Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?

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Sorry for the inconvenience. EBlogger 3: Is Fast Food the New Tobacco

These past two weeks I can definitely say was the most info-packed week so far. The food industry topic is not one to mess with when getting into the nitty gritty. I have learned while researching many things that were absurd or uncalled for. Definitely I can argue that recently the past couple of years there has been both passive and aggressive moves to convince people to eat healthier. More healthier options to purchase goods are becoming more available to the hands of lower income communities. Despite the positive we also look at the negative. We ask why is it taking so long for change to be in effect, what is there to lose exactly. This is where this week's question comes into play, “Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?” or in other words should the blame fall into personal or government responsibility?  It would be most obvious to blame the social order, the government, pointing the finger to take more control and precaution to increase the awareness of unhealthy eating. But let's really think about this, take a different perspective if you will. We notice, at the end of the day it is our decision that determines what fate we choose, eat that greasy cheeseburger or substitute it for a salad. In other words, we should be pointing the finger at us, the people. To counterclaim, venturing in the world of advertising, food processing, and food quality vs. quantity debates, it all relies on the social order, the government. The main source in taking control of food availability and its precautions to spread food awareness of unhealthy eating. Possibly the government is to blame as well. However as stated before there has been efforts taken to spread food awareness specifically food ingredients. 

In the article “Don't Blame the Eater” written by David Zinczenko he talks both about how some may point the blame on government order, and others on personal choices. In the article it states “They would do well to protect themselves, and their customers, by providing the nutrition information people need to make informed choices about their products.”. This statement would mean mass food companies would balance their food quantity vs quality rating, taking their consumers into consideration (they have to know what they're intaking into their bodies). Comparing the time between the published date of the article to now, people are more aware of the circumstances. In Radley Balko’s article, “What You Eat Is Your Business” it mainly talks about ironically what the title states, the people choose to eat what they want. Also logically putting the government on the spotlight blaming them for our food habit ways. The article reads, “For decades now America’s health system has been migrating towards socialism”, meaning certain requirements and access is all dependent on economic standpoint. This is where the discussion of food deserts and lack of health knowledge of the lower class communities emerge. The corrupt system of the government maintains this, as their way of being in control or of dependency. Lastly the Netflix documentary, What the Health, Netflix, Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn. This documentary reminded me a lot of a book I read in middle school, “The Omnivore's Dilemma” written by Micheal Pollan. They both dive straight into the world of food productivity from the world of hunter gathering, to the dark secrets no one is dared to speak of in the mass food production industry. Truly a gruesome and grotesque reality of our country alone, yet we live with it. It makes money, it feeds its hungry customers, no shame in society about it. An uneasy feeling that generates throughout the whole duration of the film, it makes you wonder how it came down to this. 

Reflecting and recapping from the debate I can conclude that although stressful, it was a very interactive and engaging experience. The anticipation to see what our opposing teams defense strategies were very on edge of your seat. In my opinion they heavily relied on Michelle Obama's speech regarding raising awareness and credibility towards healthy eating. They pointed out major points that benefited them but went against our standpoint. This debate truly went out of my comfort zone but I have definitely learned and excelled from it post presenting. At the end of the day it was all about getting everyone's voice heard and to contribute everyones thoughts in a proper and formal environment. In conclusion to my reflection on the debate, I would remain to my side, blaming the government influencing the trends of unhealthy eating and obesity. 

We live in a nation where we mainly get to choose how we live, from eating, to living, making day to day choices, us citizens have that liberty. Give or take certain limitations from that liberty, in the topic of food, we have the choice to eat whatever, whenever, however we want healthy or processed. In a figurative saying, you put your money where your mouth is. One’s ability to always be accountable for “eating their life away”, should we stay in denial or accept that knowing (vast majority) the deteriorating properties within the ingredients we continue to slowly kill ourselves.

Works Cited 

Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., & Durst, R. (2021). “They Say / I Say” with Readings (Fifth ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.

What the Health, Netflix, Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn, 2017, www.WhatTheHealthFilm.com