Fast Food Nation

I finally got a chance to watch a movie I have been wanting to for quite some time. I first heard about "Fast Food Nation" the book sophomore year in college in my Introduction to Business course at Marist. It was brought up in a discussion as a sidebar from the book we were all reading at the time for class "The McDonaldization of Society." It was suggested by our professor that if we get a chance Fast Food Nation should be on our list of "to read" for the future. Well that was six years ago and I never read the book. Instead I held out for the movie, not intentionally, it just worked out that way I swear!

It is a pretty interesting concept for a movie. Independent foundation with big name cast. It still got the point across. "Brutal working conditions, food poisoning, animal cruelty, low wages...Do you really know what's in that burger? Discover the true cost of fast food and how you can change the system, one bite at a time."

The book and now the movie cover some major factors impacting our society by the fast food industry. Immigration, animal welfare, health, sexual harassment, and worker safety just to name a few. Yet still our nation, now the fattest nation in the world, continues to spend more on fast food than on computers, new cars and even higher education! It makes me ill just to think about this.

The movie was pretty long and drawn out. I caught myself falling asleep a few times but then there would be a scene at the meat packing plant of the "kill floor" where they actually showed cows getting forced down this narrow stretch into a small container where they are shot in the head, slit across the neck and strung up to drain the blood before their horns and hooves are sawed off and their skin is ripped off by chains. Growing up around farms all my life this made me sick and I actually had a tear or two in my eye. To think that these animals are just raised and fattened up with artificially created grains and growth hormones to be forced to live shoulder to shoulder in their own decrement before getting slaughtered, it is awful.

Personally, stopped eating fast food 7 years ago. (I will admit I have made a visit to Whataburger after 12am in a drunken stooper, but only once or twice I swear.) 1. It's terrible for you. 2. You really have no idea what you are actually eating. 3. The whole animal cruelty thing. and 4. It's terrible for you (yes it needs two spots). I don't want to describe too many scenes and ruin it for anyone so if you have any activist spirit in your body/mind rent this movie. Although hard to watch at times it really hit home and got me to really think about the issues it played out.

At the end of the movie it says something along the line of educating yourself and tells you to visit http://www.participate.net/ to see how you can get involved today. I checked out this site and it is pretty interesting. It is a home base for film lovers and activists who are dedicated to engaging their minds, sharing their passions and improving the world around them. It highlights campaigns inspired by films such as "Fast Food Nation," "Syriana," and the upcoming "Kite Runner" (November 7!). It is worth checking out. You can even sign up for a free blog account to stay informed.

Let me leave you with this short PSA inspired by "Fast Food Nation."