I mainly watched the videos since obviously videos are more eye catching for teenagers of our age. The Meatrix especially was really entertaining but as cheesy as it was having a pig that kicks ass I felt like it could really be an eye opener for a lot of people. For me, animal cruelty was one thing that I knew a good amount about and I felt like this video broadened my knowledge even more about other things. This video showed me more about the "greedy agriculture corporations", how blinded most people are about what lies in their food, and how it can effect our environment and health. Many food corporations blind people from what really goes on in there factory farms. The best way they do this is through the media. When I watched the Meatrix the first thing I remembered is the California Milk Commercial where "Real Milk Come From Happy Cows of California" or something along that line (just like Cindy mentioned in class). I've watched this commercial many times and never really thought anything of it then being just another commercial but I just realized how they do not tell you what really goes on in their factory farms, about the animal cruelty, the diseases being spread, pollution of the environment, and how the our community as well as family farms are all most no longer existent. Instead they put a pretty, healthy looking, cute cow that speaks English and sings. Although from the Meatrix it clearly shows there is no singing at all. Although Americans are not farm animals with cool ass kicking abilities, I feel like it is as if a lot of us live in the Meatrix since we do not realize and see the big picture as we continue buying these packaged foods from these factory farms/ food corporations. In our culture I feel like not only are we blinded by commercials on television but the labels on the food products really effects us since it comfort us. This connect to the small class discussion about how many of us did not really no about the edible plants and foods that grow around us in gardens, parks, etc. And that even if most of us knew we most likely would not go out into a garden or grow things ourselves to get the food obviously. I feel like most of the time we buy these certain foods that are freeze packed or packaged in plastic not because we are not aware of these food corporations and how they produce what we eat but mainly because we are lazy and are already too use to the comfort of label that says "healthy fat free blah blah blah". The package makes us feel as if it does comes from a clean place and when taken out of the package it is already clean. No one really wants to think about the disgusting shit that the produce go through as it ends up in our stomach. Although I have all these insights I must admit that I myself have fallen under the comfort spell of food corporations, I am vegetarian because i am against animal cruelty and such but I am not vegan. I do drink milk and eat eggs but I felt like this unit really opened my eyes and smacked me over the head, reminding me that milk and eggs still come from mistreated animals and are most likely general unhealthy. Not only milk and eggs and such but also vegetables and fruits. This would not all a sudden make me Vegan but maybe think about more about which kind of milk and eggs to buy. It showed me how miserable and how much crap is sprayed into these products until it ends up in the supermarket and in my mouth. Generally I feel like its not just the food corporations/ factory farms faults but I also feel as if it is partially our fault and the fault of the government, not as if we would generally do something about it as much. Even though I may be sounding like a smart ass with all this food stuff, I do not really understand how the government plays a role into these big food corporations and would want to follow up on how it connects. I know it may be a dumb question but I really want to know because if there is then if definitely is partially the governments fault for letting this go on. The fact that people in America keep buying these products from factory farms and such is what keeps these corporations going and small family farms almost gone. Don't they think about the small family farms that are all slowly disappearing? I do not think I have the right to start telling people how to eat and what foods to pick but I feel like people should be known or told of how there foods end up in front of them. If certain people are okay with this or end up just not caring then it is their own choice and that cannot be changed, that is life.
The Micheal Pollan video was amusing to me and it showed the idea i kind of had about how I think it will be impossible to stop agriculture food corporations and I do not think they should all be destroyed but there should be a voice that really gives people knowledge and at least a better and more sanitary way for these factories to produce their foods that we eat. I imaged Micheal Pollan a lot different. Since I actually saw him in this video and how he spoke he seemed just like a normal person but over all I felt like as much as videos are probably the best way to get people's attention the video of Micheal Pollan is not very helpful since it seemed to distract my attention away from anything about food corporations to their jokes about each others facial complexion and hair. The animal cruelty video I have happened to have watched several times on different web sites and I have never been able to watch even half of that video because it is just way too intense for me. I am not going to ramble on about animal cruelty and junk but since the other two videos were not as helpful to me, as painful as it is I forced myself to read at least one of the articles. Ugh....reading.
In the Industrial Food is Cheap article it was general stating more about our health and how people should support family farms and more organic farming and produce because even though it may be a little more costly for our pockets it would be better as it benefits our health and the health of the future generation. I really liked the idea of how they are basically saying that organic foods and produce maybe a little more pricey to actually buy but the general benefits we can get for our health and such from organic foods is priceless. I am not sure why but I felt like this article took a more friendly approach by speaking more about are health then the videos, or maybe its just me. I feel that this is a hard thing to over come since money is most definitely the number one thing that everyone always worries about and it would be hard for anyone and even for myself to totally give up on how cheap industrial foods is. This relates back to the whole fast foods issue and how it is so unhealthy but it is generally cheaper for those who cannot afford expensive organic foods and such. I told my dad to read this article for no apparent reason and he actually did and we had our own little mini discussion. He agrees with how we should generally buy more organic foods and support small farms and such since it is much healthier but he does not really care much about the effect it has on the eating habits of the future generation. He says this is because he is 66 years old (And yes my dad is old) and since he is already old there is no point but I am still young so I still have hope. My dad is just a goof ball like that but I think my dad is usually a lot more healthy then I am and I would not be surprised at his comments about organic foods since he general tries to buy organic food once in a while. I remember once when my dad attempted to be cultural for a day and brought Kosher foods home. (this reminds me of our little lesson on Kosher and Halal foods in class). My dad's attempt to be Kosher failed not to long after he brought home Kosher food because my dad LOVES food too much and can cook really well, he is always watching the food channel and if not that he watches the news. We just tend to be too lazy to end up cooking or going out to get groceries. (my dad is Jewish in case people did not know, most people do not know. This is most likely why I do not look completely Chinese when people look at me sometimes.) I feel like this unit had the most effect on me, the health unit and birth units were eye openers and interesting too but ever since this food unit in class it has really been starting to change my eating habits little by little. It takes time... I have been trying to buy more organic food and asking my dad to buy milk, eggs, cheese, that are from animals that are not part of these corporations.
By the way, Andy kept on talking about how he liked Broccoli Rab so much or something like that and so the other day I had the opportunity to try some and I general thought it was good but it had a weird after flavor. I enjoyed trying something new but I probably wouldn't eat broccoli rab again because it was just too bitter. :)
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