Fast food has rapidly become an industry which increasingly extensive negative effects on the environment and society’s health. People often ignore, or are unaware, of these effects when they purchase fast food items. This visual argument is an attempt to point out the vast growth and increased consumption of fast food, and the residual effects on the environment and consumer health.
The first image conjures up feelings of nostalgia, if the viewer was alive when McDonalds was founded, or, if they weren’t alive, a sense of wonder about a time they have only heard or read about. This image uses presuppositions about the audience’s knowledge of McDonalds’ (and fast food in general) successful transformation from a small burger stand to a multinational corporation. In context this image also brings up ideas about capitalism as an American ideal. By any measure, McDonald’s is a capitalistic success story. The second image shows a stereotypical farm with cows happily grazing. This associates the old McDonalds with a small farm environment. This creates a relationship between the beginnings of fast food development, a staple in American cuisine, and a pleasant farm environment. The viewer is given a brief reminder of a time when an industry that is so prevalent today was very different. The farm also makes a positive association with the product it is producing, something that is familiar and known as a cornerstone in the human race’s industrialization and growth.
The next picture is a busy McDonalds in what looks like another country. This makes the viewer see the transition and the growth and development of a particular player in a much larger industry. They are reminded of the frequency people consume fast food, and the global level on which the industry operates. This makes the viewer feel familiarity in the now, it also makes them feel the shift the industry has taken in a terms of presentation and prevalence. This image relies on presuppositions about the overconsumption of fast food, yet introduces it in a subtle way. It functions on a surface level, mostly inspiring a feeling of change in general. The next picture is of a sandwich from KFC which uses two pieces of fried chicken rather than buns. This is a somewhat comical use of the presupposition that certain components of the fast food industry have gone too far. This sandwich is the epitome of excess and makes the viewer feel somewhat disgusted. The viewer will feel guilt if this is a food item they eat themselves. They may also feel anger about others consuming food that is so clearly a poor dietary choice.
The fifth image is of a large feedlot. This pulls the viewer into a much harsher component of the industry, and again points to the change in the way the industry functions. The image itself makes the viewer feel dirty and wary. If the viewer has ever been near a feedlot they will be reminded of the putrid smell of feces and filth the environment creates. The viewer will feel a sense of pity for the animals awful living conditions. Again, they will feel more guilt or anger depending on the role they play in supporting the fast food industry. The viewer may also be grossed out by the food they have consumed in the past given the conditions the ingredients are raised in. The sixth image is of several obese children eating at a McDonalds. This brings the viewer back to something that they are familiar with, whether it be because they see obese children or because they themselves are obese. This makes the viewer feel an even greater sense of guilt and anger, and at this point should have them questioning their consumption of fast food. They should also be questioning the necessity and general nature of the fast food industry. These children represent a presupposition about America’s growing reputation as a fat unhealthy country that lives off of fast food. The viewer is again reminded of overconsumption and excess of the industry as a whole.
The seventh image is of McDonalds’ executives at a press conference. This gives a face to the industry, and brings in the business elements (a pursuit of profits) that perpetuate the consumption and low prices of the food. The viewer feels a sense of anger toward the stereotypical white males who run the McDonalds Corporation. Presuppositions about corruption and the elite class exploiting the common man are utilized in this photo. The viewer may be made to feel as though they have been wronged and, if they consume fast food, a desire to stop supporting the industry. The eighth picture is of two hands shaking with foreign currency turning into a gooey mess in their hands. The background shows industrial images of smoke stacks on the top and a clean image depicting industry on the bottom. This utilizes the presuppositions from the previous image to solidify the idea of the industry and the government being in cahoots. This furthers the anger and paints the fast food industry in a very malicious and negative light. The viewer can’t help but draw associations between the changes in the industry and the involvement of the industry in the government. It also makes the viewer consider why something that is clearly so damaging for society and the environment is able to continue thriving.
The ninth picture is a kid eating a burger with a McDonalds’ logo in the background. This is an interesting picture. The ketchup surrounding the kid’s mouth resembles blood and creates a very dark, almost evil, feeling about the act of actually eating fast food. This brings the viewer back to something very familiar. The kid in the picture is nondescript and could easily be the viewer or someone the viewer knows. The bright blue sky in the background is contrasted with the gross image of the kid eating the burger. This brings the viewer back to feeling disgust, and makes them consider the other images and the functionality of the industry as a whole. The have been brought through various processes and ideologies about the industry and are then presented with an image they can relate to of someone simply eating a burger. The preceding eight images set up the ninth up to really shine. The other images really bring out the dark and grotesque nature of the ninth.
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