't really offer and solutions to these problems. He just whined and complained and showed the ugly side of everything I guess to fire up the reader. So what's the solution then? If everyone stopped going to fast food restaurants then they'd be gone but what about the slaughter houses? They also supply meat to the grocery stores where we go and purchase our own meat. The fast food industry isn't responsible entirely (if at all) for the conditions of slaughterhouses. I think there should be stricter laws enforcing sanitary conditions at the slaughter house, the fast food restaurant itself, etc. I think there should be laws about how much training a fast food worker gets and that they go through the food handlers classes. I don't think the fast food industry should be trying to go for a "zero training" atmosphere but instead should be training these people on cleanliness and how to handle the food properly and how to use the machines so that in turn everyone will be happy. So they'd have to pay them a little more....they'd get more business in return by those who were happier at a cleaner, healthier restaurant.
We all have to eat. Where we choose to do it is our own choice. I understand that eating at fast food restaurants or any restaurant for that matter isn't as good as cooking for ourselves. All things in moderation right? So why not include fast food in that category and be done with it?
And now I step off my soap box.
The entire first part of the book is devoted to US migration patterns and how the automobile was the cause for the fast food industry and how apparently the industry is the cause for the decay of humanity. Everything turns bad when a fast food restaurant is built in a community. Eric also showed us his first hidden agenda of the evils of urban sprawl. Apparently progression of society is a bad thing. Then he showed us a repeat of "The Jungle" in his description of slaughter houses and how horrible they are and dangerous and how the fast food industry is what's causing this since they are the leading purchasers of the meat coming from slaughterhouses. Then he shows us his 2nd bit of hidden agenda when he praises the Clinton administration in their fight against the slaughter houses in getting the USDA to reform and make things more sanitary and how the Republicans fought it the whole way. (aka: Democrats: good, Republicans: bad).
Like I said earlier though, I did find a few interesting points in this book and learned a few things as well. I was sickened when Eric spoke about how in depth companies go to market towards kids and how food and drink companies (like Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, etc) are partnering up with schools to get their products in the school and their advertisements to promote more buying of their products. Now our children aren't safe at any time during the day. School was the one time they weren't bombarded with ads and commercials. Now because of funding issues, schools are turning to these corporations for money. I don't know if there's a solution for this. On the one hand I would hate for my children to go to a school that was underfunded and without the equipment necessary to teach my children properly but is there another place they can get their funding from?
I was also surprized to learn that McDonald's puts beef flavoring in just about everything from their fries to their chicken nuggets. No wonder they taste so good. And on that thought, I had no idea there was such a thing as a flavor company that supplies flavors to tons of food companies as well as perfume companies, etc. I just thought the food companies manufactured their own flavors. Man what did I know.
I was also appalled at the way the fast food industry is trying to make it so that they can have a "zero training" environment for people to work in. I would love it if the people handling my food had actually taken a food handler's class or food safety class before they were even allowed to work at a place that sells food. I worked for McDonald's in high school and don't remember having to take said classes in order to work there and at the time, it didn't seem weird or wrong to me. When I got to college any job I did that involved food required me to take those classes.
Anyway, in conclusion I wasn't pleased about Schlosser's hidden agendas and page after page of facts and no answers. He didn't really offer and solutions to these problems. He just whined and complained and showed the ugly side of everything I guess to fire up the reader. So what's the solution then? If everyone stopped going to fast food restaurants then they'd be gone but what about the slaughter houses? They also supply meat to the grocery stores where we go and purchase our own meat. The fast food industry isn't responsible entirely (if at all) for the conditions of slaughterhouses. I think there should be stricter laws enforcing sanitary conditions at the slaughter house, the fast food restaurant itself, etc. I think there should be laws about how much training a fast food worker gets and that they go through the food handlers classes. I don't think the fast food industry should be trying to go for a "zero training" atmosphere but instead should be training these people on cleanliness and how to handle the food properly and how to use the machines so that in turn everyone will be happy. So they'd have to pay them a little more....they'd get more business in return by those who were happier at a cleaner, healthier restaurant.
We all have to eat. Where we choose to do it is our own choice. I understand that eating at fast food restaurants or any restaurant for that matter isn't as good as cooking for ourselves. All things in moderation right? So why not include fast food in that category and be done with it?
And now I step off my soap box.
3 comments:
This is a very extreme case against slaughterhouses with the usage of fast food chains to fuel the fire in fanatics. I agree to a certain level about FDA and their hidden agends with the AMA/ADA. please excuse all the acronymns. I can't even spell that word. I discourage anyone from eating fast food not for the slaughterhouse conditions but for the plain and simple fact that it is unhealthy! So you spend a few extra minutes in the morning making breakfast and lunch. And a good home cooked meal always killed a fast food burger in any contest. I agree that schools are desperate but how about California schools who are funded by the Lottery? Is that any better? I know that my daughter's school is not allowed to sell soda or any fast food like McDonDons or BK etc. They are really striving for healthier choices. But I did voice my concern when they were teaching her the Fast Food Song. That really upset me and now Sarah knows we don't sing it and she even told her teacher it was bad. Kids are so innocent. Back to slaughterhouses. I agree there should be regulations and I know there are, the extremists don't want them to exist. That is their way to try and force people to think and act like them. It is the same with any kind of propoganda. This was a great post by the way. I loved it!
I find it interesting that while schools say they are promoting healthy kids...most children are down to one recess. Kids can't go out when its a little cold or hot not because they will complain but because the teachers don't want to go out. I have always HATED school lunches...just pack your own and you'll get a better nutritional and economical value. I was inspired by an executive chefs book, entitled "Chef Bobo Good Food Cookbook" about his experience feeding children at a private K-12 high school. His standards are much higher then most school districts and he was able to make it happen while staying within budget.
I remember reading The Jungle in school and I think we as a nation have made great strides in making sure our food is clean. And I think it would be fair to say that most foods are safer then the homecook who does not thoroughly wash their hands and has a fido or meow meow running around the house and getting into you know what.. Okay...now I'm off my soap box. Thanks for the post.
A little late, but posting to this blog is SO much more entertaining than watching paint dry--which is what I'd be doing otherwise.
The "cruelty" in slaughterhouses started long ago; but it was not always thus. It always comes down to the "time is money" concept. Quick and dirty is most efficient.
There is a woman named "Temple Grandin" who crusades for the humane slaughter of beef cattle. She claims that human touch, quiet surroundings and a calm atmosphere will make the cattle less anxious as they are herded toward the killing point.
This hypothesis is supported by anecdote: I remember Grandpa Cordner slaughtering chickens. He had to sneak up on them, b/c if they ran fast before they were killed, the meat was not as good. And yes, it's true: chickens DO run around crazily when their heads are cut off!
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