6. February 2010 by student.

Food.  It has become an important aspect of our life.  Everywhere we go there is food, whether were at the store, the movies, the park, the bank.  Food is what lures us to places.  Food is also what is causing health problems and obesity rates to rise.  Eating habits are terrible in America.  Fast food chains are located in every city, in every state, and on almost every street.  Personally, I believe fast food restaurants are part of our problem.  The other day, my mom gave me the “Make Good Choices” speech.  I asked her why she told me this every time I talked to her.  She informed me that the more you hear something the more you will contemplate the outcome before acting on your decision.  Clearly, fast food industries have figured this out.  They spend millions of dollars a year advertising their products, manipulating consumers into believing that it’s ok to eat McDonalds or Taco Bell on a regular basis.  Often times the industry uses smiling children or attractive happy adults in their commercials, making us believe that we too will be attractive and happy when eating the rubbish they are offering us.  Even though we know their products are horrible for us we continue to consume it.  However, I don’t believe it is 100% of the consumers fault.  Media has a strong effect on society as a whole.  It’s the magic box that tells us what is cool, and what is not.  It entertains us, informs us, and is now killing us…?  While sitting down to watch one episode of Friends or a NFL game at least 2 fast food commercials come on during every commercial break.  This chain has more commercials than any other chain of business, yet there are so few commercials out there to offset their power.  For example, when was the last time you saw a commercial for vegetables on TV?  Having trouble remembering?  I know I am.  Has the media affected our judgment on food choices, resulting in a less healthy lifestyle?  Should corporations be able to sell their products even if they are harmful?  Medicine commercials always have side effects listed at the end of each commercial.  Why don’t Wendy’s or Burger King?  How have we allowed these businesses to alter our decisions and our appearance? Sometimes I wonder if people care about the outcome of their eating habits, and if they do, I wonder why they live the lifestyle they do.  How an individual looks or lives affects everyone around them.  If everyone gives into the power of advertising for these businesses then we will maintain our reputation as “Fat Americans”.  Eventually other countries will laugh at us (if they’re not already), and belittle us due to our appearance.  Are you going to let fast food advertisement manipulate you?

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | 1 Comment »

6. February 2010 by student.

Throughout the last century, our ecological footprint, or amount of waist were producing, has increased so much to where it has become a major topic in today’s society.  Everywhere we look we see “Go Green” ads and ways we can better our environment.  Speeches have been delivered by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others expressing the current state of planet Earth.  Corporations such as bottling companies and grocery stores are finding ways to use less material to sell their products.  For example, Zephyrhills is using less plastic to make their bottles, and Publix offers reusable fabric bags instead of plastic.  However, are these simple things making a big enough difference to stop pollution and lessen our ecological footprint, or they just delaying the inevitable?  People abuse the resources we have without even recognizing the consequences of their actions.  Society has made it ok to buy 30 bottles of water and “recycle”.  It’s ok if you have a hundred plastic bags in your house, using them on occasion then tossing them away because everyone else does.  People look at this and think “It’s ok, I recycle I’m helping the environment.”  Even if you are recycling your water bottles or reusing your plastic bags have you ever thought about the amount of energy and air pollution released when making these items?  What about the pollution created when recycling them?  The amount of land used to house all of our trash?  Well I have, and I don’t think it’s worth it.

 Is it fair for those of us that actually care about our environment and have changed our lifestyle just to have others ruin it?  I blame society for the lack of knowledge most people have about the environment.  People these days keep up with the celebrities and the earthquake in Haiti, yet they have no idea what is actually happening at home; something that is affecting the now as well as the future.  If the public could see the negative side of the way we are living and the actual process of making the things we use I wonder if they would change.  We have made it part of our American culture to be a materialistic country.  Ever since the early 1700’s, Americans have based their social status of money and what they own.  Times change though, and I believe we should too.  We, as a nation, need to focus more on the output of our lifestyle, as compared to the personal gain.  If we keep living how we are, there is no doubt in my mind that we will run out of space as well as our important resources.  What will we do when plastic is no longer at our finger tips? When gas becomes extinct like the dinosaurs? When freshwater becomes a marketed product only bought in stores?  Will we be able to adapt?  Will we be able to survive?  I’d rather not find out the hard way, and I urge others to take a stand as well.

Posted in Introduction to Sociology | No Comments »