"WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR E-COLI FOR HERE OR TO GO?"
Written: May 02 '01 (Updated May 02 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very informative book, interesting read. Thought provoking (and how!).
Cons: Nothing. Every consumer owes it to themselves to read this book.
The Bottom Line: Extremely informative book that tells how the fast food industry "really" operates and how they basically deceive consumers.
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| gerper's Full Review: Eric Schlosser - Fast Food Nation Tie-in: The Dark... |
As a person who has recently decided to change their eating and lifestyle habits to lose some weight (20 pounds lost since mid February, giddy), one of the first things that I cut out of my diet was fast food. I can honestly say that I haven’t had a burger or fries in months, and after reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, I wouldn’t eat a meal at McDonald’s or Burger King if you paid me. In addition to turning me completely off from the desire to eat fast food, Fast Food Nation gave me valuable insight as to how the fast food giants operate. Basically doing everything from brainwashing small children to almost forcing employees to work in conditions that most of us would deem as being filth and squalor.
Released in January 201, Fast Food Nation is the first book written by first time author Eric Schlosser. Fast Food Nation starts out explaining the history of the fast food industry and how McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc bought the McDonald’s dynasty from it’s original owners for nearly peanuts. The history of the fast food industry is interesting and provides a nice background for the book. Basically, the fast food industry attempts to “be the customer’s friend” and Schlosser discusses many of the tactics they use. For instance, those Happy Meals at McDonald’s aren’t just a bargain for the kiddies; rather, they are a marketing tool for McDonald’s to hook children into being customers for life. I mean, when was the last time your child commented on how tasty that burger was? I doubt never, as they were probably just wanting to get the latest Pokemon toy.
Another topic that Fast Food Nation covers is the labor practices that go on in the fast food industry. Want to know why service at your local Burger King is so crappy? Well, Schlosser explains why, and the big reason is the fact that while the fast food industry is one of the largest employment sectors, it also has the highest turnover rate; as high as 400% in some cases. Schlosser also discusses how the fast food industries squash employees’ attempts at forming unions, often cutting hours or even firing them when they attempt to do so.
Finally, Schlosser discusses the butchering and preparation methods of meat and other products that fast food chains use. Without going into a great deal of detail, it is really a miracle that there aren’t more cases of food poisoning, foot and mouth disease, or mad cow disease being caught in the world today. The slaughterhouse and factory conditions (where the food is prepped) are deplorable and disgusting. Schlosser really gives the reader almost “too much” information when it comes to this, but backs it up with facts, interviews and plenty of footnotes.
As a person who grew up on a farm and knows how slaughterhouses operate, I can honestly say that what Schlosser is describing is real. I prefer to get my meat from my father (who still slaughters and cuts his own meat), so I know what I am getting. Fast Food Nation really opened my eyes as to how the fast food industry works, and was a fascinating and interesting read, as I was able to finish this book in just a few days. If you are a consumer, concerned with what you are eating or how the fast food industry operates, do yourself a favor and read this book. It will open your eyes like nothing else.
As always, thanks for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
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gerper
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Member: gerper
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