Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation The Dark Side of the...

In the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser talks about the working conditions of fast food meat slaughterhouses. In the chapter â€Å"The Most Dangerous Job,† one of the workers, who despised his job, gave Schlosser an opportunity to walk through a slaughterhouse. As the author was progressed backwards through the slaughterhouse, he noticed how all the workers were sitting very close to each other with steel protective vests and knives. The workers were mainly young Latina women, who worked swiftly, accurately, while trying not to fall behind. Eric Schlosser explains how working in the slaughterhouses is the most dangerous profession – these poor working conditions and horrible treatment of employees in the plants are beyond†¦show more content†¦Horrible accidents occur where people lose body parts such as arms, hands or fingers. If that wasn’t bad enough sometimes they may lose their heads on the machines. In one case, a few workers tried to clean out a blood-collection tank, only to be suffocated by hydrogen sulfide fumes. Ever since immigrants started replacing workers in slaughterhouses, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) was formed. This organization is to enforce the health and safety laws by visiting the slaughterhouses once every eight years. I think that outrageous considering accidents happen every day. â€Å"The death of a worker on the job was punished with a fine of just a few hundred dollars†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (179). Workers with fatal injuries were told to come the next day to work and do easy jobs, in order to cover up the injuries so that nobody was missing that day. This organization never achieved its purpose, however it made people think that they would be more safe. Profit margins for slaughterhouses are very low. The faster the workers perform, the more profit comes in. If a person gets injured, the production line slows down with huge losses of profit. â€Å"The annual bonuses of plant foreman and supervisors are often based in part of the injury rate of their workers. Instead of creating a safer workplace, bonus schemes encourageShow MoreRelatedEric Schlossers Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal848 Words   |  4 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the fast food industry. However, his book is not merely an expose of the fast food industry but is even more a consideration of how the fast food industry has shaped and defined American society in America and for other nations as America exports its fast food culture to others. Schlosser describes a great deal of American culture to the fast food mentality, and he finds that globalization is taking the fast food culture around theRead MoreFast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser Essay1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe All-American meal takes more out of Americans to make then at first glance. Eric Schlosser’s book Fast Food Nation delves deep into the intricate workings of the fast food industry to expose mistreatment and cruelty towards workers in the business, just as Upton Sinclair had done in the early 1900’s regarding the meat packing industry. Schlosser is able to bring light to the darkness beh ind the All-American meal through extensive research and personal confrontations of which he has high regardsRead MoreFast Food Nation : The Dark Side Of The All American Meal5122 Words   |  21 Pages2015 Fast Food Nation Chapter 1: Eric Schlosser, in his nonfiction book, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (2001), acknowledges that the biggest fast food chains in America first started out as small restaurants, mainly in southern California, that adapted to the changing lifestyle of Americans and revolutionized the way people eat their meals. He supports his claim by first giving a brief story of Carl N. Karcher’s life and how he began his business in the fast food industryRead MoreFast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser Essay1928 Words   |  8 PagesOne of the most shocking books of the generation is Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation. The novel includes two sections, The American Way and Meat and Potatoes,† that aid him in describing the history and people who have helped shape up the basics of the â€Å"McWorld.† Fast Food Nation jumps into action at the beginning of the novel with a discussion of Carl N. Karcher and the McDonald’s brothers. He explores thei r roles as â€Å"Gods† of the fast-food industry. Schlosser then visits Colorado Springs andRead MoreFast Food Nation Research Paper1442 Words   |  6 Pageswhat is in your fast food might make you think twice the next time you devour it. As the rise of the fast food nation in America has increased to an all-time high, so has the weight and waists of Americans all around the country. Not only has the United States grown to love the acquired taste of greasy golden fries and juicy burgers, it has also grown ignorant to the way their food is prepared. In the novel, â€Å"Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal†(2002), by Eric Schlosser, he makesRead MoreGlobal Realization2094 Words   |  9 PagesEric Schlossers book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal explores the effects of the spread of multinational fast food corporations into other countries, and the resulting loss of national culture. In his chapter    â€Å"Global Realiza tion† Eric Schlosser claims that â€Å"The global expansion of American fast food is homogenizing cultural identities; like Las Vegas, it offers â€Å"a brief sense of hope†¦ that most brilliant illusion of all, a loss that feels like winning† (Schlosser). SchlosserRead MoreWhy the Fries Taste so Good1013 Words   |  5 Pagesexcerpt â€Å"Why the Fries Taste So Good† by Eric Schlosser, Schlosser deeply examines the process of one individual farmer and his process, not to mention takes it as far as going to the International Fragrance and Flavor facilities to see what truly does make the fries taste so good. He does a good job of hitting each individual appeal as a writer in order for us as readers to accept the information he’s handing out. Even in Ian Brailsford’s review of Schlosser’s excerpt, he finds little if any oppositionRead MoreFast Food Nation : The Dark Side Of The All American Meal1137 Words   |  5 PagesPeople today be lieve that the government is supposed to eliminate any possible danger from the food they consume, but that is not the case. In the book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of The All-American Meal written by Eric Schlosser, he discusses numerous problems with food production. Some of these issues are discussed in the â€Å"Epilogue†, â€Å"What’s In Meat†, and â€Å"Most Dangerous Job† chapters where Schlosser elaborates on the government’s role and how workers are mistreated. In the article, â€Å"U.S.Read MoreEssay An Analysis of Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation1154 Words   |  5 PagesNew York Times bestseller Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is one of the most riveting books to come out about fast food restaurants to date (Schlosser, 2004). Fast food consumption has become a way of life for many in the United States as well as many other countries in the world. The author Eric Schlosser an investigative reporter whose i mpeccable researching and bold interviewing captures the true essence of the immense impact that fast food restaurants are having in AmericaRead MoreFast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser1596 Words   |  7 Pagescheap food and cheap goods are scattered across the nation in every state and town. This is Eric Schlosser’s main topic in his novel Fast Food Nation. From telling the start of the first fast food restaurants in America, to explaining how the food is made, Schlosser s covers the whole history of the world wide food phenomenon. Eric Schlosser is an American journalist and Author of Fast Food Nation. He was born in Manhattan, New York, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. He studied American history Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation The Dark Side of the... In the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser writes about the fast food industry. However, his book is not merely an expose of the fast food industry but is even more a consideration of how the fast food industry has shaped and defined American society in America and for other nations as America exports its fast food culture to others. Schlosser describes a great deal of American culture to the fast food mentality, and he finds that globalization is taking the fast food culture around the world at a rapid rate. Schlosser addresses a number of specific issues related to food production and distribution. He connects the social order of a society to the kind of food it eats and the way it eats that food, with American society very†¦show more content†¦Some beef is considered questionable, and much of it makes its way through the USDA to school cafeterias as part of the National School Lunch Program. This is a very damaging charge as the most questionable beef is sent directly t o the most vulnerable population, suggesting that protecting the industry is more important to the government than protecting the consumer. The hamburger is connected to a huge industry, which in turn has a vital role in the overall American economy. More than this, the image of the hamburger represents America to many people around the world, and other icons carrying the idea of America is seen in the logos of companies like McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and similar companies. A related food item is the potato, for french fries are apart of in hamburger meals. Schlosser makes it clear to the reader that many of the foods he or she eats have been altered, with artificial flavors added even to natural foods like potatoes. French fries are not simply carved out of potatoes and then cooked--they are also laced with food additives of various sorts, including artificial flavoring, to assure that the flavor is uniform and that it comes through after the processing and cooking. Some additives are also used to maintain theShow MoreRelatedEric Schlossers Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal1377 Words   |  6 Pages In the book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser talks about the working conditions of fast food meat slaughterhouses. In the chapter â€Å"The Most Dangerous Job,† one of the workers, who despised his job, gave Schlosser an opportunity to walk through a slaughterhouse. As the author was progressed backwards through the slaughterhouse, he noticed how all the workers were sitting very close to each other with steel protective vests and knives. The workers were mainly young Latina women, who worked swiftlyRead MoreFast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser Essay1205 Words   |  5 PagesThe All-American meal takes more out of Americans to make then at first glance. Eric Schlosser’s book Fast Food Nation delves deep into the intricate workings of the fast food industry to expose mistreatment and cruelty towards workers in the business, just as Upton Sinclair had done in the early 1900’s regarding the meat packing industry. Schlosser is able to bring light to the darkness behind the All-American meal through extensive research and personal confrontations of which he has high regardsRead MoreFast Food Nation : The Dark Side Of The All American Meal5122 Words   |  21 Pages2015 Fast Food Nation Chapter 1: Eric Schlosser, in his nonfiction book, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (2001), acknowledges that the biggest fast food chains in America first started out as small restaurants, mainly in southern California, that adapted to the changing lifestyle of Americans and revolutionized the way people eat their meals. He supports his claim by first giving a brief story of Carl N. Karcher’s life and how he began his business in the fast food industryRead MoreFast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser Essay1928 Words   |  8 PagesOne of the most shocking books of the generation is Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation. The novel includes two sections, The American Way and Meat and Potatoes,† that aid him in describing the history and people who have helped shape up the basics of the â€Å"McWorld.† Fast Food Nation jumps into action at the beginning of the novel with a discussion of Carl N. Karcher and the McDonald’s brothers. He explores thei r roles as â€Å"Gods† of the fast-food industry. Schlosser then visits Colorado Springs andRead MoreFast Food Nation Research Paper1442 Words   |  6 Pageswhat is in your fast food might make you think twice the next time you devour it. As the rise of the fast food nation in America has increased to an all-time high, so has the weight and waists of Americans all around the country. Not only has the United States grown to love the acquired taste of greasy golden fries and juicy burgers, it has also grown ignorant to the way their food is prepared. In the novel, â€Å"Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal†(2002), by Eric Schlosser, he makesRead MoreGlobal Realization2094 Words   |  9 PagesEric Schlossers book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal explores the effects of the spread of multinational fast food corporations into other countries, and the resulting loss of national culture. In his chapter    â€Å"Global Realiza tion† Eric Schlosser claims that â€Å"The global expansion of American fast food is homogenizing cultural identities; like Las Vegas, it offers â€Å"a brief sense of hope†¦ that most brilliant illusion of all, a loss that feels like winning† (Schlosser). SchlosserRead MoreWhy the Fries Taste so Good1013 Words   |  5 Pagesexcerpt â€Å"Why the Fries Taste So Good† by Eric Schlosser, Schlosser deeply examines the process of one individual farmer and his process, not to mention takes it as far as going to the International Fragrance and Flavor facilities to see what truly does make the fries taste so good. He does a good job of hitting each individual appeal as a writer in order for us as readers to accept the information he’s handing out. Even in Ian Brailsford’s review of Schlosser’s excerpt, he finds little if any oppositionRead MoreFast Food Nation : The Dark Side Of The All American Meal1137 Words   |  5 PagesPeople today be lieve that the government is supposed to eliminate any possible danger from the food they consume, but that is not the case. In the book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of The All-American Meal written by Eric Schlosser, he discusses numerous problems with food production. Some of these issues are discussed in the â€Å"Epilogue†, â€Å"What’s In Meat†, and â€Å"Most Dangerous Job† chapters where Schlosser elaborates on the government’s role and how workers are mistreated. In the article, â€Å"U.S.Read MoreEssay An Analysis of Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation1154 Words   |  5 PagesNew York Times bestseller Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is one of the most riveting books to come out about fast food restaurants to date (Schlosser, 2004). Fast food consumption has become a way of life for many in the United States as well as many other countries in the world. The author Eric Schlosser an investigative reporter whose i mpeccable researching and bold interviewing captures the true essence of the immense impact that fast food restaurants are having in AmericaRead MoreFast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser1596 Words   |  7 Pagescheap food and cheap goods are scattered across the nation in every state and town. This is Eric Schlosser’s main topic in his novel Fast Food Nation. From telling the start of the first fast food restaurants in America, to explaining how the food is made, Schlosser s covers the whole history of the world wide food phenomenon. Eric Schlosser is an American journalist and Author of Fast Food Nation. He was born in Manhattan, New York, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. He studied American history