Since not all people have the same access to supermarkets or stores that provide healthy foods, such as fruits or vegetables, they then turn to the fatty foods that are provided to them at their local convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. As we saw in the documentary, this leads to obesity, which can cause diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and a poorly functioning liver.
If we have evidence that these types of foods lead to the diseases above, then why are fast food companies continuing to market and restock in these locations? They clearly know that what they are doing is hurting these people, so why do they continue? It all comes down to economics vs. morals. These fast food companies are profiting millions of dollars from people buying their food. But at the same time, they are hurting these peoples lives and futures. If you can, in fact, link deaths from obesity to fast food, these companies are essentially killing millions of people. Now hopefully, these companies do not want to kill all of these people, but they aren't willing to sacrifice their profit to save them either. So where is the line going to be drawn? When will fast food companies start valuing their customers' lives, more than maximizing their profits?
I think this post points out a big flaw in our society. It is evident here that the people running and selling the fast food companies care more about profits than about the negative effects their products are having on people. Maybe if the producers of fast food were actually connected with somebody who was hurt or died because of their products they would have more empathy and realize how they are hurting the American people. But it is also possible that they just care far more about money than the lives of others.
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ReplyDeleteI really like the connection you made between economics and morals. I think this issue raises the question of when or if the government should get involved at all. If these companies really are causing the deaths of millions of Americans, disregarding them as collateral damage, where does the government draw the line and step in? For example, in the late 1900s, there were concerns surrounding the unethical conduct of large tobacco companies. This led to one of the biggest lawsuits against some of the leading tobacco companies in the 1990s. This is a specific example of the US government drawing the line and holding a business giant accountable for taking advantage of US citizens' health for personal financial gain. Is a similar course of action required in this case?
ReplyDeleteThis issue is complex because it's super convenient to distribute fast food widely and at very cheap prices. Although it theoretically decreases the amount of hungry Americans (assuming that fast food is a major part of their diets), it contributes to the rise in major health problems mentioned above. Even though it's technically a "choice" made by an individual, sometimes fast food is all they can afford or is their only option. I think removing or banning fast food restaurants from poorer regions is not the solution because while we see it as a very unhealthy option, it's still a source of income for the suppliers, gives those with a lower education job opportunities, and can still be an option for residents who need a quick meal or don't have time to cook. Instead, I think what the government should do is to add supermarkets in poorer regions to give the people a variety of choices other than just fast food.
ReplyDeleteI believe that much of the blame lies upon the fundamental structure of a company, which is to make as much money as possible while surviving. To the company, as long as they don't lose profit from factors like media backlash, they have absolutely no reason to care for the health of their customers. It's impossible to force a company to care about morality more than money, or they will be outcompeted out of existence.
ReplyDeleteThis post addresses one of the main issues in today's society which is businesses sacrificing their morals to make more money. In the food industry in general, you see that people's main drive is to produce only processed food in order to gain the most profit without thinking about the effects it has on the country's health. However without fast food, many people would be out of a job. It provides 83 billion dollars in salaries and employs 1.6 million workers. It also helps link the products made by farmers with establishments. Competitive prices is also necessary for the industry of fast food to thrive which means that they will try to make the cost of resources for their products the least they can. Since the food industry is such a huge part of the US economy I don't think that many regulations will be placed on it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ced.org/foodandbev