Week 2 The Omnivore's Dilemma

This week's reading guids us to the American industrial food factories and industrial farms. Honestly, I was shocked to read the facts behind the meat production. What I thought delicious turns out to be rather disgusting: I especially like to grill marbling beef, which is the outcome of cows' overeating and malnutrition; I like the crispy and juicy texture of Mc. Donald's fried chicken, which is the systhesis of unhealthy chemicals. 

At the same time, I am obviously trapped by food companies' marketing maneuver. When I am asked to choose between regular size and supersize, I am always for the latter, because it seems less expensive by per unit price. One serving of food, no matter how gigantic it is, makes me feel fulfilled and not piggish. Pollan says that because of human's "thrifty gene," "our bodies are storing reserves of fat against a gamine that never comes." This is why I constantly gain fat even if I exercise a lot. 

Unfortunately, I find myself deeply mired in the heavily-processed food--I've already become an industrial eater! Even if I know it is better to eat more fresh food and greens, my taste bud and stomach direct me to the meat and heavy processed food. Just as Pollan says, it may be the natural course to read the book with astonishment and then regretfully forget about it.

Finally, I sadly realize that many people have already get used to the food industry without even a little bit of suspicion. For instance, I discussed the cattle raising part with my husband, who asked, "Aren't cows supposed to eat corn by nature? They have been eating like this for decades for God's sake." His comments are like, "Do you think you can affort the pork of beef if there were no American industrial corn?" When we are reading ths social studies like this book, we are supposed to take a pause and think about the world we are living in. As people who constantly talk about humanity or conscience, we dream to do something useful for this world. But the sad truth is, we are too powerless to change anything.

After all, we all benefit from the industrial food chain.