WRT 205/Spring 2016                         Grading Rubric: Unit III NYTs Magazine 

[1]  How well does the title provocatively focus the reader’s attention, as well as the lede? Is it thoughtful, creative, clever? Does it lead the reader into the text and provide some insight into the issue?

The title is quite provocative.  It gets right to the point of my article and what I discuss throughout the course of it.  My title is also somewhat controversial, considering the fact that it makes an assertion about Donald Trump that many people disagree with.  As a result, I feel like that makes it even more enticing for people to continue on reading.  In regards to my lead, it is both thoughtful and creative, and ties in personal experience during my life to the subject with which I am discussing.  I feel that it brings me closer to the reader and is characteristic of a blog article, rather than a research paper.

[2]  How well does the introductory section of the article invite the reader into the paper, as well as offer up exigency?  How does it locate a problem or controversy within a context that provides background and rationale?

My introduction does a marvelous job, in my opinion, of bringing the reader both closer to me, the writer, as well as the subject with which I will be discussing.  It gives a small amount of background on Donald Trump, the man who is discussed throughout the course of this paper, as well as gives the reader a problem or controversy, or rather a position that I am taking that will be proven throughout the article.

[3] How well does the writer offer up a strong ‘idea’ that requires analysis to support and evolve it, as well as offers some point about the significance of evidence that would not have been immediately obvious to readers.?

My idea or point that I am trying to prove becomes quite evident quickly throughout the course of this blog article.  I make it clear what I am trying to prove in my writing, and I use various analyses and examples in order to prove this point.  Because of the fact that this is a blog article, and not a research paper, I chose to leave out direct quotes and things that would have to be cited.  Instead, I did research and do have evidence that proves my point, but said things in my own words.  I felt that it would be more characteristic of a blog article.

[4] How well does the writer show clarity of thought; uniqueness of presentation; evidence of style; and historicized topics?

I like to think of myself as someone who can clearly articulate thoughts and put them down on paper in a coherent manner.  That definitely applies to this article.  I felt that my points were clear and well thought out, and that they specifically pertained to the subject I was referencing.  In addition, I had many historical examples of evidence to support my claims, as well as present day evidence.

[5]  How well does the writer recognize that a NYTs Magazine audience will challenge ideas that are overgeneralized or underdeveloped or poorly explained? (that is, did the writer avoid cliché and vagueness or address points/issues readers are likely to have?)  How well did the writer decide about how to develop, sequence, and organize material?

I felt that in my article, vagueness and generalizations were not used.  In fact, one of the points that I tried to hone in on throughout the course of this paper was that generalizations are bad and shouldn’t be used, so for me to use generalizations myself would be a contradiction.  In addition, clichés were not used here.  All of my points were valid and came up with on my own, and don’t speak to a talking point or something easy to discuss.  They all came from evidence I combed through.

[6]  How well does the writer research a controversy, develop a persuasive stance, utilize research about the topic,  and join the ‘debate’ by making an argument of importance?

I did much research before writing this article.  In addition to the plethora of sources I used during my TedTalk presentation, I felt that I did a good job of utilizing new evidence.  That being said, its important to recognize the fact that in a blog post, I felt that it would be more appropriate to avoid using direct quotations and citing of sources.  Instead, I looked at the evidence that I had found to support my claims and said them in my own words, which I felt was more appropriate for a blog article.

[7]  How well does the writer meet or exceed research expectations of assignment requirements (6 appropriate secondary sources, 1 visual source, (or more) and primary research? ).

Speaking for myself, I did find evidence and facts that were used throughout the course of this article in a variety of ways, and thus, I did meet or exceed the limit referred to above.  However, I can’t emphasize enough that I felt it would better suit my article to type those facts and present them in a way that made the reader feel as if they weren’t reading a Masters Degree thesis paper, but rather an article by someone who was speaking to them in a language that was easier to understand and more enjoyable to read.

[8]  How well does the writer integrate secondary and primary sources (that support and complicate the topic) effectively into the text, introducing and contextualizing them, and “conversing” (i.e. no drop-quoting) in ways that deepen and complicate the analysis?

Conversing was what I felt was the strongest part of my article, and it started from the very first word.  I felt that it was extremely important to have the reader feel a connection and an interest that would have them continue to read.  My anecdote at the beginning did just that, in my eyes.  In addition to that first paragraph, the entirety of the article speaks in a way that I believe allows the reader to feel as if its a conversation or a speech between two friends, rather than a dissertation that would bore them.

[9 How well does the writer persuade an audience to consider claims made from a particular position of authority on which you have built your research?  How strong and effective is the writer’s use of rhetorical tools (ethos, logos, pathos)?

The claims that I am making should persuade any reasonable person who is reading this article, because they are all facts.  Everything in my article that I have used as evidence to support my claim is a fact, not conjecture.  In addition, much of the evidence I use can be found if the reader wishes to do a little “googling” themselves, and as a result, they will see that my sources are reliable.

[10] How well does the writer select appropriate, interesting, revealing visual?  Has the writer placed a visual strategically in the essay and provided relevant commentary on and/or analysis of them?  Do the visuals contribute to the essay in meaningful ways (i.e. would the essay be affected if the writer took the visual away)?

The writer did not do a good job with providing visuals.  I dropped the ball in that manner, and take full responsibility for the fact that my article will not be as aesthetically pleasing as other peoples’.  

[11] How well does the writer show development of final article using various drafts, in-class peer editing and workshops, and/or teacher comments?

Based on the first draft and the outline that I conducted about 2 weeks ago in regards to this final paper, it has come a long way.  My evidence is much more effective and concise than it initially was, and in addition, my ability to converse with the reader and use anecdotes and my own voice to appeal to their senses has greatly improved.

[12]  How well does the writer use hyperlinks—are they effective/appropriate?

Hyperlinks were not used.  However, as stated in the question, the effectiveness or appropriateness of hyperlinks was brought into question.  As I have stated throughout the course of this reflection, I wanted and made sure to create an article that wasn’t overly intimidating or dense, but rather something that someone would enjoy reading.  I feel that when someone enjoys reading it, they are more likely to believe and take the claims one is making as factual.  Because of the fact that I didn’t use direct quotes, I felt that to use hyperlinks would be ineffective and not appropriate.  

[13]  How well did the writer edit for grammar, style, and usage effectively? Does the writer’s attention to sentence level issues help him/her establish authority or credibility on the issue?

I pride myself in making sure that grammar, style, sentence structure and flow are all perfect.  I double checked my article to make sure that in my mind, everything was top notch when it came to the way the article read.  In addition, I made sure that both spelling and grammar, and as stated above, style and sentence structure were all conducive to the reader having a pleasant experience delving into my article.

When I was younger, my dad and I used to go on camping trips all of the time.  All fathers and sons have things they do together, and being from Southern California, it wasn’t too far of a drive up the coast to find a nice campground where we could relax, get away from society, and spend quality time.  One of my most vivid memories from these trips was that my dad would always instill in me the idea of leaving the campsite cleaner and nicer than when we arrived.  Much of the time, we would get to the site and there would be beer cans, trash, and other unsavory items around the campsite that were left by the rude people staying before us.  But, it was important to my dad to leave the site in a cleaner and more respectable condition than when we arrived.  Even if the campsite wasn’t too dirty to begin with, we always found a way to make it nicer for the next people who were to arrive.  I tell this story because I feel that it relates to the current state of our country, and my mentality towards it.  When I eventually pass on and leave this Earth, I want to make sure that I did all I can to leave it in better condition and in better hands than when I arrived on it.  Unfortunately, I feel quite strongly that a Donald Trump presidency would do damage to the country, and possibly the world as a whole, and that is why I feel that we have an obligation to openly and honestly discuss and bring to light his past speech and behavior in order to better educate voters in hopes of them being informed on who they may be voting to lead our country into the future, during these tumultuous times.

Up until about a year ago, last June to be exact, I didn’t give Donald Trump much thought at all.  Obviously, like most people, I knew who he was.  He’s an extremely wealthy businessman who made billions in the real estate market, as well as had a successful reality TV show.  Besides that, however, he had nothing to do with my life, and thus, didn’t take up too much space in my mind.  That all changed, however, when he decided to announce his candidacy for President of the United States.  Almost immediately upon announcing, controversy ensued, and has followed ever since, based on some of the language and rhetoric he has used.  He has become a household name, and although we do live in a country where free speech is protected, I am mightily concerned about a Trump presidency and the ramifications it would have on future generations, based not only on much of the rhetoric that has been used by Mr. Trump over the course of the last year, but also his actions and language throughout the course of his entire adult life.

Because of the fact that most people didn’t give Mr. Trump the time of day up until he decided to run for President, they are unaware of the fact that his nasty and arguably racist rhetoric has shaped much of his adult life.  Before I began the process of researching this man and his past transgressions for this article, I also thought that his worrisome thoughts and views were only over the past year.  However, I have learned that is false.  This article will not only discuss the comments he has made over the course of the past year that are cause for concern, but also his actions and comments over the course of his entire lifetime that should make people think twice before voting for him.  I feel like it should be the job and obligation of all Americans to make decisions not only based on themselves, but based on how it will affect their children, and their children’s children.  As a result, Donald Trump and his proposed policies should raise eyebrows and strike a nerve inside the heart and soul of every American.  In many ways, this country was founded on the principles of inclusion, and built on the backs of immigrants and other “undesirables” who wished to escape oppression and create a better life for themselves and their families, and during a time in which we have a candidate wanting to abort that lifestyle and abort that sense of inclusion, as a nation, we shall not succumb to the fear he is trying to instill in us.

As mentioned before, it is my deepest and most sincere wish that the reader gain a better understanding of who Donald Trump is both as a person, and a presidential candidate.  I hate to continue to drone on and on with this repetitive line, but it is so important to be informed about who one is voting for.  In that same vein, I will chronologically detail the past and current wrongdoings of Mr. Trump and discuss the things he has both said and done throughout his life that leave many, including myself, seriously questioning his ability to be the leader of not only this country, but the free world.

Starting all the way back in 1973, Donald and his father Fred Trump were building housing complexes all across New York City.  They became the subjects of a US federal investigation, based on the notion that they had been discriminating against minorities who wished to purchase apartments in those complexes.  Throughout the course of the investigation, it was found that Trump employees had been using coded messages to signify the race, or ethnicity, of the potential applicants.  Perhaps the most notorious mark that was used was the letter “C”, to show that the applicant was colored.  As part of a sting operation inside this larger governmental investigation, there was a white woman, as well as a black woman, who both went to the front desk at one of these complexes asking to purchase a home for them and their families.  Not surprisingly, they were given different answers.  According to the investigators, the white woman was treated with dignity and was helped, while the black woman was told that there was no space for her and her family.  At the end of the investigation, there was not a substantial enough amount of evidence to bring any criminal charges down upon the Trump Organization.  Donald did mention this in his autobiography, but definitely downplayed the significance of it.  He said that “the government was not able to prove its case and we paid a small settlement without admitting any guilt.”  While it is true that the government was not able to prove its case, it is quite unsettling and frankly, quite alarming with the evidence that they were able to find.

If we fast forward in time 18 years, to the year 1991, we come across a man named John O’Donnell, who was the president of the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.  When interviewing Donald for a book that he was writing during the early 90’s, according to O’Donnell, Mr. Trump said that “Laziness is a trait in blacks.  I truly believe that.”  Now, because of the fact that there is no audio recording, it is simply conjecture and speculation as to whether or not Donald did in fact say that quote.  However, it is still quite alarming that in the year 2016, about 150 years after slavery was outlawed, we still have a presidential frontrunner who is being accused of holding these pernicious beliefs.  Like he does with many people who disagree with him and say something negative about him, Donald has called Mr. O’Donnell a “loser”, but it still doesn’t take away from the fact that their seems to be a pattern that follows Donald when it comes to his hurtful rhetoric and shameful actions.

Up to this point, we have raised concerns about Donald’s candidacy for President based on two of the more notable times in his life that caused speculation about his racist views and actions.  Now, we will fast forward to the present day, and discuss both his words and his actions over the course of the past year.  During this time, he has said and done many things, covering a wide range of ethnic groups, that not only are hurtful and wrong, but give credence to the idea that both instances I mentioned in the above paragraphs could very well be true.

The three main groups that Mr. Trump has targeted over the course of his campaign have been African Americans, Muslims and Mexicans.  Now, lets work backwards and discuss how he has treated these groups since announcing his run for President.  In his opening speech, he viciously attacked Mexicans and immigration as a whole.  Not only did he call Mexicans rapists and murderers, but he also stated his goal to deport all illegal immigrants that are currently here, without giving thought to the repercussions that would have on families.  Now, I am from Los Angeles.  I know firsthand that most Mexicans and Latin Americans, whether legal or not, are simply hardworking people who wish to keep their noses clean and work to support their families.  Now, are there murderers and rapists among them?  Sure, probably some.  However, generalizations like the ones Mr. Trump makes when it comes to Mexicans are not right, and they are part of the problem that we have with racial stereotyping in our country to this very day.  In addition, he has gone after Muslims repeatedly with his rhetoric, again making generalizations that are both disrespectful and hurtful, but also not true.  Throughout his campaign, he has proposed torturing the families of Islamic terrorists, and said that any soldier not willing to follow those orders would have no choice.  He has also discussed patrolling Muslim neighborhoods at a more increased frequency than other neighborhoods, he has stated that Muslims in New Jersey were cheering on September 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center was being brought down, and he has said that as President, he would stop the influx of Syrian refugees into the country.  While his supporters say that he is simply doing this to keep us safe, there is no doubt that his vicious stereotypes and generalizations towards Muslims have offended many people, and much like his comments about Mexicans, are simply untrue.

African Americans have had a history in our country of being subjected to lower standards of living, as well as higher incarceration rates and higher rates of police brutality.  In a time when we should be figuring out how to quell their anger and figure out a way to create a more peaceful and accepting society for them, Donald Trump has seemed to ignite a fire and anger within the black community.  One of the most notable examples of his disrespect for their community came when he was endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan.  Instead of disavowing any white supremacist group, because of their treatment towards African Americans and other minorities, Donald decided instead to wait until he “got more information”, and then after much media scrutiny, finally decided to disavow.  In addition, another instance of his disrespect towards African Americans happened at a Donald Trump rally.  When a black protestor was punched by a white protestor, chaos ensued.  Now, instead of using his voice to calm the collective nerves of black people across the country, and show that he cares about them, Mr. Trump instead offered to pay the legal fees of the man who punched the protestor.  Not only is that juvenile and ridiculous, but it isn’t very presidential.

Right now, the future of our country is at stake.  Just like my dad taught me, it is right to leave things in better condition than when you arrived.  That applied to campsites when I was younger, and it applies to our country now.  We are at a crossroads in our country’s future, and its important to recognize that the rhetoric and behavior that has been displayed by Donald Trump throughout this campaign, and throughout the course of his life is alarming, frightening, and isn’t right for this country.  As a result, I caution everyone to take this article seriously and to do your own research before voting for this man next November.

Drew Andros

M/W 3:45 PM

1447 words

 

Unit 1 Blog Article:

Throughout the course of time, food has been an everlasting staple to all species. It is a reason for people to get together and communicate, it’s a reason to celebrate and relax, and it’s a necessity in order for the body to be properly nourished. However, over the past century or so, food has become less of a gathering tool, and less of a reason to get together, and it has simply become a way to make money.

In the centuries prior to this one, home-cooked meals, fresh food, and delicious ingredients were all a staple of the American household. People would invite their friends and family over, cook food, and relish the opportunity to enjoy each others company. However, as stated above, the last 60 or 70 years has brought us a massive change in society that now sees food as only a commodity in order to profit. Of course, with every statement, there are limitations. Food is still used by many people, both in this country, and around the world, to relax and enjoy, however as a whole, there have been a plethora of reasons as to why we are starting to see food as simply a way for large corporations and farmers to make money.

In the documentary Food, Inc., the narrator discussed how the rise of the fast food industry and the “conveyer belt/mass production” system created an atmosphere that changed the landscape of food production forever. At that point, growing food became less and less about growing fresh products that tasted great, and more about growing and using pesticides to mass produce things that could be given to chains like McDonalds, who could then turn around and give these large companies a major profit because of the bulk with which they were buying. When the food market became more about creating money and supplying large amounts of both meat and produce to giant companies, rather than allowing small time farmers to create fresh food that could be better quality, the entire dynamic changed.

Now, we live in a society much different than the one half a century ago. While it seems that our food is relatively easy to purchase as a consumer, we are blissfully unaware of the difficulties and struggles that go into processing our food, as well as the harsh conditions that many farmers must go through in order to take care of their families. Although, as I stated above, we live in a society that puts a greater emphasis on quantity than quality, there are still farmers out there that are trying to stay with old traditions and create good quality food; however, those farmers will most likely either be eaten up by the large companies, or unable to compete with them because of the price difference. Also in the Food, Inc. documentary was a very depressing narrative that showed small farmers having to cooperate and create farming environments that they weren’t morally comfortable with, because of how it affected the animals. However, if they were not to oblige and go against the companies for whom they worked, they would lose massive amounts of money that would disallow them to provide for their families.

One of the main issues we face today in the food industry is safety of the food that we are growing and consuming. We have had a handful of foodborne illnesses over the course of the last 30 years, however, people, in general, don’t seem to be very concerned about the fact that they may be eating tarnished food. They simply expect the government to look out for them and “vet” the food before it arrives in their refrigerator, however in many instances, that is just not the case. The government may not be impartial, first of all, and may have some of the large food corporations in their back pocket, but even more terrifying than that is the peoples’ unawareness to the potential problems that foodborne illnesses can create. According to Marian Nestle, food is a very difficult illness to pinpoint, and as a result, foodborne illnesses are not tracked very well. She states that “Attributing a bout of diarrhea to food rather than other causes is no simple matter. Most of us eat several foods at a time, several times a day, in several different places. How could we possibly know which food might get us sick, especially if there is a delay in the onset of symptoms. I can not imagine bothering to call a doctor about a brief stomach upset” (Nestle 37). This quote perfectly illustrates the difficulty with creating a society where we can honestly track the health and safety of food, beyond what the government already has implemented as safety standards, such as the USDA, the FDA, the CDC, amongst other organizations. Nestle is a professor of sociology and food studies at New York University, and she gave us a perfect anecdote to sum up America’s ignorance to the harsh realities of foodborne illnesses. She says in her article “The Politics of Foodborne Illness” that she and her family were at a dinner party in the 1970’s, and many people got sick afterwards. Now, instead of going to the doctor and making sure that they were truly okay, or calling the company that supplied the foods they ate and asking them if there had been any other reported outbreaks of illness, the people simply took Advil, Tylenol, and within a few days there were back to normal. Now, while it is definitely a positive that nobody got seriously hurt, or worse, died, it speaks to how uninformed and unaware these people were to the serious dangers of food. Now, that was 40 some years ago, however the true message really hasn’t changed. People simply expect the government to have their best interest in mind and to monitor everything that they are putting into their mouths, and that simply isn’t the case time and time again. Thus, Nestle argues that there needs to be more government intervention, as well as more self-teaching when it comes to people and their food.

As discussed above, consumer awareness is a major part of creating a society with good food that is both tasty, and safe. While it should be the job of the government to make sure that people are eating safe food, we also need to encourage a society of people who understand the nuances of the food industry and how to spot food that is both safe and unsafe.

Whether or not organic food is better for someone is a very big debate in this country at this point in time. On one hand, companies like Chipotle thrive off of organic food and use it as a selling point. However, there are people, like Blake Hurst, who feel like eating organic is simply a way to drive up prices on food, and it allows farmers who do grow organic to charge their prices at a higher rate in order to increase profits. In addition, he argues that studies have shown that organic foods can actually present a greater health risk to society than genetically modified foods. He states in his article “The Stanford study found that organic foods were considerably less likely than conventional foods to have pesticide residues, although organic foods were higher in e. coli. Pesticide exposure is hard to understand and scary, but pesticides on food are typically found at levels thousands of times lower than harmful levels. E. coli, which comes from fecal matter, just kills people” (Hurst Pesticides and Policies). E. Coli is extremely dangerous, and as a result, this Stanford Study does bring up legitimate questions about whether or not eating organic is truly better for one’s health.

All in all, the food debate has completely shifted over the course of the last generation or two. While small time farming that focused on freshness, the best ingredients, and moderate prices was the narrative in the food industry 60 or 70 years ago, large corporations and mass-producing has taken over. As a result, farmers are going out of business and the market is being taken over by a handful of large companies. In addition, people are generally unaware about what they are putting into their mouths and are completely oblivious to whether or not they are being served safe of unsafe food. In order to ensure the safety of the American people, and to also keep the government and food growers responsible for what they serve us, it is our duty to become more knowledgeable about food, and to also become cognizant of the changes in the food industry that could very well affect our health.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3960432-dt-content-rid-   11963849_1/courses/33872.1162/Nestle Resisting Food Safety.pdf

 

https://blackboard.syr.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3960433-dt-content-rid-11963850_1/courses/33872.1162/Consumer Reports You are what they eat.pdf

 

https://www.aei.org/publication/organic-illusions/

 

http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i8/Keeping-Food-Safe.html

 

Food Inc.

 

 

 

Reflection Questions:

1. For me, the writer’s project refers to the message that the writer was trying to get across to the reader. It focuses on the key points that they were hoping would come through in their article. I was able to identify the specific project used by the different writers by simply reading the text, annotating it, and then looking for main theses and points. In this article, my own project looked at multiple things, including the naivety of people when it comes to the food they eat, the argument surrounding organic vs. non-organic, and also government intervention into our food.
2. The entire Sorting it Out worksheet I found to be incredibly beneficial when completing my blog article, however I would have to say that finding the key terms of each article was especially beneficial because it allowed me to find similarities within the articles, as well as give me an understanding of the main points of the article.
3. To me, synthesis revolves around understanding the cohesion with which this essay was put together. There needed to be a flow to it, as well as making sure that my points were properly sorted out and put on paper so that the reader could understand where I was coming from.
4. During this unit, I accomplished becoming more aware of food safety, and the general food industry. I was completely unaware, to be honest, of the industry before this class and so I do feel like learning about it is an accomplishment in itself.
5. My main idea simply started as a belief that people were unaware of the food that they were putting into their mouths, and it evolved into something much larger. At the end, it was evident that I discussed multiple facets of the food industry, including food safety, government intervention, organic vs. non-organic.
6. Throughout the course of the essay, I tried to divide the article up into main points. Whenever a main point shifted gears into something else, I made sure to start a new paragraph. In addition, it has been shown that people can only focus on small bits of information at once, so dividing something up into a bunch of little paragraphs allows for people to be more willing to read it, rather than to simply keep it in a big block of text.
7. “As a result, farmers are going out of business and the market is being taken over by a handful of large companies. In addition, people are generally unaware about what they are putting into their mouths and are completely oblivious to whether or not they are being served safe of unsafe food. In order to ensure the safety of the American people, and to also keep the government and food growers responsible for what they serve us…” In this little excerpt, I discussed the food market changing to support big business instead of small time farming, as well as food safety, and lastly, government intervention into our food.
8. In the beginning, my lede was very long and drawn out, and as told by our professor, as well as the person I worked with one on one, I had to shorten it. as a result, I made sure to make it concise and bring in something that was attention grabbing and would be interesting for the reader.
9. I would like to work on transition statements throughout the course of the next couple unit projects. I felt like they were good in this specific blog article, but that there is definitely room to improve. Smooth transitions are imperative to an essay’s success, so I want to make sure that I do well with them.

 

 

 

 

Throughout the course of time, food has been an everlasting staple to all species. It is a reason for people to get together and communicate, it’s a reason to celebrate and relax, and it’s a necessity in order for the body to be properly nourished. However, over the past century or so, food has become less of a gathering tool, and less of a reason to get together, and it has become a way to make money. In the centuries prior to this one, home-cooked meals, fresh food, and delicious ingredients were all a staple of the American household. People would invite their friends and family over, cook food, and relish the opportunity to enjoy each others company. However, as stated above, the last 60 or 70 years has brought us a massive change in society that now sees food as only a commodity in order to profit. Of course, with every statement, there are limitations. Food is still used by many people, both in this country, and around the world, to relax and enjoy, however as a whole, there have been a plethora of reasons as to why we are starting to see food as simply a way for large corporations and farmers to make money. In the documentary Food, Inc., the narrator discussed how the rise of the fast food industry and the “conveyer belt/mass production” system created an atmosphere that changed the landscape of food production forever. At that point, growing food became less and less about growing fresh products that tasted great, and more about growing and using pesticides to mass produce things that could be given to chains like McDonalds, who could then turn around and give these large companies a major profit. When the food market became more about creating money and supplying large amounts of both meat and produce to giant companies, rather than allowing small time farmers to create fresh food that could be better quality, the entire dynamic changed. Now, we live in a society much different than the one half a century ago. While it seems that our food is relatively easy to purchase as a consumer, we are blissfully unaware of the difficulties and struggles that go into processing our food, as well as the harsh conditions that many farmers must go through in order to take care of their families. Although, as I stated above, we live in a society that puts a greater emphasis on quantity than quality, there are still farmers out there that are trying to stay with old traditions and create good quality food; however, those farmers will most likely either be eaten up by the large companies, or unable to compete with them because of the price difference. It is why we see such a problem in today’s food industry, and there only seems to be a handful of people rising up to address the problem head on.

One of the main issues we face today in the food industry is safety of the food that we are growing and consuming. We have had a handful of foodborne illnesses over the course of the last 30 years, however, people, in general, don’t seem to be very concerned about the fact that they may be eating tarnished food. They simply expect the government to look out for them and “vet” the food before it arrives in their refrigerator, however in many instances, that is just not the case. The government may not be impartial, first of all, and may have some of the large food corporations in their back pocket, but even more terrifying than that is the peoples’ unawareness to the potential problems that foodborne illnesses can create. Marian Nestle, a professor of sociology and food studies at New York University, gives us a perfect anecdote to sum up American’s ignorance to the harsh realities of foodborne illnesses. She says in here article “The Politics of Foodborne Illness” that she and her family were at a dinner party in the 1970’s, and many people got sick afterwards. Now, instead of going to the doctor and making sure that they were truly okay, or calling the company that supplied the foods they ate and asking them if there had been any other reported outbreaks of illness, the people simply took Advil, Tylenol, and within a few days there were back to normal. Now, while it is definitely a positive that nobody got seriously hurt, or worse, died, it speaks to how uninformed and unaware these people were to the serious dangers of food. Now, that was 40 some years ago, however the true message really hasn’t changed. People simply expect the government to have their best interest in mind and to monitor everything that they are putting into their mouths, and that simply isn’t the case time and time again. Thus, Nestle argues that there needs to be more government intervention, as well as more self-teaching when it comes to people and their food.

As discussed above, consumer awareness is a major part of creating a society with good food that is both tasty, and safe. While it should be the job of the government to make sure that people are eating safe food, we also need to encourage a society of people who understand the nuances of the food industry and how to spot food that is both safe and unsafe.

One of the big arguments and debates in today’s food society revolves around whether or not organic food is truly better than you. On one hand, companies like Chipotle thrive off of being organic, and their entire brand revolves around organic food. On the other hand, however, many people, including Blake Hurst, tend to argue that the entire organic “fad” is simply a marketing tool used by companies to sell things at a more expensive price and to create a submarket inside the healthy food section that allows people to think they are being healthy and paying a higher price for it, when in reality, that is simply not the case.