Omnivores Dilemma (Industrial Corn) - Coursework Example

Omnivore’s Dilemma (Industrial Corn) Introduction The book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” is an enlightening literary piece by Michael Pollan. The book appeared before its readers in the year 2006 and the book captivates a huge volley of inquisitions on the selection of the meals owing to the unselective nature of omnivores who tend to have almost anything and everything for their breakfasts, lunches and dinners. This tendency in human beings gives rise to dilemma for the choice of food and time of taking them. To justify these dilemmas in human nature and choice of meals, Pollan investigates the entire food habits of Americans or American way of eating. To investigate and analyze the entire food chains of human food habit, Pollan throws an in-depth light on each of the food chains initiating from the industrial food to the final source of the final meal. The book is divided into three neat parts, bearing the titles, ‘Industrial Corn’, ‘Pastoral Grass’ and ‘Personal the Forest’. Apart from this, there is also one introduction bearing the title, ‘Our Natural Eating Disorder’. ‘Industrial Corn’ is the first part of the book and it contains seven chapters. In this portion of the book, Pollan tends to explore the food chain from which the vast variety American meals evolve. This portion of the book also throws light on the food chain based on industrial food that is widely dependant on corn. It exposes the nature and the way corn is consumed by American masses in their food directly through food or used as a feed to the livestock. Corn is widely used in the processing of chemicals like glucose and used widely in the manufacturing of high-fructose corn syrup and ethanol. The first portion of the book, ‘Industrial Corn’ is a thorough discussion on the process how the corn plant has actually dominated the entire course of American diet achieved through a proper blend of factors pertaining to biology, politics and culture. The seven chapters that compose the first portion of the book, ‘Industrial Corn’ bears the following titles chronologically, ‘The Plant: Corn’s Conquest’, ‘The Farm’ ‘The Elevator’ ‘The Feedlot: Making Meat’, ‘The Processing Plant: Making Complex Food’, ‘The Consumer: A Republic of Fat’, ‘The Meal: Fast Food’ (Pollan, 2006). Pollan starts with discussing that corn plant controls the American diet to a great extent. It dominates the American way of food. To investigate the way the corn plant exercises its influence on the American food habits, Pollan starts his investigation from the grass root level and in order to accomplish it, he visits a corn farm in Iowa owned by George Naylor. And through his first hand knowledge gained from the fields where the plant is being cultivated, Pollan contends that it is the plant that has depended on human beings for its survival and the huge cultivation of the plant has actually benefited it. Along with this, the importance and function of petroleum that supplied lifeline to the transport system and cultivation and growth of corn in American food supply are thoroughly discussed in this portion of the book as well. Light on the fast food meal is discussed as well to accomplish and discuss the end result of the food chain dependant on industry. He also places a wide criticism on the industrial model of agriculture. He also discusses that how the scientific invention and innovations of the process like Haber process is helpful in nitrogen fixation which allows a fast and far-reaching simplification of the agricultural process. He puts forth a valid argument that at one plane, the farmers use the local knowledge on the production of the plant that is based on their cultural cognition and on the developed paradigm this knowledge gained more scientific grounds inside laboratories. To this point he contends that scientific progress involved in the process of corn production which is taking place in laboratories in the modern era, has a negative impact on the agricultural process for the production of corn. In this regard, Pollan views that revival to the localized agricultural methodology would certainly solve many problems related to environment and health culminating from the modern agricultural practices, specifically the methods involved in the production of corn. The investigation of Pollan does not end with the visit of farm in Iowa. He further throws light on the feedlot where he keenly observes the condition under which a steer is kept before it is slaughtered. He explains that how the steer is given a diet which predominantly contains corn which has an adverse effect on an animal that is actually having the metabolic system apt for consuming grass. Pollan at this point claims a very valid point where he mentions that the unnatural diet consumed by the steer definitely has certain detractions in the value of nutrition produced in the meat of the steer and with a few definite adverse effects on the quality of animal’s life. Moreover, Pollan also explains the way the use of excessive antibiotics provided to the feedlots has led to many fatal diseases like mad-cow disease and other drug resistant microbes which actually culminated to many other health hazards which would never have been any point of concern if the feedlots would have been provided in natural conditions inherent in their pedigree (Kamp, 2006). The author of the book has managed to successfully combine the analysis of his personal experience as well as interesting factual data. Pollan’s writing and addressing of the reader is very appealing, because it combines good humor in the form of anecdotal elements of the work. Chapters one through three of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma are full of important information. The man emphasis in this paper is put on the analysis of chapter I of the book. Particular attention in the book is paid to analyzing background related to manner in which an American Farm is organized. The other part of the book is devoted to the analysis of the work of the government which also has its particular influence on the work of the farm. Part one envelopes a captivating informative history of the American farm. The book gains its particular labor due to the winning descriptive qualities of author. My only remark is that author should pay more attention to analyzing source information of the book. Chapter one takes you right into reality of modern consumer, and starts with the review of a common supermarket. After making the reader familiar with the supermarket the author asks the questions of how it came to be. After all questions are asked the author gets back to getting answers. One of the answers leads us to the statement that American basic plant is corn. Chapter two is no less captivating. Pollan goes as far as introducing us to Mr. Naylor. This man is a farmer who is willing to share his experience with the reader. In chapter II you will also find some information related to the government influence that makes Americans dependable on corn. The author reveals to its readers that American government is keen on making surplus of corn but this task is not so easy as it might seems that requires a lot of sacrifice from the side of farmers and land which is getting exhausted with time. This analysis is accompanied by the review of the expansive history of corn. It is fascinating how corn became the main plant in America from an accident. The story shows that corn is a result of the Mayans’ interactions with newcomers. A very interesting fact is that the author of the books paints a multidimensional picture of the history of corn. In this particular case Pollan’s talent in making a perfect description brings a winning advantage for the book. The other important advantage of Pollan’s writing is that he actively uses descriptive elements. For example, the reader can hear the lights humming, the sprinklers turning on, and the smell of fresh meat. Everything is the same like in a real shop. By means of using these normal everyday experience that most anyone can relate to Pollan crates a realistic picture of the events he describes in the book. The author actively uses similes. These are used to describe the process of a planter plowing the field. “Rolling sea of dark chocolate” (pg. 32) is one of numerous examples how Pollan uses a vision of rolling hills to create realistic images of farmer’s life. His description is much based on a comparison to the logistics of an office building. The only remark regarding Chapter II is that throughout chapter one can hardly find some traceable sources. To put it simply, the author should pay more attention to analyzing the scientific information. This information must be retrieved only from reliable sources. Animals play important role in this particular book. The authors states that animals are kept in horrible conditions and are not properly treated. Pollen becomes a strong defender of domestic animals. Thus, according to this main idea, they should be kept in normal conditions and be able to live their life to their natural end. Besides, the conditions should be both comfortable and enjoyable. Thus, there should be enough space for an animal to move and stretch normally without causing any physical pain for itself. There should be enough space for movement, because animals do deserve those kinds of things. Pollen is reckoned that a cow should have the same rights as a dog or a cat. He does not understand people who put more value on one kind of animals over the other like taking care of penguins but killing pigs. Most of the people do not actually realize what is happening to those domestic animals which are kept as source of food. Besides, no one ever thinks of the harsh conditions of life of domestic animals. Only people who bother to get to know about conditions of life began to understand the unfairness towards animals and stand for equal rights for all of them. Keeping and killing animals just for food is really rude and unethical. Thus, the author proposes to reduce the number of animals that are killed on annual basis. People consume less meat than they actually need, because many animals are killed and, as a result, meat which has gone spoiled is thrown away. This simple statement means that much lesser number animals could have been killed. Eating less can also lead to money saving, especially nowadays when meat prices has gone much up. Besides, ties and bonds of an animal and a human being are very strong. Often it is important relationship between a man and a dog, or a man and a horse that are highly valued. Pollen suggests treating an animal as a friend or a parent. Another important subject which Pollan could not overlook is the idea of farming, which is represented through variants of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The author introduced the idea of alternative farming and goes into some detail explaining the difference between it and traditional way. However, the two sections concerned with the topic are rather unfocused and somewhat loose. The main idea or the dilemma is represented through two different issues. The first one is concerned with the type of food we prefer. Thus the beginning of the book starts with the question “What should we have for dinner?” The second issue is concerned with the food is produced and processed. Pollen’s book can be called a healthy eating program. The questions he answers and the number of topics he covers is really very diverse. Pollan is an expert in the sphere he is writing about. The ethical questions regarding animal food are covered immensely. At the same time, however, such problem as organic food and its compatibility with real food products seems to be unanswered fully and precisely. The population of the earth is really numerous and the question of have to feed the masses ethically and preserving animals’ lives is not answered. One of the answers could be becoming a vegetarian, which does not seem to be an ideal solution to every problematic question. Even though Pollan seems to be a strong defender of animal word strongly opposing killing animals, in many instances he proves to be a semi-vegetarian in his ideas and statements. Such conclusion has been made based on one of the statements made by Pollan, according to which it is almost impossible to have normal agriculture functioning and food production without input out of animal nutrients. Therefore, Pollan is contradicting his own beliefs in some parts of the book. Pollan’s attempt really deserves acknowledgement, but the work actually lacks thorough research as well as analysis of different spheres of life which would be affected by shifts in food production and consumption. On the other hand, however, nowadays people are more concerned with the ways animals are kept and treated than they were centuries ago when men used to go hunting and their wives stayed cooking and looking after their house. And this aspect has also two sides which are good one, ethical treatment of animals, and bad one: they are killed anyway, because they taste good after being treated well. Pollan has been criticized for inability to take one clear position either being a vegetarian or not being the one, because is seems to be pro-vegetarian and, at the same time, does not imagine life without eating meat once in a while. The reason for this, as the author explains himself are various socio-cultural traditions and laws which incorporate particular food eating traditions. However, Pollan’s book is considered to be a success. Food preferences as well as simple rules one tries to keep while dining explain a lot of health disorders related to eating. Fast food has been severely criticized and there is no wonder, because harmful effects of this type of food were recognized a long time ago. The chapter of the book which presents a thorough analysis of the chain of restaurants such as McDonalds is very popular. Explanation of the whole process of food production as well as introduction of the ingredients of the fast food products is really impressive. Toxic chemicals which are contained in this food in much amount is just a very appalling fact. Happy Meal is neither happy nor healthy as it is a direct way to self contamination and slow killing. According to Pollan as well as many other critics and specialists in the food industry fast food subject is a long lasting debate which seems to have no single solution. The people tend to believe the tales they are told and shown day after day, year after year through the means of advertising. Even though the phrase “you are what you eat” is well-known to everyone starting from a child. Eating preferences based on food eating and dieting traditions can be broken neither easily nor quickly. Subconscious perceiving of the images as true reality is hard to break or alter. After the giant food industries and numerous chains of fast food restaurants stand tycoons who will never agree to leave their sources of profits in sake of environment protection or ethics. References Kamp, D. (2006). Deconstructing dinner. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/23/books/review/23kamp.html?pagewanted=all Pollan, M. (2006). The Omnivores dilemma: A natural history of four meals. USA: Penguin Press. Read More