Fast Food Chains in America

TITLE: FAST FOOD CHAINS IN AMERICA

OUTLINE:

Introduction

Suffering caused by fast food in America

Fast food chains in America

Solutions for ending suffering by Buddha

Conclusion

None of us can avoid being interested in food. Our very existence depends on the supply of safe nutritious food. It is then hardly surprising that food has become the focus of a wide range of ethical concerns. As rising obesity rates in America become a growing health concern, correlation between obesity rates and fast food industry’s proliferation of society can no longer be ignored. According to Buddha, suffering starts at birth and so why should we suffer because of the food we eat? The suffering caused by fast food should be stopped by the eight fold path teaching of Buddha.

The noble eight-fold path is the path of living in awareness. Americans should have a right understanding of the food they eat. Americans are getting fatter and fatter every year. The problem isn’t so much people’s lack of self-control; it is “toxic food environment”. The strip of fast food restaurants along America’s roadways; the barrage of burger advertising on television and the rows of candy at the checkout counters of any given convenient store. Buddha’s teaching emphasizes on ignorance as the inability to see the truth about things, and to see things as they really are. There are many truths about the world which people are ignorant of because of the limitations of their understanding. As American lack understanding on the effects of fast food, they have not taken the right action either.

Right action is among the eight-fold path teaching of Buddha. (The teaching of Buddha, 1967) We in America need to step up and take right actions towards the food we eat. Unfortunately, as Americans eat out more and more frequently, they become more accustomed to those oversized portions, and think that such portions are normal. On the other hand, fast food chains do not alert their customers to the hazardously high calorie and fat content of the food they offer. They deserve some of the blame for the epidemic of obesity, and law suits brought by victims of their toxic food would force these companies to take some responsibility for their dangerous products.

As the health care costs of treating obesity-related illnesses mount, some are looking to place the blame for increasing obesity rates on the purveyors of fast food. Facing fierce competition for customer loyalty, fast food chains such as McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy’s have promoted their oversize burgers, extra-large servings for fries, and buckets of soda, all at low prices. As a result of such servings, complication arises on the right action to be taken by both the customers and the fast food chain companies; this has to be accompanied by right effort.( Schlosser, 2001)

Right effort has to be initiated by the consumers and supported by the right authorities regarding the subject. Busy and cash-strapped families increasingly rely on take-out food for family dinners, and regular consumption of oversized portions of fatty foods can lead to widespread obesity.

While the costs of obesity effect the entire American population, over the last decade there has been a disproportionate increase in the overweight, low income demographics. Many times, low-income areas consist of families whose limited time makes them dependent on the convenience of fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s.

Buddha was just like a good doctor who first observes a patient’s symptoms and identifies the cause of the illness before prescribing a cure. He discovered that the direct causes of suffering are desire or craving. (Cohen, 1969) A lot of Americans seem not to control the desire or ego for fast food. “Stop blaming people or their genes, it’s an abundance of unhealthy, heavily advertised low-cost food, which underlies the nation’s obesity crisis” (Brownell, 2000). But how about the desire and craving which is the truth of the cause of suffering? Craving, according to Buddha is the deep-seated desire that all living beings have for the pleasures of the senses, and for life itself. For instance, people always seek to enjoy good food, yet good food cannot give them complete lasting satisfaction. Brownell gives a suggestion that what is needed instead are broader-scale policy fixes that promote healthier foods and behaviors across American society.

Also of particular concern is America’s passive acceptance of unhealthy food. America fails to recognize, for example, the possible damage done by such fast food icons as Ronald McDonald. Now this raises the sense of mindfulness which is another eight fold path teaching of Buddha.

Right mindfulness is very important in the American society. There should be a high level of consideration of solutions to end the rise in health problems associated with obesity. The good news is that there is increase in public awareness about what we eat. This has manifested itself in public outrage towards the fast food industry making the industry fearful of the ramifications of this changing sentiment. Also the current social trend is shifting towards heightened awareness of health issues, as well as protection of children from the serious health concerns arising from growing obesity rates. McDonald’s for example has taken steps to acknowledge the trend by offering several alternatives for adults and children to support healthier lifestyles. However their effort still needs to be expanded through education, community involvement, and menu diversification. All this shows a sense of mindfulness form the fast-food chain companies.

Buddha made a quote regarding the metaphysics of Buddhism that, “the gift of truth excels all other gifts for only truth allows us to act wisely”. (Quotes of Buddha, www.some-guy.com.). Wisdom is key while dealing with suffering, food makes philosophers of us all and choices about food come many times each day, wisdom applied well will reduce the rate of suffering resulting from bad choices of food. Alice Waters writes about the ethics of eating and she says that “the choices we make when we buy food are serious choices”. More and more people understand this. They no longer see themselves as passive food “consumers”, rather, they embrace their roles as “creators”