Blog #7

In Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser makes multiple arguments throughout Fast Food Nation in support of his main argument. One of these is the argument that fast food companies and the meatpacking industry mistreat their workers. The workers in the fast food industry are not allowed to unionize, and there are many horror stories from meat plant workers, including the one of Kenny Dobbins, a loyal plant worker for 16 who was fired after being abused in hopes of making him quit. Another of these supplementary arguments is that the fast food industry destroys family farms. Because there is more demand for meat, factory farms have sprung up. The family-owned farms cannot compete with the the factory farms, and are run out of business. The suicide rate among ranchers is three times the national average. He also argues that the companies have little concern for health standards, instead, they try to squeeze out every last dollar they can. This is supported by the fact that fecal matter has been found in the meat. The large amount of e. coli outbreaks are also a testament to this.
All of these show the author's main argument: that fast food companies are bad for America and have a reckless desire to make as much money as possible, throwing human health and dignity out the window.