CONSOLIDATION

 CONSOLIDATION

     The word “CONSOLIDATION” is mentioned on page 136 of the book ‘Fast Food Nation’ by Eric Shlosser. It reads “On top of all that the growth of the fast food chain has encourage “CONSOLIDATION” in the meat packing Industry”.

In other words, the fast food chain encouraged the meatpackers to come together so that the prices of the meat would be determined by the newly formed group in order to have a decent profit.This is to counterattack any of the meat-packers who were supposed to be rivals. Instead, they aligned themselves against the ranchers in order to force price reduction.    

The collaboration of the meat packers provide them with leverage, of which they could almost dictate the prices of the meat. The ranchers would be left with no choice but to accept the new prices. Failure to do so will cause the ranchers to loose on the price of the meat.

A significant observation about the consolidation is that, the meat packers strengthened their bargaining power, and hence were able to make lots of profit at the expense of the ranchers.

  

EATING ANIMALS

EATING ANIMALS 

Jonathan Safran Foer's idea, in his book "Eating Animals" did not only bring awareness to readers of the suffering animals, whose meat land on our dinner plates. Also the health hazard the meat pose to consumers. Americans can no longer pretend not to know that our excessive meat consumption encourages the practice of animal cruelty.  The origin of diseases that affect human kind, for example,   heart disease, could be associated with the consumption of the meat we eat. Common sense will tell you, you are what you eat. Yet we distant ourselves and become bystanders for these voiceless animals who  suffer inhumane treatment. In one way or the other, we would find ourselves wanting as Foer states"Of course, consumers might notice that their chicken don't taste quite right how good could a drug-stuffed, disease-ridden, shit-contaminated animal possibly taste...... and taste?"(Feor131).

HYPOCRISY

“HYPOCRISY” This word literally means, feigning to be what one is not, or what one does not .Especially the false assumption of an appearance of virtue of religion. Hypocrisy is among few words, Americans find difficult to associate themselves with. To many countries, Americans are doers and strong believers of what they preach. e.g freedom of speech, democracy, equality, etc. Which is why American’s culture is able to find its way in many countries . While Americans are strongly against animal cruelty, offenders could be prosecuted. Yet Americans eating habit, highly  encourage Concentrated Animal Feeding  ( CAFOs). This is a form of Animal  farming where the animals are kept in a confined environment. Concentrated animal feed,manure and urine,dead animals and production operations on a small land area.Feeding is brought to the animals rather then the  animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures,fields,or on rangland(Region 7 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation).Major corporation like McDonald, operate this form of farming to supply their various restaurants.But who encourages this practice? Those who patronize these restaurants. If consumers of  fast food  in America, could become the voices for these farm animals, and feel their pain of these maltreatment,I believe this cruelty to animal, we strongly preached against would be stopped.