From: idasan-AT-pseud.pseud Subject: Re: M-INTRO: Mcdonaldization Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 20:26:41 -0600 On the contrary, we can blame McDonalds. You absolutely defend one side of the Mcdonalds controversy and do it very well. But I would like to present the other argument - one that I personally believe in. Everyone knows that McDonalds has usually offered food high in fat and low in valuable nutrition - everyone knows it, even Mcdonalds. That's why they have started to introduce new, more nutritional foods such as the parfait and their myriad of salads. If they weren't culpable for making Americans fat - why would they have introduced all these new healthier menu items? Furthermore, simply by the mere act of no longer "offering" the super size option is proof positive that the company itself feels it was formerly (socially) irresponsible to do so. There is a line that many businesses cross- that of the hometown favorite to becoming a part of the national culture. If a company has the good fortune, as McDonalds has, of becoming so successful that its name pops up in the news, in hiphop songs, and even in documentaries - wouldn't everyone agree that social responsibility absolutely must come along with it? At this point, McDonalds is a brand name.... people trust it and love it. Given that it is a part of what we've become as a nation is precisely the reason why the company needs to (and has) looked at this responsibility as sacred. They have the obligation to make their food as healthy as possible and cut fat wherever they can. I wonder if you have the same attitude about the tobacco industry - don't blame them for making cigarettes? Don't ge me wrong, I don't entirely equate the two - McDonalds doesn't intentionally put a full-blown addictive substance in thier food (although some would make the argument that do). But the point still applies - if a company becomes a part of mainstream culture, they have a social responsibility to make their product as safe as possible. --- from list marxism-intro-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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