No one will deny that America is a nation that has seen tremendous expansion in the past 50 years.
It seems, to borrow the phrase usually attributed to Texas, that everything is bigger here.
Be it our homes, our bills or governmental budgets, we have seen explosive growth in our lifetimes.
Perhaps the most exponential growth, however, has occurred in the American waistline.
Much of the blame for our growing, no pun intended, epidemic of obesity has been laid at the doorsteps of the fast food chains.
Burger King, Wendy’s and the focus of evil in the world of fast food, McDonald’s, have all been attacked by everyone from consumer advocates on down to the federal government on everything from treatment of workers to the quality of their food.
Do they deserve to be treated as public enemies?
In my opinion, yes and no.
Let’s face it, a diet made up primarily of fast food is a one way ticket to diminished health and possibly an early grave. Then again, individuals, at least the way I see it, have the right to put into their bodies what they want, so long as I’m not forced to eat it.
In addition, many of the loudest critics come from either think tanks, people whose commitment to public health seems to take on Nazi-like proportions, or government regulators, in pay of the all-powerful state (an entity which killed more people than Coke, Phillip Morris, and McDonald’s combined last century).
So, I’m slightly skeptical to all of the hoopla surrounding the evils of fast food.
What I think is that the explosion of what Eric Schlosser has rightly called “The Fast Food Nation” is indicative of wider cultural trends.
We are, as Americans, seemingly more materialistic than any other nation.
We don’t take things slow, with the exception of that English paper we’ve now had two extensions on, and demand instant gratification.
Fast food appeals to both of those desires.
McDonald’s recently announced that they were going to do away in the next year with the option to Super Size their meals.
Naturally, this is the typical feel good nonsense that allows busybodies to feel good about themselves and McDonald’s to continue to make more money from clients who will simply spend more money in order to get the same amount of food they used to receive.
It would be like Budweiser selling beer in 3-packs.
The essential product remains the same, while those who want more are forced to pay even higher prices for what they used to get for less.
Frankly, the whole health movement doesn’t make too much sense to me.
Do we all really want to live in a world where everyone ends up as a octogenarian solely due to the fact that they ate a pound of vitamins a day while spendingmore than three hours on the treadmill?
Basically, we’re being led to believe that the only way to extend our lives is to live the stereotypical life of a taciturn Iowa farmer cum obsessive suburban jogging nut.
Frankly, that’s one jumpsuit that I don’t particularly want to wear.
No, what we need is the golden rule of life, moderation. Nobody likes a glutton, but I’d prefer the company of possessors of Rembrantesque girth to the companionship of the nutcases who seem to think that life is about keeping ahead in a foot race with death.
So, enjoy your food, at least before they put the Surgeon General’s warning on it.
And of course, it doesn’t hurt to do a few sit-ups afterwards.