Food Inc: Ethics

After seeing Food Inc. for the second time yesterday I left class somewhat upset.  The first time I saw the documentary was freshman year in my English 104 class and although I still thought that what the video showed was wrong, I did not possess the analytical skills that Comm 322 has installed since taking the class.  Now having been in class and thinking about certain things in different ways, I felt much more perturbed after seeing it this second time.

What disturbed me the most after viewing it this time around was how ethically backwards our society is becoming.  Instead of caring about the health of these large food corporations consumers, the only thing at the forefront of their minds is the profit they wish to make.  They do everything under the sun just to do the bare minimum in regards to the regulations and standards they have to follow in order to cut costs and maximize profits.  As a result, we as consumers purchase these compromised goods and pay the price while the rich tycoons who own these businesses sleep soundly at night with a clear conscience.  What’s makes it even worse is that these corporations have become so large and powerful that they essentially have a stranglehold on the government itself, making it extremely hard to pass new, stricter regulations such as Kevin’s Law.  As long as we as consumers continue to look the other way and throw our money towards these food moguls, they will continue to puppeteer the government and changes may never come.  It’s our responsibility as consumers, and as ethically responsible people, to take a stand and bring changes to stray away from the ever-increasing gravitating effect towards money and the general disregard for much more important things.