Fast Food Nation
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser discusses the fast food industry in depth. Many aspects of this industry are analyzed, from the inhumane treatment of the cattle in their feedlots to the overworked and underpaid employees at fast food restaurants. Although this book only looks at the American fast food industry, it is becoming identical for the rest of the world due to globalization. This book provides a realistic, yet depressing, view of what our society is coming to. It addresses numerous problems that are associated with our current fast food industry. The location of this book is not important. It is located in various places across the United States. Schlosser interviewed hundreds of people for this book, so the reader travels to various locations all across the country, seeing how many people have personal stories regarding how the fast food industry had impacted them. Fast Food Nation looks at various ranches, feed lots, slaughterhouses, and fast food restaurants. Schlosser uses a holistic approach to demonstrate the dramatic impact slaughtering cattle has on our entire society. All of the locations are indirectly related to one another. By using a myriad of personal anecdotes, the author emphasizes that the location is not what is important, but rather the vast geographic range that the fast food industry covers is more essential. There are many places that appear throughout this book. Urban areas provide consumers to support fast food restaurants. Rural areas house the ‘behind the scenes’ aspect of fast food. Feedlots and slaughterhouses reside in rural areas, away from consumers who would be disgusted with one glimpse into these buildings. Climate, rather than weather, provides the basis for the places mentioned in Fast Food Nation. Certain climates are needed to house cattle and grow the food necessary for their survival. For example, Colorado is mentioned numerously throughout this book, housing many slaughterhouses and processing plants. The