Colleges Worth the Price SummaryBrandon Lamp
English 102 Summary/Response Essay February 11th 2016 Summary/Response to Junking Junk Food Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the taste of a sweet, warm cookie? In the article “Junking Junk Food” by Judith Warner she discusses the topic of how government officials are trying to take away sweets and how some people are reacting to it. The amount of overweight people in the U.S. concerns many people, but in order to make change they need to act in different ways. Warner shows that how some people react to government decisions towards dealing with obesity and discusses how eating healthy must be made desirable along with making cultural changes in people's lives. The article begins with an example of Sarah Palin bringing cookies to a school in order to show her concern that kids were losing their right to classroom treats. Judith writes that Sarah “had come up with new and vivid imagery to make the case that the Obama “nanny state’ is, essentially, snatching cookies-i.e., the pursuit of happiness- from the mouths of babes”(Warner 401). Warner is stating that schools trying to give different food instead of the sweets were affecting the American way of life. Warner also gives another example of Glenn Beck mocking government in a similar but different way from Sarah Palin. In Beck’s argument it stated that “government health inspectors shut down a 7-year-old’s lemonade stand”(401). Following this statement warner adds a statement talking about how Obama’s administration wants to control how and what people eat. Warner then writes of how Barack and Michelle Obama approached the topic of obesity. Michelle made it her duty as first lady according to Warner. The article also addresses how the government used to use World war II soldiers as a way of getting people to eat healthy. Warner states how people would eat healthy in order to help feed soldiers overseas. Lastly Warner discusses the need for eating healthy to be part of people's culture in order for people to start eating and acting healthy. Most people would agree that eating healthy sounds nice, but is not the most desirable task. Warner states, “You need to present healthful eating as a new, desirable, freely chosen expression of the American way”(402). There is much truth in what Warner states, but most people do not realize how difficult it is for some people to eat healthy. One topic not covered if the expense of eating. I believe that eating healthy need to be made desirable, yet still affordable to the people. Eating healthy should make people feel good and leave them with enough money to do other enjoyable acts. It is discussed that some believe that eating healthy was best promoted in the times of World War II. Warner states, “Perhaps the most successful government effort to regulate what and how much Americans consume- the food rationing programs of World War II- recognized this political-cultural-emotional scheme”(402). I disagree because times of war are not needed in order to make people want to eat healthy. I think that if eating healthy were made more desirable through media and throughout people’s lives that health issues would not as big of a concern. World War II seemed to work because people were in the midst of a giant war, but the government would probably not have the same results in today's world. How and what people eat is a part of their culture. People grow up learning from the people and acts going on around them and healthy eating has not been in the culture for many people. Warner writes, “And cultural change is what offers the best hope for transforming how and what Americans eat”(403). I agree with this statement and add that if people grow up with healthy living in their culture then it would just be second nature to them. People would eat healthy without thinking about it and obesity would not be such a large issue. Most would agree that if eating healthy was part of the culture of most people then the results would be beneficial and help with the solving of the overweight issue. In conclusion, in order for people to obtain a healthier way of life they need to look at eating well as a more desirable act, give government operations a chance, and think of healthy eating as a part of our culture. If junk food is not made as appetizing to people, then less people will consume it. The main issue is getting people to look at healthy food as something they should strive for, but when that is accomplished the lives of many will be changed for the better. |
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