Filthy Food
Robert Kenner’s documentary, Food, Inc. (2008), left me stunned at how oblivious I was about what’s actually in the things I shove in my mouth. The disturbing information about the government and the food industry was shocking.
The thought of how manipulative and powerful the food industry is scares me. I was surprised to find out the extent of food products that contained corn and that the cows were being feed corn instead of grass. It also was disturbing to see the animals being mistreated; they were left knee deep in their own manure with broken limbs, locked in dark rooms, and chucked around by machines. To think that we probably eat a couple hundred cows in one hamburger is not a tasty thought and paired with the fact that contaminated meat is allowed to be distributed is enough to stop me from eating hamburgers all together. I have always enjoyed meat and after seeing this documentary, I have repeatedly second guessed eating meat or anything for that matter. The thought of falling ill, or worst, dropping dead with a bite of a hamburger or chicken breast or any food product is unsettling. I have lost my peace of mind to enjoy one of my favorite things, meat.
I find it ridiculous how corrupt the food industry has become that money is valued more than that of the public’s health. Why is it so bad that we know what’s in our food? I, personally, am one for knowing what I am putting into my body, more so now than ever before. I am afraid to think that the next bite of food I take would be of an injured cow sitting in his own manure with his buddies, or a chicken drugged up on antibiotics that hasn’t seen the light of day or that I could be sick for trying to eat. I also cringe at the idea that I might be eating something that a manipulated and ill treated migrant worker has been a part of. The mistreatment of both the workers and the animals is sickening and food evokes a thought of filth for me when I think of what happens before it gets to me. Another infuriating part of the documentary was the fact that farmers and life- long friends are terrified to save their own seeds or talk to one another. What have we come to that a farmer can’t even save his own seeds, HIS OWN SEEDS- it was the foundation of farming and now companies like Monsanto can file lawsuit against you for being a farmer.
It is sickening to think of how we are being bamboozled into buying unhealthy products full of corruption. Something has to be done immediately to control these big corporations and to inform consumers of what they are eating because it is their right. It makes me think of what the company owners and CEO’s are feeding their families. The unhealthy food marketed by these companies is a sure way to become sick because of the sugar, salt, and fat ridden products that can cause diabetes, heart disease and other life threatening health problems. The public’s health and the cost of their health care are going to be ongoing problems for America if unhealthy foods are going to be cheaper and more affordable than healthy products. What happens to those less fortunate? Are they left to eat Burger King and McDonalds until they croak out and die off because the food industry can’t put their greed aside and look for the best interest of consumers? I grew up having access to fresh produce that has always been cheaper than processed foods, and coming to America where it’s was the complete opposite, was an eye opener. It makes me wonder if the prices difference is worth the health risk and how much more it will cost in the long run to eat the cheap burger than the expensive spinach. More people should definitely educate themselves on how unaware they are about what they are eating and how they are affected by the food industry. Nothing will change if no one makes a stand against them or change their ways to help out the environment and each other.
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