Fast Food Nation (film)
"Fast Food Nation" is a film released in 2006, adapted from Eric Schlosser's provocative book, which explores the social and ethical implications of the fast-food industry. Set against a backdrop of rising obesity rates, food safety concerns, and issues related to immigration, the narrative traces the evolution of fast food from its origins in the 1930s to its global expansion. The film highlights critical topics such as animal cruelty in factory farming, the exploitation of workers in the meatpacking industry, and the impact of government policies on these issues.
Through character-driven stories, it examines the consequences of the fast-food model on public health and social welfare, linking the industry's practices to broader societal problems. The film also addresses the marketing strategies aimed at children, reflecting on the cultural significance of fast food in American life. "Fast Food Nation" aims to raise awareness about the hidden costs associated with cheap food, prompting audiences to reconsider their eating habits and the implications of their food choices. The work has been influential in sparking discussions about food ethics, health, and the responsibilities of both consumers and corporations.
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Fast Food Nation (film)
Identification: Bestselling exposé of the fast-food industry and its powerful influence on society
Author: Eric Schlosser (1959– )
Date: 2001 (book), 2006 (film). When the obesity rate among Americans had reached an epidemic proportion, E. coli was threatening the safety of the nation’s beef supply, and illegal immigration had become a perplexing national issue, Eric Schlosser went behind the scenes of the fast-food industry to link these and other social problems with the “all-American meal.” Written from a liberal perspective, Fast Food Nation became one of the most polarizing, yet provocative books of the decade.
Fast Food Nation begins with a history of the fast-food industry from the first McDonald Brothers Burger Bar Drive-In in the late 1930s to the globalization of McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Subway, and other fast-food restaurant chains during the late twentieth century. Eric Schlosser details the government policies and business practices that have been responsible for the growth of the industry, and he goes behind the scenes to trace the policies and ethics related to the preparation and consumption of hamburgers and French fries, or what the industry calls “commodities.”
Schlosser profiles animal cruelty at factory farms and the inhumane treatment of workers at slaughterhouses, where low pay and hazardous working conditions among a largely immigrant population have created ghettos overrun with crime and health problems. While E. coli was threatening the safety of the nation’s beef supply, Schlosser faults the US government for its ineffective, bureaucratic safety system that failed to mandate recalls of tainted meat or to provide the resources necessary for adequate inspections of meatpacking plants.
Schlosser examines the lobbying conducted by the National Restaurant Association to fight against the raising of the minimum wage in an era in which its “real” value had decreased drastically, and he links the Republican refusal to raise the wage to the demise of the middle class. He investigates both the social implications of an exploited teenage workforce and the marketing campaigns aimed at children. Last but not least, the book links the obesity epidemic to the ubiquitous consumption of fast food.
Fast Food Nation evolved from articles first published in Rolling Stone in 1998 and became such a success globally that it was translated into more than twenty languages. A comedic-dramatic film based on the book was released in 2006 to additional acclaim.
Impact
Fast Food Nation raised the level of awareness that cheap food comes at the price of social welfare and health. Because the book was published during the George W. Bush presidential administration and a Republican-held Congress, it did not have an immediate legislative impact, although, in 2007, the new Democratic-majority Congress raised the minimum wage. The fast-food industry did respond to the bad publicity, however. Factory farms reduced the use of antibiotics and began to treat animals less cruelly. Fast-food restaurants added more salads and fruit to their menus, switched to healthier oils for cooking french fries, and began to post nutritional information, while support for farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture groups, and natural, organic food stores soared.
Bibliography
Albala, Ken. From Famine to Fast Food: Nutrition, Diet, and Concepts of Health around the World. Santa Barbara: Greenwood, 2014. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
Jones, Kristin M. “Fast Food Nation.” Film Comment 42.6 (2006): 73–4.
Kruger, Daniel J., et al. "Local Concentration of Fast-Food Outlets Is Associated with Poor Nutrition and Obesity." Amer. Jour. of Health Promotion 28.5 (2014): 340–343. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
Sanford, Martin G. Fast Foods: Consumption Patterns, Role of Globalization and Health Effects. New York: Nova Science, 2014. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 6 Feb. 2015.
Slivka, Andrey. “You Want Fries with That?” Rev. of Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser. American Scholar 70.2 (2001): 152–54.