Super Size Me
So, this journal entry has two different topics. First off, I want to talk about the movie Super Size Me. I just got back from seeing the movie with my best friend Mike. It was extremely thought provoking. As a medical student, I already knew the consequences of high cholesterol and a lack of exercise. Very bad stuff! You would be amazed at how many different diseases are caused by hypercholesterolemia. So this guy decides to ingest McDonald's for all meals during a one month period. Really fucking ridiculous! It was amazing to see his health just completely deteriorate. Several aspects were extremely interesting. Most of it pertained to children. It's funny that kids don't know who George Washington or Jesus Christ is but they do know Ronald McDonald. Everyone knows him. America is becoming a nation full of people who know nothing about things that really aren't marketed eg. American history, Science, Literature. But they know everything about McDonald's, Nintendo and Britney Spears. Yes, I know you can argue that that's the perils of capitalism but at the same time, don't we have a responsibility as a society to take care of our society. Take care of everyone, not just ourselves. While individualism is a good thing at times, the collective mindset has it's virtues as well. This is why European societies are so much ahead of us in terms of health care, education and culture than we are. These things are not able to be marketed but rely on an innate sense of taking care of our neighbors. This really doesn't happen in America. Very sad. Ok, here's another thing about the movie. Kids are being fed terribly in our schools. Before this movie, I thought that this was ok. We give kids choices and they want fast food. That's their choice. However, when I see the items that kids are given in school, I realize that there really isn't a choice. There isn't the choice to have anything other than total crap at lunch. There are probably at least 10 times the amount of processed food in our schools as compared to healthy alternatives. Under our American system of marketing, the more presence you have, the more your food will be consumed. So, in essence, healthy food alternatives have no chance in our schools. Now, I do not support completely doing away with these kinds of foods but I do support taking most of them from the schools. Even though when I was a kid I wanted these foods as much as everyone else. However, perhaps limiting them and enhancing the amount of healthy alternatives would be good for kids. It's really aweful that over 30% of kids are overweight or obese. This is a matter of national concern and needs to be addressed. Now, another aspect of kid's lives that are contributing to their health problems is the lack of physical fitness in schools. My home state of Illinois (my hometown of Naperville was featured in the film!...the middle school featured is 5 min from my house) is the only state in the union that required physical education throughout primary and secondary school. Now, I know that for a lot of us gay kids gym was a terrible place to be. It definitely was for me which is why I used to not think that phys ed was necessary. Now, with the health problems apparent in kids who do not exercise, I think it is imperative for phys ed to be required. Now if this must be required, gym instructors MUST change their modus operandi which is that gym is the survival of the fitest. The althletic kids dominate the nerds and often the gym instructor encourages this. Schools will need to make gym a more collaberative exercise and watch for kids who are being made fun of or who are not enjoying themselves. Alternatives need to be present for every child to have physical fitness in their own way. Whether that be team football, dance, or tennis. No particular sport should be required but the exercise programs should be modified in order to fit a basal level of caloric metabolism. Anyway, that's what I'm thinking about that.
After seeing this movie, I NEVER want to eat fast food again! I mean, as it stands, I don't eat fast food except occassionally I get breakfast from McDonalds (that'll be hard to give up but I can do it) so it shouldn't be too hard for me. The thing that will be hard is to adjust my food habits when I go to restaurants. I'm going to try to order different and more healthy items. And when I get them, I will try to eat only half the portion since the portions are gargatuan. But more importantly, I want to try to find a way to start cooking for myself. It's extremely difficult for me to commit time to that but I will try. The other thing the movie addressed is the issue of corporate responsibility for eating. Is it McDonald's fault that people have gotten fat and have related health problems. While I don't think it is McDonald's fault exclusively, food is addictive and once a person becomes addicted, it's hard to give that food up. Also, it is a corporation and the mission of a corporation is to keep business and generate new business. Now wouldn't it be a good strategy for a company to make food that makes people come back? In a way, that's what McDonalds does. And once again going back to the collectivist societal responsibility line, isn't it a corporation's responsibility to not put out products that lead to negative health consequences? A lot of fast food does this. When as a country are we going to say that companies have this responsibility? I'm not sure the time will ever come. Only a select group of professionals ever worry about everyone in our society and that is not enough to turn around the culture of an entire country. Sad, isn't it?
After seeing this movie, I NEVER want to eat fast food again! I mean, as it stands, I don't eat fast food except occassionally I get breakfast from McDonalds (that'll be hard to give up but I can do it) so it shouldn't be too hard for me. The thing that will be hard is to adjust my food habits when I go to restaurants. I'm going to try to order different and more healthy items. And when I get them, I will try to eat only half the portion since the portions are gargatuan. But more importantly, I want to try to find a way to start cooking for myself. It's extremely difficult for me to commit time to that but I will try. The other thing the movie addressed is the issue of corporate responsibility for eating. Is it McDonald's fault that people have gotten fat and have related health problems. While I don't think it is McDonald's fault exclusively, food is addictive and once a person becomes addicted, it's hard to give that food up. Also, it is a corporation and the mission of a corporation is to keep business and generate new business. Now wouldn't it be a good strategy for a company to make food that makes people come back? In a way, that's what McDonalds does. And once again going back to the collectivist societal responsibility line, isn't it a corporation's responsibility to not put out products that lead to negative health consequences? A lot of fast food does this. When as a country are we going to say that companies have this responsibility? I'm not sure the time will ever come. Only a select group of professionals ever worry about everyone in our society and that is not enough to turn around the culture of an entire country. Sad, isn't it?