Today I was fortunate enough to see Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation: The Dark side of all The American-American Meal, discuss the rhetoric behind America’s fast food giants about the hidden marketing tactics towards small children and how that has resulted in a nation that is addicted to the cheap and tasty fast food.
An interesting point that Schlosser discussed was how these fast food giants target children as early as nice months old using Walt Disney’s tactics of using adorable cartoon characters that would appeal to small children. McDonalds did not figure this out by themselves. There was one point in McDonald's history where they thought they should dispose of the arch to save money. But instead of making a hasty move, they hired scientist to do some research to see if the arch attracts young children and retains their loyalty though out their lives.
The conclusion of the study stated that the McDonald’s golden arch is the “mother’s breast of McDonalds” and that more importantly, small children are attracted to the arch at a very young age, and that many of the children do retain brand loyalty thought out their lives. The same principles that attract children to the arch can also be applied to cute characters. So McDonalds corporation created Ronald McDonald, a red headed clown who is geared towards making children laugh, and a whole wide range set of cartoon characters that all love to eat hamburgers. The basic theory behind this is that if one sees a peer doing something and enjoying it, that they will also feel compelled to do it to fit in that group. McDonald’s tactics to target young children have caused a whole generation of children heart diseases, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and especially diabetes.
McDonald’s toxic discourse has truly created an unprecedented amount of unhealthy food in the United States, and people who are suffering from multiple diseases at very young ages. Congress has been really lax about coercing McDonald’s to change their marketing tactics towards children. Michelle Obama has attempted to fight the major conglomerate, but has made little success. The largest voice out there right now who is targeting McDonald’s and demanding them to change their tactics is Eric Schlosser. He has created a wave of lawyers, consumers and even congressmen who are determined to change the way McDonald’s markets. But the question remains, is that enough to take on a multi billion dollar company?
Unfortunately, the big bucks McDonald’s pay lobbyist to shut up congressmen has made the chances of congress actually passing any laws that will prevent their money hungry marketing practices are very low. What must be done is that normal people, like you and I, must create grassroots organizations to fight against the way McDonald’s targets children. We need butchers, lawyers, college students, professors, doctors, nutritionist, and anyone who wants to see our children live healthy lives to join together under the cause. These grassroots organizations don’t simply have to be towards McDonald’s marketing strategies, but towards a whole range of issues such as the unsafe and unsanitary production of food, and the a way to make the food more healthy. The painful truth is that as long as McDonald’s isn’t pressured to change their ways, they won’t change. They are making money. It will take millions of concerned and organized individuals to challenge McDonald’s to make our country healthier, and to prevent our children from being targeted.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Thoreau's issues
William Cronon's essay really makes one rethink the whole blissful and enlightening experience of the wilderness. Cronon makes many great points about how the wilderness, since the beginning of time, has been known as "barren", "desloate", and a "waste." He uses many persuasive arguments that support his thesis. He argues that even in the Bible, the wilderness was depicted as a place with the devil in it. Cronon uses examples such as Jesus being tempted by the devil for forty days and Moses' experience in the wilderness.
The critiques Cronon demonstrates makes me question if mankind truly has a place in wilderness. I feel that just about all of us human beings have become so dependent on each other, that it would be virtually impossible, and perhaps foolish to go back. I can guarantee that almost nobody in the civilized world has the abilities to be able to survive in solitude in the wilderness for a long periods of time. People nowadays can't make houses, can't create clothes, can't hunt for food, and don't know the difference between an edible plant and a poisonous one.. In a since, civilization is man, and man is civilization. We are a species that depends on each other.
Every passing year, people become more dependent and connected with each other. With the invention of the written language thousands of years ago, people figured out ways to communicate with each other and to exchange information. When the telephone was invented in the late 19th century, the world became even smaller and more connected. And with the internet, the world became flat and small, like a ball. Nowadays, people can have specialized factories create anything they want with the click of a mouse. People can go to college on the internet and speak to professors and learn how to communicate and specialize. People are becoming more independent and specialized as the world becomes smaller. If one wants to survive in this world, one should not run off in a forest and be a cave man, instead, one should should find his part in the civilized network, and play his part to make it work for him.
The critiques Cronon demonstrates makes me question if mankind truly has a place in wilderness. I feel that just about all of us human beings have become so dependent on each other, that it would be virtually impossible, and perhaps foolish to go back. I can guarantee that almost nobody in the civilized world has the abilities to be able to survive in solitude in the wilderness for a long periods of time. People nowadays can't make houses, can't create clothes, can't hunt for food, and don't know the difference between an edible plant and a poisonous one.. In a since, civilization is man, and man is civilization. We are a species that depends on each other.
Every passing year, people become more dependent and connected with each other. With the invention of the written language thousands of years ago, people figured out ways to communicate with each other and to exchange information. When the telephone was invented in the late 19th century, the world became even smaller and more connected. And with the internet, the world became flat and small, like a ball. Nowadays, people can have specialized factories create anything they want with the click of a mouse. People can go to college on the internet and speak to professors and learn how to communicate and specialize. People are becoming more independent and specialized as the world becomes smaller. If one wants to survive in this world, one should not run off in a forest and be a cave man, instead, one should should find his part in the civilized network, and play his part to make it work for him.
Who am I?
My name is Baron Laudermilk and I am a senior at Ohio University studying both Political Science and East Asian relations. I have a particular interest in Chinese culture, history, politics and language. I have been studying China for about three years now, and I think that after I graduate, I will study in China for a few years while writing and teaching English. After that, I will come back to the U.S and attempt to get my PhD so I am get involved in world politics and perhaps write and teach on the side. Besides studying China, I enjoy reading about Middle Eastern relations, domestic politics, and I love to watch sitcoms and action packed films. During my spare time, I work out, hang out with people who are much different than I am, and catch up on reading about the environment art, and new tech. I also love to learn about nature, gardening, the environment, and working out.
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