"Equality For Animals?" Reading Response

I just want to start off and say that I really enjoyed this piece. I have read several of Singer's other works in the past and I fully agree with him on most of his points. I agree that factory farming is an epidemic that gets swept under the rug. I agree that animals deserve to live their full lives out in a pasture and doing what they want. I agree that there are different ways of eating and that eating meat is only one of them. That being said, I am not a vegetarian. I eat as little meat as I can, but I almost always have some sort of animal product with my meal (usually it's cheese, but still). It's not really an option for me to become vegetarian or vegan, as Singer suggests, but I like to think that I do what I can to make as few lives taken for my sake as possible. Singer styles this piece in a way that helps the reader better understand the basics of his argument that animals should not be used as food. He quotes Benjamin Franklin in the later half of his piece discussing the reasons that people argue against vegetarianism, and this helps to put a famous name to validity his statements. Singer knows that people are appalled of the ways that animal are treated in slaughterhouses but are able to keep it out of their minds most of the time. He says that people should not be ignoring this unethical treatment and should take a stand, though he knows that it will be close to impossible to change the farming industry now. Singer is obviously very passionate about his research and position on animal equality. Titling his piece "Equality For Animals?" with the question mark is meant to draw potential readers into the piece and to learn more about the factory farming industry and vegetarianism/veganism, even though this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Service Learning Reflection #2

For my service learning, I went out to the ROOTS Garden. The first thing I did when on the property was take a tour from the leader, Lydia. The garden is very organic and much bigger than I expected. My job was to pick the cloves of garlic and plant each individual part of the clove so as to start several new cloves. This hands-on experience has helped to learn that even if the food seems bad and should be trhown out, the organic gardeners continue on with it because it can be used as a good fertilizer. The service learning has enhanced my personal growth in that I now know how garlic is grown and the different types of mushrooms. It has helped my civic learning by showing me how the people of Asheville grow their food and where quite a few local organizations get their donations from. In the future, I hope to be a part of a bigger project and help harvesst some food instead of replanting.

'Downsizing Supersize" and "Why Shame Won't Stop Obesity” Reading Response

Our required reading for this response were the pieces "Downsizing Supersize" by James Surowiecki and "Why Shame Won't Stop Obesity" by Dhruv Khullar. In "Downsizing Supersize", Surowiecki discusses the proposal of a ban on soft drinks over 16 oz. I find this proposition very interesting, and potentially a very good idea on how to lower the amount of obesity in the United States. I feel, personally, that there are not enough restrictions surrounding the fast food industry and the amount of control they have over people's lives. Of course, there are ways to get around the ban by buying two drinks, but the average person, as argued by Surowiecki, will not choose to do this. People are driven by a certain mindset that follows the norm, so if the norm is set higher, people will follow that (and if it is set lower, they will follow that, too). I agree with Surowiecki's argument that people will follow what is set as a "standard", and if the fast food industry complies with the proposed bans, America could get a lot thinner a lot faster. The second piece, "Why Shame Won't Stop Obesity", talks about how people need to stop fat-shaming people who are overweight because most of the time these people are not making their food choices just for fun. Khullar argues that people overlook the convenience and low price tag of a meal at McDonald’s over a more healthy option. It's not only about the price, however. Khullar also brings up the lack of actual healthy options in the lower income areas. It is much more likely to see a fast food joint than a fresh apple, and more convenient for the people who live there as well. The people who are making these purchases are doing so purely for the need of food, not the desire for fast food or the lack of interest n eating healthier. Overall, the two pieces talk about why some people are stuck in an obesity tunnel and why we as a country need to change our ways and habits to help the general public make healthier choices.