Fast Food Nation The Dark Side Of Fast Summary

Analysis of Motives in Two Essays

In the introduction to the book “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”, Eric Schlosser focuses on the fast food industry while in “The Good and Bad News about Obesity: It’s No Longer Rising, but It’s More Dangerous than Ever” Alexandra Sifferlin focuses on the obesity epidemic, both in the US. In particular, Schlosser discusses unethical reasons behind the success of fast food industries, as well as their destruction of the socio-economic aspects of the American rural life while Sifferlin discusses the latest prevalence and mortality rates of obesity. A careful examination of the two articles reveals a motive of public good in the two authors. Both Schlosser and Sifferlin are motivated by

the need to protect the public from the socio-economic evils of the fast food industry and deadly effects of obesity, respectively. Although the two authors have this general motive in common, they have more specific motives which help them achieve the general motive. This paper provides an analysis of the motives of each of the authors, together with illustrations from the articles. The primary argument, therefore, is that whereas Schlosser’s inspiration is the desire to reveal the secrets behind the enormous growth and dominance of the fast food industry and to sensitize Americans about its social harms, Sifferlin is inspired not only by the progress made in combating obesity, but also the fatal threat of obesity to Americans.
Schlosser’s article appears to be condemnatory.

Schlosser is condemning the fast food industry for concealing the source of their products and meal preparation methods, targeting children, destroying the life of rural Americans, and the government’s failure to regulate fast food industry. In this respect, the specific motives behind Schlosser’s article are transparency, exploitation of workers, responsible marketing and government’s regulatory role, and corporate social responsibility. First, Schlosser is questioning the commitment of fast food chains to transparency, especially in relation to the sources of their products and how food is prepared. Schlosser argues that fast food is not prepared through the conventional cooking means but rather through use of advanced technological and engineering means. These observations are properly supported, given that most of the fast foods are not prepared in the restaurant kitchen but rather in a mass production

site.
Another specific motivation is the exploitation of workers in the fast food industry. Schlosser has argued that although fast food restaurants constitute “America’s largest private employer…it pays some of the lowest wages” (Schlosser n. p). As a result, almost all employees in the restaurant industry are minimum wage earners. Furthermore, responsible marketing and the role of government are key motives. Schlosser has highlighted the wrongs of the fast food industry in targeting children and faulted the federal government for failing to intervene. Schlosser notes that fast food is “heavily marketed to children” while federal agencies tasked with the role of regulating fast food industry behave “like branch offices of the [fast food] companies” (Schlosser n. p.).
Schlosser’s other important motive relates to the social responsibility of the fast food corporations. Schlosser is concerned about the destructive effect of the fast food industry to the socio-economic aspects of the American rural society. Schlosser (n. p.) laments that “farmers and cattle ranchers are losing their independence, essentially becoming hired hands…or being forced off the land” as giant agribusiness giants turn their land into food-industrial complexes. Moreover, American rural societies are “losing their middle class and becoming socially stratified” (Schlosser n. p.), with a few wealthy and poor working masses.
Unlike Schlosser’s condemnatory article, Sifferlin’s article is appreciative and at the same time cautionary.

In this light, the Sifferlin’s specific motives in writing this article are to recognize government’s efforts in combating obesity, encourage Americans to continue fighting obesity, and sensitize Americans on the dangers associated with obesity. First, Sifferlin appreciates the important role the federal and state governments have played in stalling obesity rates, which had been in the rise for decades. Relying on latest federal and private reports of prevalence of obesity, Sifferlin has demonstrated that obesity rates have remained stable in all but one state (Arkansas). Sifferlin has attributed the encouraging results to federal and state laws that have regulated physical exercise, lunch, fast foods and soft drinks in schools in an effort to protect

children.
The second motive in writing the article was the need to encourage Americans to continue fighting obesity. Sifferlin notes that obesity “has become so entrenched throughout the U.S. that reversing the tide may require more intensive effort” (Sifferlin n. p.). In an effort to show the need to continue with the fight, Sifferlin has noted that extreme obesity has increased by 35% despite the fact that “overall obesity rates have stabilized” (Sifferlin n. p.). Through the third motive, sensitizing the American people on the dangers associated with obesity, Sifferlin has provided a brief review of a recent study that reported mortality rates (Masters et al. 1895-1901). Sifferlin reports that obesity now is blamed for 18% of deaths among Americans ages 40 to 85 years old. Therefore, although obesity rates have stabilized thanks to state and federal laws, there is still more to do, given that extreme obesity and obesity mortality are on the increase.
In conclusion, it is important to note that although fast food is linked to obesity, Schlosser has avoided establishing that link. In fact, Schlosser has used the word ‘obesity’ only once and in a nonessential manner as it was in parentheses. Sifferlin’s article is entirely on obesity, and has not even used “fast foods” in the article, although references to calories are made several times. Therefore, the two authors have discussed two separate but related topics, all of which have important implications to the healthy living of Americans. In this regard, the general motive of the two articles is public good. The two authors hoped to save Americans from the evils of fast foods and obesity. Although the overall motive is the same, each of the two authors was motivated by more specific motives.

Works Cited
Masters, Ryan K., et al. "The Impact of Obesity on US Mortality Levels: The Importance of Age and Cohort Factors in Population Estimates." American Journal of Public Health 103.10 (2013): 1895-1901. Print.
Schlosser, Eric. “Introduction. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. By Schlosser.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 2000. Web. 27 October 2014.
Sifferlin, Alexandria. “The Good and Bad News about Obesity: It’s No Longer Rising, but It’s More Dangerous Than Ever.” Time. Time Healthland, 16 August 2013. Web. 27 October 2014.