Food Inc.

Food Inc left a really strong impression on me about how twisted and corrupt our food industry system is and how little the consumers are actually informed. I was so disgusted that all these multimillion dollar industries see a dollar sign over the condition of their food or even the conditions of their own workers. As consumers, we are put in the dark about the products we are eating and buying which honestly makes me lose faith in humanity. Especially the fact that we put our faith and trust in the government to protect and regulate the simplicities of our life, this was truly horrifying.

In Food Inc, there were several subcategories of different ways the food industry is not at all what it seems. The first category mentioned was how multimillion dollar companies have power and control over everything that they do. You would assume that it's the farmers who have control of how they raise their chickens or grow their corn but that is certainly not the case. The companies that are buying all the meat have complete control over the small farmers and these companies definitely have their ways of keeping the farmers under their thumb. Farmers now raise genetically modified chickens that make them grow rapidly causing serval health issues. The chickens are growing so rapidly and unnaturally that their inner organs struggle to keep up with the growth spurt leading to them not being able to walk more than a few steps before collapsing to the ground. Another way the farmers are kept under control is that they are forced to constantly update to new farming equipment. An average farmer borrows $500,000 to build two chicken houses and only make around $18,000 a year. With most farmers in debt, they have to follow the demands of the companies or else they would risk a termination in their contract leading them to go out of business.

Another fact that stood out to me was the importance and mass production of corn. Nowadays farmers grow so much corn there's mountains of it being transported daily. Thanks to the cheap price of corn and the new technologies of different ways to use corn it is one of the most demanded crops. Corn is found in most of our foods and products due to the fact that it can last for a long time. One of the most common uses of corn is high fructose corn syrup which is in most products today. Corn is also used to feed cows in replace of grass because it's cheaper and it helps how gain weight a lot faster than grass. However one thing that's hidden from the consumers are the dangers of this change. When the cows are fed corn, a chemical called E. coli is formed, causing a mutation in the cow and cattle. When the cows are standing in their poop all day, they are sent to the slaughterhouses with the feces on it, it gets all over the processed meat that we buy at the stores. There was also a case where a little boy died because of the unsanitary meat he ate that was contaminated with E. coli. The most ridiculous part is that if cows went back to being grass fed, 80% of the E. coli would shed out of their system, but instead of the simple way out, they decided to use ammonia to get rid of the E. coli. With the budget cuts set in the FDA when will change ever come ? Many of the board members of these multimillion franchisees play a role in politics, which makes it a lot tricker to have change. When we are dependent on our government to keep us safe, and all they're looking out for is their amount of profit, how can we ever trust what we put into our mouths ?

My food motto is to eat what you want as long as you are informed . At the end of the day, nobody has the right to tell you what you should be eating or what you shouldn't be eating. You should be able to eat anything you like as long as you are aware of what you are putting into your body. Whether you chose to put organic vegetables into your body or to put fast food and highly processed food into your body, the decision is yours. As long as you are informed of what you are eating, you can eat whatever you want. If you become too concerned with eating healthy where you can't even enjoy a treat every once  in a while, that can lead to even more negative effects such as eating disorders. The body is yours, the health is yours, therefore the decision is yours.

What We Eat

In ''What We Eat'', Eric Schlosser talks about the exponential growth of fast food industries and how its impacted the United States throughout the years. He argues that fast food industries impact more than just what we eat but a lot more. It impacts our economy, our jobs, and our health. Whether we would like to agree or not, fast food has inevitably become a part of our life and surrounds us. Schlosser states ''The fast food industry has helped to transform not only the American diet, but also our landscape, economy, workforce, and popular culture''. Contrary to what many may think, fast food industries run more than just food companies, but they actually have a strong influence in everything else in our daily lives. Schlosser supports his argument with description and comparison.

Schlosser expresses description in his essay when he talks about uniformity. He explains how fast food chain restaurants are spreading vastly within the food courts of malls. He states ''Franchises and chain stores strive to offer exactly the same product or service at numerous locations. Customers are drawn to familiar brands by an instinct to avoid the unknown. A brand offers a feeling of reassurance when its products are always and everywhere the same''(670). He explains customers are drawn to familiar brands, making them more popular. When constantly seeing a familiar brand, you feel more reassurance in what you're getting. 

Another way Schlosser argues the impact of fast food chain restaurants is by using comparison. He gives the example of how Mcdonald's is more popular than Coca-Cola now. He states ''Mcdonald's spends more money on advertising and marketing than any other brand. As a result it has replaced Coca-Cola as the world's most famous brand'' (669). There was also a ''survey of American school children found that 96 percent could identify Ronald Mcdonald. The only fictional character with a higher degree of recognition was Santa Claus'' (669). Schlosser compares Mcdonald's to famous brands such as Coca-Cola and characters Ronald Mcdonald to Santa Claus to see how much Mcdonald's has impacted American cultures. At one point, he even states ''The golden arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian crosses'' (669). I personally feel that comparison was his strongest argument because he compared such basic American cultures to fast food chains such as Mcdonalds. He explains how seeing a Mcdonald's is such an average norm that has inter weaved with American society. 

Extra Credit

In ''Two Ways to Belong in America'' by Bharati Mukherjee compares and contrasts the two different ways you can belong in America, and how immigrants have different experiences in a new environment. I personally liked this essay and how she showed the two differing experiences her and her sister had. She starts off her essay describing her and her sister's similarities and all the things they had in common but introduces a turning point by how they changed since in America stating ''In one family, from two sisters alike as peas in a pod, there would not be a wider divergence of immigrant experience. She retained them all. Which of us is the freak?'' (274). I generally liked the idea of introducing herself as a ''freak'' because it shows how each perspective could be viewed at so differently. She also doesn't just state that she's right and that her sister is a freak, but instead she shows her own confusion, of who could be right. She focuses on the black and white of new immigrants in America, but merely touches upon the grey area in between. I think it would've been a stronger essay if she explained how neither of them are correct, but that there is an in between where some people adapt yet stay rooted. You don't have to stay 100% dedicated to either your own culture or American traditions but you can learn to balance both. It would be great to still have a sense of your own cultures, but also adapt to American customs since it is your new home as well.

Shelia Jasonoff responds to Bharati Mukherjee's essay with a personal defense. She shares her own personal narrative; being a new American immigrant from South Asia and explains how there definitely is a gray area. You don't necessarily have to drop all your cultures and just adapt to American cultures nor do you have to reject all American habits and stay soley rooted to your own traditions. Instead, Jasonoff argues that you can surely balance both and be just as happy. There is no right or wrong answer in this situation, and no one is necessarily a ''freak''. We're all freaks, we need to embrace it.

Compare and Contrast

Generally, we compare and contrast to see the positives and negatives of each situation. It is a clear and efficient way of visually separating two different ideas. When placed next to each other you can see which idea is more beneficial to you and it's easier to make decisions. Comparing and contrasting makes it easier to analyze the two topics. You can either synthesize it and see what they have in common, or see the differences in both ideas.

In ''Two Ways We Belong in America,'' Bharati Mukherjee compares and contrasts different views of immigrants that came to America. She compares her personal experiences whilst living in America with her sister (Mira's) experiences. Mukherjee also compares how her and her sister used to be completely in sync, but now they have mismatched views ''When we left India, we were almost identical in appearance and attitude. We dressed alike, in saris; we expressed identical views on politics, social issues, love and marriage'' (272). When these sisters first immigrated to America, they had corresponding views but after living in America, they couldn't be any more different. Mukherjee states '' In one family, from two sisters alike as peas in a pod, there could not be a wider divergence of immigrant experience. America spoke to me- I married it- I embraced the demotion.... She retained them all. Which of us is the freak? ''(274). Mukherjee has chosen to release and change her old habits to accept American traditions. Mira on the other hand clung on to her roots and didn't plan to stay in America for the rest of her life. She's held on to her green card so she can return back to India when she retires, which is something Mukherjee would never consider. Mukherjee says '' Mira and I differ; however, in the ways we hope to interact with the country we have chosen to live in. She is happier to live in America as expatriate Indian than as an immigrant American. I need to feel like a part of the community I have adopted and I need to put the roots down'' (275). Bharati chooses to focus more on the differences between her and her sister. She starts off her essay talking about their similarities and uses the rest of the essay to show how much they've drifted apart and changed.

I personally agree with Muhkerjee's argument that you need to adapt to the community that you have immigrated to. Although it is important to stay planted and to remember your roots, a new location means a new adaptation. You have to adapt to the new community and location, but to what extent you change is up to you. If you don't accommodate to the new culture, you will be seen as an outsider and you won't fit in with everyone else. It will be more challenging to interact with others if you don't conform.

Lies, Lies, Lies

In ''The Ways We Lie'', Stephanie Ericson classifies the different types of lies we tell. She categorizes them under the different types of lies we tell, why we tell them, and under what circumstances we tell that lie. Some categories she included are white lies, facades, ignoring the plain facts, deflecting, omission, stereotypes, cliches, groupthink, out-and-out lies, dismissal and delusion. By categorizing each lie as a different type of lie, it makes me question the heavy impact of lies and how many different lies we can tell throughout a day. Each lie also hits a different mark on the scale of lies from a little white lie to delusional lies. Stephanie Ericson's statement ''I tried hard not to tell a lie for a day and I found myself struggling''. This essay made me reflect on my own life and it made me realize that I too tell lies on a daily basis that it's become a norm.

I definitely agree with Ericson because each lie is made under a different pretense. Sometimes ''we exaggerate, we minimize, we avoid confrontation, we spare people's feelings, we conveniently forget, we keep secrets'' but it keeps the world round. Although each one is indeed a fib there are different degrees of the lies we tell and the reasons we tell the lie usually varies as well. Lies are inevitable, and will happen whether we do it intentionally or accidentally. I like how Ericson brings up how lies can be both positive and harmful at the same time. Some lies are told with good intentions such as telling your friend she looks good in a dress when she doesn't. You spare her feelings and give her that boost of confidence she needed after a bad week. Of course, this is still a lie, but if it's a lie told with good intentions, does it make it okay? Or on the other hand if you lie or withhold information purposely to harm someone else, if that wrong? Aren't lies in general bad? What makes them different and under what circumstances is it okay to lie? Stephanie Ericson answers all these questions in her essay where she classifies the different types of lies we tell.

I think Ericson's purpose of writing this essay is to show us that there is a story behind every lie we tell, and that lying is natural and inevitable. Even the most honest person will tell a fib eventually.  Telling a lie doesn't always make us a bad person. Lying isn't a black and white situation, but actually ends up in the grey area in between. Instead of quickly judging someone based on their lies, you should always question their intentions in telling that lie. Whether they did it for the benefit of others or the harm of others. Ericson also teaches us that lies are all around, us so we should always be wary of the rumors we heard around us. It's a simple nature of humanity that can not be avoided, so instead of trying to get rid of it, we need to learn to embrace it and know what to expect when words leave someone's mouth. It brings up a new perspective on lies that needs to be heard.

How in the World Do You Get a Skunk Out of a Bottle?

Connor's essay is titled with a question to draw the readers' attention. He titles the essay ''How in the World Do You Get a Skunk Out of a Bottle'' because it is such a ridiculous question. It immediately forces the reader to think about the question at hand. The title also introduces his argument of how humans are not keeping the community clean leading to the harm of innocent animals. 

It is true that most people will never encounter a situation in which they will have the opportunity to pull a skunk out of a bottle. Connor uses such an impossible situation to prove the point that these impossibilities are still possible. If we don't start being careful with how we dispose our garbage, it can harm animals and humans around us. We don't think twice when we throw out that empty water bottle, but we never consider what happens to the bottle after it leaves our hands. Therefore, Connor uses the example of having a skunk stuck inside a bottle to prove that the impossible can still happen and if we're not careful with how we dispose of our garbage it can harm our world. Another point Connor might have wanted to prove is that sometimes you need to put someone else's needs over yours. In the essay, Connor repeatedly says how he's scared that the skunk will spray him and that made him hesitant to help the skunk. However, in the end Connor put his fears aside and realized that the skunk's life was more important. If we don't start caring for others and our own environment, our world will result in turmoil. 

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