1. What is the filmmaker’s main argument?
Morgan Spurlock's argument in Super Size Me is that eating McDonald's everyday is bad and hazardous for people and their health. However, even though Spurlock specifically focuses on McDonald's because he is eating his daily meals from there, he points out not just that fast-food chain, but other fast-food chains and even the meals served in school cafeterias. A more broad thesis that is not entirely stated outward in the film would be that eating a lot of food that is unhealthy for people everyday contributes to obesity, but specifically, Spurlock is focusing on the fast-food chains.
2. Are there any minor arguments?
Although not stated outward until the very end of the documentary, a minor argument concerns whether or not the fast-food companies and chains should be responsible for the obesity it causes for its clientele. As informed to the audience, there have been multiple cases filed by numerous different people, suing these chains, a specific example being the ever popular McDonald's, for their weight gain and health issues.
3. How does he support his argument?
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Easily the most obvious way is that Spurlock uses himself as the tester and has his progress documented on camera through all 30 days. He even goes to doctors, where even his appointments and weigh-ins are captured on film, and informs them of his plans, where they agree to go along and check up on his progress. Morgan Spurlock doesn't just use his own work either; he does research on other cases, research and statistics, or facts concerning the dangers of constantly eating fast-food. Both people who have experience either obesity, medical concerns concerning obesity, or who devote a good percentage of their work and research for their places such as the government appear within the documentary to help back him
In the article “Don’t Blame the Eater”, author David Zinczenko, the editor -in-chief of Men’s Health magazine comments on the lawsuit against McDonald’s which is initiated by the overweight children’s parents. He claims that fast-food industry should accept full responsibility for a serious public problem: leading American kids to obesity. Zinczenko supports his claim with his personal experience to show how the fast-food chains marketing on them with low price. He also said it is not easy for those obese kids to turn their lives back. He believes this should be considered as a public health problem because their obesity causes the society huge public health losses. Zinczenko insists that if fast-food industry doesn’t take actions quickly, it is only a matter of time for them to become the next tobacco industry.
In the essay, “Don’t Blame the Eater”, David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine, discusses the recent lawsuits against fast-food chains. He does not deny that there should be a sense of personal responsibility among the public, but has sympathy for the kid consumers because he used to be one. Zinczenko argues that due to the lack of nutritional facts and health warnings, it’s not so ridiculous to blame the fast-food industry for obesity problems.
The Morgan super-size me film that investigates that if fast food chain, Mac Donald’s is contributing to the obesity in America because of the food that is serves. The director, Morgan Spurlock conveys that, in America, people are becoming more obese due to the consumption of too much fast food. Throughout the film, Suprlock uses several film techniques such as graphics, interviews and voice over and direct narration to persuade the audience of his point of view that a person can get really sick from having a diet that relays on MacDonald’s food in a variety of substantial ways.
In my opinion, the documentary captures the physical and psychological effects that this way of eating has on him. An important point of view is that the film tried to capture people who were obese and their stories, their opinions on fast food and their consumption. The documentary is about the fast food that McDonald’s sells and the effects it produces on our body’s long term. McDonald’s is the main focus of the film and Spurlock accuse McDonald’s wrong ways of selling to children by creating playgrounds and through aggressive ads, such that many children know McDonald’s clown better than
Fast foods are one of the biggest contributors. The documentary, “Super-Size Me”, shows a very detailed journey that Morgan Spurlock takes to investigate the real effects of consumption of McDonalds. Morgan Spurlocks deal is to eat McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for thirty days. During this time his health would be tracked by a gastroenterologist, cardiologist, and a general practitioner in order to receive accurate medical attention and tracking. Within Mr. Spurlocks first two to four days he had vomited and started his days just not feeling well for no clear reason.
Today, approximately 1 of every 3 adults in America suffers from obesity. In a world where people are surrounded by fast food 24/7, it is hard to come up with solutions to the growing obesity problem. In David Zinczenko's article Don’t Blame the Eater, written in 2002, he defends people who began suing fast food companies for their obesity. He justifies their choice to do so by pointing out the insufficient access to healthy food, the lack of choices for people who cannot afford to eat healthily, and the absence of information fast food companies provide about their products. These are used to convince his audience that the people who consume fast food are not to be blamed for their obesity because it is the fast food companies that are at
Morgan Spurlock decided to make this documentary to investigate the fast food companies, and the effects of certain fast food chains products, particularly McDonalds, on the health of society. This Documentary explores the United States growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes as well. Morgan decides to eat nothing but McDonald's food for thirty days. He must eat one of everything on the menu at least once, and when asked to super size his meal he must do so. Another stipulation of Morgan's experiment is that he can only take 5,000 steps a day to replicate the exercise that most average Americans get on a daily basis. He must also eat three meals a day, no exceptions and if McDonalds doesn't serve it
Since Super Size Me is a documentary primary focused on the ideas of its director, Morgan Spurlock, we must be able to perceive him as a credible and trustworthy source. Using himself as
In a society that is facing numerous problems, such as economic devastation, one major problem is often disregarded, growing obesity. As the American society keeps growing, so does growth of the fast food industry and the epidemic of obesity. In order to further investigate the main cause of obesity, Morgan Spurlock, the film director and main character, decides to criticize the fast food industry for its connection with obesity in America. In his documentary Spurlock performs a radical experiment that drives him to eat only from McDonald's and order a super-sized meal whenever he is asked. By including visual and textual techniques, rhetorical appeals, and argumentative evidences, Morgan Spurlock was able
Contrary to the popular belief of the time, Morgan Spurlock’s amateur documentary “Supersize Me” pushed reform in both fast food culture, and eating habits of citizens, being one of the first catalysts in a new movement in America. This 2004 film, being the first of his works to establish Spurlock as a filmmaker, focuses on Spurlock’s 30 day journey in which he vowed to eat solely McDonalds for three meals a day, and track his overall mental, physical, and social changes over this span of time. Throughout the film, Spurlock consults three doctors (a gastroenterologist, a cardiologist, and a general practitioner) as well as a nutritionist to monitor physical change and gather quantitative data supporting his claim. The film often exhibited
Morgan Spurlock’s motivation to create his documentary emerged from a certain court case, in which two teenage girls sued McDonald's for selling them products that resulted in them being obese for their age group (Spurlock). McDonald’s testimony stated that the girls could not fully prove that it was the McDonald’s product that were making them overweight and that eating their products for every meal would be seemingly dangerous (Spurlock). Spurlock to this statement into his owns hands and a decided to conduct a month long experiment, in which he would go on a thirty-day long binge of McDonald’s food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to prove if and how fast food can make a person obese (Spurlock). It is well known within the general public that fast food in not a healthy option for a meal but for many, fast food is the only
Fast food is unhealthy and does not provide the necessary nutrients needed for a daily diet, however Mcdonald's, a fast food empire claimed in a 2004 lawsuit against them that fast food can be a part of a healthy diet. The court ruled that the plaintiffs would have a serious claim if they could prove that eating fast food for every meal is dangerous for the person and their health. Morgan Spurlock, writer, director, producer, and star of 2004 documentary Supersize Me set out to prove that fast food is dangerous for a person's health. The documentary follows Morgan on his 30 day challenge of only eating fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Through Morgan's challenge his weight skyrockets, his health declines and feels terrible all the time. Many people believe that fast food companies are to blame for America's obesity but the individual must take responsibility for what they put into their bodies instead of blaming fast food companies for their unhealthy eating habits .The documentary explores the idea that people should avoid eating fast food because Fast food, although more convenient and easier is worse for you than making your own meals. Fast food leads to many health risks and is not a good substitution for traditional meals. People should avoid eating
In 2010, 43 million children were projected to be overweight because of these products. However, the nation exceeded this statistic by having 92 million children being at risk of obesity (Borghi, De Onis, and Blossner 1). Because of the country’s inability to take control of this problem, lawsuits have begun to be filed against major fast-food companies, such as McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Hardees. These companies are being sued because citizens claim they are unaware of the detriments that grease and tons of sugar can do to one’s body. For instance, in the court case Pelman v. McDonald’s Corporation, these people were suing McDonalds because they strongly believed that their fast food was the reason why they were having health issues (Kornblet 209). Though this argument seemed to be valid, countless factors affect weight and health of
In 2003 Morgan Spurlock launched on an experiment of sorts to fully understand the effects that fast food, in this case specifically McDonald’s food can have on one’s physiological and mental health by eating nothing but McDonald’s food for thirty days. Before embarking on this quest, Spurlock visited a general practitioner, a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a dietician, and an exercise specialist. He began his McDonald’s journey with exceptional health, by the end of the thirty days he had suffered serious health consequences both physically and mentally. From an addiction to McDonald’s food to a major increase in cholesterol levels there is no doubt that Spurlock’s health greatly declined in the month long period. Spurlock documented his journey in a film entitled Supersize Me, which has served as a call to action for the years since its release.
The article “Don’t Blame the Eater", by David Zinczenko talks about how a group of people are suing McDonald’s for making them fat. Zinczenko shares his experience on how fast food has effect his childhood and teenage years. He explains how teenagers can put on weight with a fast food and part of the problem is the lack in nutritional information about fast food. In addition, he speaks about fast food and the companies behind it.