Hi Everyone,
In his article, Eric Schlosser discusses the fast food industry in America and how it employs or exploits (depending your point of view) teenagers, immigrants, and disabled people to facilitate throughput, the most cost-efficient and highest volume flow of goods and service. While this may open up opportunities for people with little experience and limited employability, McDonald's motives for employing, as the author points out, are "hardly altruistic"; they are all about the $$$.
After reading the article and considering your own experience or that of others in the fast food industry, write a paragraph about whether you think you have a favorable impression of the industry's use of the disadvantages, providing textual and other kinds of evidence to explain your ideas.
Does it change your appetite to know who serves your food and how they might exploited.
See you all here!
Tim
9 comments:
After reading Schlosser's article my views of the fast food industry were still the same. I felt that his article lacked of evidence when it came to facts, percentages and statistics. Despite the fact that he did mention the number of teenagers working at these places i would have liked to know the conditions in which they work, and the conditions in which they live. I would have loved to base my answer on either one of those pieces of evidence.
Like I previously said, I do have a view on this topic and I feel that fast food places provive the poor, the handicapped and the unskilled (teenagers with no experience) a job, but yet I do feel that these industries take advantage of their necesity and how much these people need the money, acceptance or the feeling of being useful. I think that these industries know how much power they have over those immigrants who dont speak english, they know that these people will go to them, and they know what there is so much demand for a job that they are the ones putting the conditions. Due to the fact that teenagers, poor people and those with physical or mental disadvantages need the job, they agree to any type of treatment as long as they can keep the job. I think it is then when these industries need to go back and think that they need these people as much they need their industries. There should be mutual conditions between the two in order for the industry and the employees to be productive and succesful.
I think that fast food restaurants give teenagers, immigrants, and disabled people opportunities rather than exploit them. Fast food restaurants give teenagers work experience that can help them find a better job in the future. Immigrants learn how to interact with other people by learning, let’s say, “McDonalds English”. My friend has an auntie who started working at McDonalds when she first arrived in America. Now, she is managing one of the local McDonalds here in the bay. Although she doesn’t get paid as much as other jobs, she has a stable job and it has helped her a lot.
I have experience working in a “fast casual” restaurant where the customers order first, then the food is served to their table. I admit that it was a lot of work considering that I served tables, took orders, and cooked. Working with food, especially fast food, is no joke, but I do think that the article exaggerated how difficult of a job it is. However, I believe that these restaurants should pay their workers more because I don’t think they receive much credit. Aside from the low wages, I think that these restaurants play a positive role in helping teenagers, immigrants, and disabled people.
okay, well after reading Throughput, i first was under the thought that Elisa was being exploited. Now after gaining more understanding and other peoples points of view, i see more closely what is missing to fully generalize this opinion. we do not know if she goes to school, if she has to support the rest of her family, or if she is just a flat out loser. She could just work to save for her own clothes and things like that, maybe a car.
I did feel like these workers who work in the fast food industry are being taken advantage of, however most choose to work in the conditions they do. And a lot of the immigrants who come to our country would give a limb to work in these conditions compared to some other countries with no labor laws period. These people work extremely hard at what they do and they are given no credit, thats where i disagree. i think they should be getting way more credit for doing the jobs fat america does not want to do, and they are proud of it. and honest living=integrity and at the end of the day, your integrity is all you have.
Brenda, I fully agree with your standing on this story, i feel the same way, and the parts where you were talking about the disabled taking a job that they can keep is key, the corporations treat them so unfairly but it is the only option they have so they stay.
Anna, I agree with you as well where it sets a good example and foundation for teenagers, i just disagree with the pay they earn, especially managerial positions, they get paid way too low.
For me, reading Schlosser's article helped me look at the fast food industry in a different way. The fast food industry provides jobs for people who do seem to need work and flexible hrs. They also provide ways to advance withing the system of the fast food industry. I beleive that fast food workers are underappreciated because people tend to believe that all they do is just serve food and aren't able to work anywhere else. But the reality is if they were not doing it then someone else would and maybe even you. I have worked in a grocery store and bagged groceries and I felt underappreciated at times but someone had to do the job and it just happened to be me. I don't think there is anything wrong with fast food industry jobs and think that its not a first bad job for a teenager. It teaches simple aspects of jobs that everyone must learn even if they want to get a higher paying job someday.
Mike, I agree that fast food places help immigrants, teenagers, and disabled people rather than exploit them. I also agree that the wages are too low.
Destrell, I agree that working in the food industry is a a lot of work, and these workers do not get enough credit.
after reading the artucle my oppinions to the fast food industry didnt change i know how it works. thir aim is teenages cause all teens really want is a job and to start making some money and thats the easiest way though teens. There is also alot of immigrants working in these places. when thay come all they really want is a temporary job to make money and support their family while they look for something better but the problem is that they just get stuck there and never leave. i also belive that these people work their butts off. they are really hard workers and don't get the credit for it. I also see alot of old people cleaning the bathrooms. whats up with that.How are you going to be retired and still be working. How is it that they wiked their whole life and not have anything toi show for it. social security is not enough so they are obligated to fill in these positions at fast food reataurants.
Everyone has a different opinion on the fast food industry, whether it's reading about it in a book or essay, driving through the drive thru at the nearest fast food chain, or even just by working there. Fast food restaraunts(yes..that's what they're actually considered) can seem to be like evil corporations but they're not too bad...
Like other jobs, a fast food place is a beginning for some. McDonalds, Burger King, Jack in the Box, whatever, everyone has been to these places and has had an experience once or twice when they have been ordering something and the person on the other end just can't seem to get anything that you are saying!! It's irritaiting! but, it's a start to a new beginning for these people.
I honestly don't think that the people working for these corporations are being exploited at all. I, personally, work at a type of "fast food" place; Starbucks. Sometimes I feel as if I'm being taken advantage of because when I'm needed, I have to be there and I'm not getting paid nearly as much as I should be for all the effort and hard work that I put into my job. I complain about the unfairness and about the early hours, but in the long run, I'm learning to self-dicipline myself and learning new techniques for the future.
Overall, I think it's great that these places are giving teens an opportunity at something, even if it's just asking if they would like fries with that.
I feel the article "Throughput" has a very negative view on the fast food industry. Although it allows people to see who they employ and the way they increase cost efficiency, I feel like the article is one-sided. Many of the people who work at these restaurants at young ages might be doing the job just for part-time to pay for school or to earn extra cash. The ability for a more flexible schedule that allows time for school and work is beneficial. In a job which pays higher and requires more "skill" compared to McDonald's, the hours may not be as flexible. Schlosser is very focussed on the idea that the fast food industry exploits these workers and makes it seem like these people have no choice. But I believe everyone has a choice and that they know what they are getting into when they start at a job like that.
I agree with Anna that the article overexaggerated the difficulties in working in the fast food industry.I worked at a restaurant job a while ago and almost everyone was younger than 25. It was a way to pay bills and get extra cash but I knew what to expect.
And I agree with Mike about how these people choose to work in the conditions that they do.
After reading Schlosser's article my views of the fast food industry were still the same. I felt that his articledid not carry enough evidence when it came to facts, percentages and statistics. fast food industries aim is seems to be teenages and imigrants because all teens really want is to have aj ob and to start making some money and for immigrants it is difficult for them to get a job let alone a well paying job. I agree that working in the food industry is a a lot of work, and these workers do not get enough credit or enough money.
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