Stereotypes Of American Culture

Fast food has turned into a genuine fundamental of our everyday life and made a religion of establishments that reaches out to the millions of Americans across the country. The Fast Food industry in a few eyes has been one of the sharpest developments this world has seen. It has been driven by our stomachs and our wallets for 40 to 50 years it's as yet developing to this date. The man who make-believe it can be known as the best representative, this nation has ever observed. The Fast Food Industry is big to the point that it has influenced our wellbeing, changed our way of life, and misshaped our territory as far back as the very first moment.

Fast food is very popular amongst today’s society. Fast Food Nation has reasons for the explosion in popularity of fast food restaurants in the mid-1900’s. It also explains negative effects on American Culture in today’s society. The fast-food industry has multiplied across America and changed the food industry. Eric Schlosser describes in Fast Food Nation the way people think about what they eat and what people think of the fast food industry, and also its impact on society.

Stereotyping wasn't a big problem when living in Texas. Living in Wisconsin was a whole different story. People find it offensive, and it could end up being racist. Always remember what is being said to others and how careful one has to be. Even if they know what people are saying just for fun and no harm is intended, people can take it to another measure. Nothing shouldn't be done period and we shouldn't allow it.

Every day the average american can be seen throwing money at things. This is the relationship that can be made between america and food, as seen in “What We Eat”. Eric Schlosser talks about how food in general has made a noticeable difference on the American society. He does this by referencing how the amount of money the average american spends on food has surpassed numbers unimaginable. Schlosser says that the effect of fast food in america has made it so that “On any given day, about one quarter of the adult population visits a fast-food restaurant.”

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, is a stark and unrelenting look into the fast food industry that has ingrained itself in not only American culture, but in culture around the world. There is almost no place on earth that the golden arches has not entered. Aside from Antarctica, there is a McDonalds on every continent, and the number of countries that have fast food restaurants is growing on a daily basis. Schlosser describes in detail what happens behind the scenes, before the hamburger and fries come wrapped in environmentally safe paper and are consumed by millions of people daily

The emergence of the era of fast food has been extremely apparent since the end of World War II and is arguably one of the most unhealthy periods of time for America’s people, both physically for its people and economically for those involved in the production for fast food companies. Throughout the novel many examples and real life situations are presented in order to properly give its readers a true sense of what fast food chains have caused for both producers and consumers.

The McDonald’s in Beijing created these trends because they used the same menu as the American counterpart. This increased business and attracted customers because they felt more modern eating the so-called “American cuisine.” The McDonald’s in Beijing is most definitely considered an example of an American-inspired, transnational culture because the Chinese are intrigued with the western influence and this does change their culture because they are becoming more modern and opening up to outside influences. With a positive view from China, McDonald’s decided to expand even more.

The story of the fast food industry and its effect on the world is well told in the book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Schlosser makes the claim that, what started out as a special treat for the kids eventually ended up defining a way of life. During a brief period of time, the fast food industry has helped transform not only the American diet, but also our countryside, economy, workforce, and popular culture. The book thoroughly describes how important the two factors of money and power are in today's society. The book clearly establishes the broader thesis that as consumers, we should know what we eat even if it makes us uncomfortable by the knowledge.

In “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal” (2002), Eric Schlosser argues that “… Fast food is solely responsible for every social problem now

The fast food industry has taken over the world. Everywhere where people are there is bound to be at least one restaurant where the convenient, contagious, and cheap food is sold. Throughout this book Eric Schlosser, the author, keeps a negative tone towards the fast food industry and shows his readers how it has shaped the world to this day and how it will continue to shape the world, not always in the best way. His arguments all tie back to one major idea that he kept throughout the book which is that the fast food industry is a powerful force and one that needs to be reckoned with.

Fast food started from America and has been one of the important and inevitable parts of the American society. Fast food has spread to every corner of the nation to sell a wide range of foods for every customer. Schlosser, an author of Fast Food Nation, provides a full description of “distinctively American way of viewing the world.” He mentions that fast food industry not only changes American daily diet but also has a profound influence on environment, economy, workforce, and culture. As more and more women enter the workforce, the consumption of fast food keeps rising because there is no time for them to cook for their kids.

Take a step back and hone in on some of the negative characteristics of American Citizens. Whether one may realize it or not, all countries have citizens with positive and negative characteristics despite being a powerhouse country like the United States. Just as naturally as Americans believe they live in one of the greatest nations in the world, often times people of other nations think the exact same thing. Looking at negative factors helps one to better understand cultural perspectives and imagine what other people think of our nation’s people. Americans are most notably associated with their weight and this is most likely the first thing that comes to a foreigner’s mind.

I think the types of stereotypes about Americans would depend on who/what group is being asked. For example, if the same Iranians in this week’s study were asked about their beliefs regarding America, many of the same stereotypes applied to Canadians would probably be similar to the stereotypes they would place on American (Tavakoli et. Al). Stereotypes such as America being a nation of Christians with weak family ties and loose morals are some stereotypes that would likely be brought up. However, if one were to ask the Canadians about their opinion of Americans, their responses likely would be more positive since both cultures are much more similar than they are to the Iranian culture.

Eric Schlosser is one of the authors who describes the fast food phenomenon in his book Fast Food Nation. According to him, the biggest problem is the fast food industry that is increasing day by day. Fast food has affected not only the restaurants and the market, but also all the sectors of people's life, from the professional life to the personal one. This affirmation is sustained by Schlosser's statement: "Fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. " ( Schlosser 3 ) The fast food industry has got into institutions and parts of the world that no one believed would be affected. Moreover, the power of fast food can be seen by taking a look at the American individual, who gives fast food different

Food is very much a part of pop culture, and the beliefs, practices, and trends in a culture affect its eating practices. Pop culture includes the ideas and objects generated by a society, including foods, and other systems, as well as the impact of these ideas and objects on society. For example, Mcdonald's is another of the thousands of fast food chains that populate our cities though they often use the term “popular culture” only to refer to media forms. Their popularity has also increased internationally. Although all humans need food to survive, people's food habits and how they obtain, prepare, and consume food, are the result of learned behaviors. Mcdonald’s, like other food chains, has made an effort to ‘localize’ its products so that they will be more successful in each different cultural context. These collective behaviors, as well as the values and attitudes they reflect, come to represent a group’s pop culture.