MaddieZ’s Weblog

When a critic writes a review of a restaurant, there is much more to consider than just the food. They must also take into account the location, the atmosphere, the presentation and the service. However, there are also many things that the critic must do in order to provide an accurate, honest and complete review of a restaurant. Just going there one time is not sufficient experience to write a good review. And for the reader, it is important that they consider the evidence that the critic offers to back his claim. At first, I started to wonder how there could possibly be evidence when visiting a restaurant. But then I got to thinking and realized there is an aray of possibilities in finding evidence. The reader must consider how knowledgable the author is on the restaurant. They must consider whether or not the author addresses such issues as the price, the management, and the history of the restaurant. It is also extremely important that the author recognizes the certain feel that the restaurant owners are aiming for, whether it be laid back and care free or more formal and elegant. All this being said, once the critic publishes the review, the owners of the restaurants have a lot to consider. They shouldn’t make drastic changes after just reading one negative review. They need to look into it more by reading other reviews and getting other opinions. It is important that they look at the evidence the critic gives in the article that supports their opposition to the restaurant. If all of these things are considered, I think that restaurant reviews can be extremely helpful for both the restaurant owners and their potential customers.

When thinking of my favorite restaurants or even when we are deciding where to go to eat for the next meal, many things come to mind when making our decision. It is not just the food that counts, it is the overall experience. In a sense, restaurants make specific decisions to present themselves in a certain manner. With this is mind, restaurants hope that their customers will remember them in a positve way so that they will come back again. This is similar to the motives of an author or presenter of a specific argument. They make specific choices in their diction, tone, figures of speech and other language devices. For restaurants, things such as friendly service, welcoming environment, and obviously the food are all “devices” that restaurant owners focus on. Two very powerful, and often overlooked, aspects of an argument are the introduction and conclusion. The elements included in thes introduction need to evoke interest and excitement so that the reader will continue on. The conclusion is equally as important because the information included in this part are the ideas that the reader will take with them. In comparing this to the restaurant business, there are many parallels. It is important that the “introduction” or the greeting from the hostess is very important. If the customers get a bad feeling from the entrance, they may turn around and go somehwere else. And once the meal has been finished, it is important that the customers are acknowledged as they walk out. If they feel ignored, they are less likely to return in the future. Now to the body of the argument. The information must be presented clearly and the author or presenter must be well informed on the topic. Another important aspect of the argument is the intended audience, who will be reading this and what is their background. In the restaurant world, the “body” would be the meal and everything in between the greeting and their departure. In opening a restaurant, the owners must consider what type of food they will be serving, what audience they will appeal to whether it be young and modern or more formal and family oriented, the atmosphere and the menu. The waiters must be friendly and they must be knowledgeable about the items on the menu. If all of the aspects discussed in both and argument and in a restaurant are established successfully, the authors and owners will experience great success and their information will definitely be well-received.

Any argument is strengthened with the addition of visuals. Whether it is a chart, a pie graph, map or a photograph that reinforces the argument, the power of an image is an uncontested fact. When I think of the influence that visuals can have on a person, I often compare it to the saying that actions speak louder than words. Growing up, my parents always told me to live by that philosophy and now as we study visuals in more depth, that saying applies here as well. Another interesting idea discussed in Everything is an Argument is the concept that visuals are culturally biased and each persons sees the same images in very different ways depending on their values and their backgrounds. A perfect example of this concept is the Vogue magazine cover that we looked at in class. I was shocked to hear the racist comments made about this photo, I in no way would have thought along those lines. But that just confirms the validity of the statement that one single image can elicit contrasting messags.
In “A Cook’s Tour”, Anthony Bourdain travels around to various cities to experience their local cuisine in hopes of finding the perfect meal. Inititially, I expected this book to be a boring read about nothing more than descriptions of various types of food. But it didn’t take me long to realize that this book is filled with information not only about food, but about local cultures and their traditions. Bourdain travels around the world experiencing things such as the pig slaughter in Portugal, the bizarre and seemingly painful sauna treatment in Russia, and most memorably, an ever flowing bottle of some sort of national drink in nearly every city. Although these experiences at first glance seem to be extremely bizarre, Bourdain puts each unique experience in the context of the culture. This is an example of how the same image or concept can be interpreted very differently depending on the backgrounds of those viewing it. Reading this book almost makes me jealous that while all of these cultures who value their traditions and their food, Americans will do anything to get the quickest and easiest meal possible. We have no local cuisine, unless we can consider the Fast Food industry to be our national food. Unfortunately we have become so tied down by this fact that it is too late to do anything now. In this way, the images of local foods portray certain cultures in various ways.

Few people will argue with the statement that humor is one of the most successful strategies for arguments. Everyone enjoys laughing and joking around, it puts people in a better mood. And people in a better mood are usually more open to listening to people’s opinions that are different from there own. But I didn’t realize how much goes into a humorous argument. It is hard to make jokes and poke fun at current events and situations in a non-offensive manner. There is a fine line between being flat out rude and joking in a light-hearted way. And once the line is crossed and the author is insulting, the reader will lose interest and the author will lose his ethos. If a author decides to use parody in presenting an argument, he or she will take something familiar and turn it in to something new and original. An argument that utilizes satire will use humor to address problems and present possible solutions. In a not so obvious way, I saw humor in certain aspects of the material we analyzed in class about eating disorders and the obesity epidemic. It is quite ironic and rather humorous that to these girls that are struggling with eating disorders see food as the ultimate sinful temptation and enemy. This is quite bizarre considering food is a necessity in life. Many of the pro-ana and pro-mia sites had posts that one could not help but laught at. This doesn’t mean that the issue of eating disorders is humorous. Unfortunately these people are truly sick, and they look to these sites as personal confirmation that the thoughts that go through their heads and the lifestyles they have adapted are normal. This idea is not humerous at all, it is quite frightening to think that these people are willing to risk their lives to be thin.

Every argument, whether intended or not, has some sort of distinct style. This style is communicated through use of certain diction, punctuation, font or figurative language. And it is important to remember that pretty much everything is an argument, whether it is a paper, a movie, an article, or even a conversation. I was reminded of this in watching the documentary Thin this week during class. Just as certain punctuations communicate certain emotions and feelings, the pauses serve similar purposes to emphasize certain points and elicit certain emotions. These all play into the seriousness of the issue being discussed in the film-eating disorders. They affect so many people of all ages and races. The women that we learn about in this film have serious, life-threatening illnesses and are in desperate need for outside help. They have gotten to a point in their lives that they are unable to help themselves and they have such a skewed self-image that it takes multiple doctors, nutritionists, psychiatrists and many other professionals to help them. While some people argue that those with eating disorders are able to stop their problem whenever they feel like it, I feel that it is quite the opposite. In extreme cases, these women are unable to do anything about it. I feel strongly about this because just last month one of my friends died of anorexia. For years she has been struggling, and no matter what anyone would say to her, she still had the belief that she was too fat and not good enough. Even the doctors couldn’t cure this “disease” that consumed her life. Towards the end, it had spiraled so out of control that she just wanted to end her misery. Nobody could help her, and she was very aware that her life would be ending soon. Hopefully for all the others, they will have different outcomes and conquer this sickness. Saying that these women are sick or that they have an illness is an argument in itself. Illness implies something that is out of the control of the patient, and in my opinion that is just the case for all the people who suffer from eating disorders. I am very interested to continue on with this Unit, and I have definitely benefited from the readings and from the class discussions about topics including eating disorders, obesity and the so called epidemic that is affecting Americans of all ages.

I think that this unit will be extremely interesting. Being a girl, there are so many encounters and situations with food choice, pressure to look a certain way and to weigh a specific weight. Rarely do I go through a day without thinking about whether the clothes I’m wearing make my butt look big or being nervous that people might not like the way I look. This being said, it is obvious that I would be very conscious of what food I put into my body. In deciding what foods to eat or what foods to run from, it is clear that I do a lot of evaluations. In deciding not to go for the extra fattening foods or for seconds, I am presenting myself with evaluative arguments. I consider the so called “risks” of that particular food. In doing this, I look at the nutritional facts and consider how much extra working out I’m going to have to do to burn off the calories. Once these things have been considered, I make a final decision. My trainer used to always say nothing tastes as good as it feels to be thin and that a food would be a moment on your lips and forever on your hips. Thinking about these catchy slogans, I would evaluate and consider whether or not I really wanted that or if I would eat it and then regret the careless decision. I think that this chapter of Everything is and Argument is very relevant to the topic we are talking about in class. So often we read about the newest diet or medical research diagnosing Americans with the so called obesity epidemic. But with all this information, we also must evaluate the argument that is being presented and then decide whether or not this is a valid argument and if the author is qualified to make a certain claim. These evaluations are essential. Because if someone comes out with a certain diet or diet pill, many people are quick to go out and buy everything about it. They spend ridiculous amounts of money on these things before they can think twice about the risks of them and whether or not the creator established him or herself as a professional. People are risking their health and well-being for their unattainable desire to have the perfect body. Without consciously knowing about it, we are always making arguments of evaluations in literaly everything that we do; what to wear, what to eat, who to hang out, what activities or groups to join, the list goes on and on. This being said, I am extremely anxious to get into this unit just because eating and the body is something that I am really interested in and that has a lot of personal relevance to my life.

After reading Chapter 8 of Everything’s an Argument, I realized that there is a lot more to a definition than what the dictionary has to say. It is possible to give formal defintions, operational definitions, and efinitions by examples to name a few. In reading about arguments of definition I started thinking about controversial definitions that we have been discussing in class. Two in particular came to my mind; organic and locavore. According to the dictionary definition, organic is defined as something that “arises as a natural growth; developing in a manner analogous to the natural growh of living organisms.” However, the boundaries of “organically grown” have been stretched and manipulated to the point where its losing all of its meaning. According to the government, the definition is considered a set of guidelines pertaining to how food is grown and fertilized. Unfortunately these guidelines are so vague that farmers are increasingly finding more ways to get around these regulations while still getting the name “organically grown”. This has come as a detriment to our society because while more and more people and wanting to help the environment by purchasing organic food, the benefits on the environments are minimal considering what the term organic has come to mean. And even if the food is organically grown in Chile, it is still costly and harmful to the environment to package and send these commodities all around the world. So this brings me to another word that we have thorougly studies in this class, and that is locavore. Ironically, I was online and read an article about how locavore is one the words of the year. Although this definition is less controversial than organic, it still is a powerful word. The locavore movement is one that involves eating food only grown locally. What is defined as locally is rather vague. For most people, if the food is grown within an hour from where they live, it is safe to say that is considered local. This movement, which we are learning about through reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, is definitely possible and not only helps the environment, but also the local economy. With money staying local, everyone benefits. Unfortunately this movement is quite unrealistic for many people, especially those in college, like us. Although it sounds like a good idea, it is highly unlikely that anyone in the urban setting would find such a diet possible. However, if everyone would take into consideration these two words, organic ad locavore, perhaps Americ wouldn’t be struggling with such a dangerous obesity epidemic because we would appreciate the food that we ate for more than what it tastes like.

For any audience to seriously consider an argument, there must be sufficient evidence presented that supports the claim. And in most cases, especially controversial ones, people prefer listening to informed professionals who can present hard evidence such as photograph. Although I have always believed this, I have never really gave it much thought or considered it. However, this week, as we have learned about the morals and ethics of food and eating, I have started considering the reliability of the authors and their claims. I think this is probably because I don’t want to believe what I’m reading about. The articles that we have been reading reveal the “behind the scenes” details of the production of commodity crops, corn especially. It is absolutely appalling to see the intricate process of industrial food production. The conditions that the steer live in while being fed enormous amounts of corn are disgusting enough to make me turn vegetarian. It seems more like a slow torture treatment than a way of life. While reading about these conditions, I could somewhat stomach the descriptions, but actually watching it in King Corn was almost unbearable. This is a key example of when hard facts such as the film clippings were enough to drive home the point of poor treatment of the catte that will one day end up on our dinner plates. But, what I have found to be most interesting from this weeks discussions are the implications that go along with the Farm Bill. This so called Farm Bill effects many more people than just the farmers and their crops. By giving subsidies to farmers who produce corn, soybeans, wheat, rice and cotton, they encourage farmers to produce as much crop as possible, whether or not it is needed. With all this excess food, the food system must find a place to put it all, and unfortunately it usually ends up being fed to kids in one form or another. By subsidizing certain crops, the government is directly influencing the American food system. As a result, these crops are available for a lot cheaper and a lot more readily. I believe, along with many other Americans, that this is one of the main reasons for our obesity epidemic. The cheap food, which is almost always the most unhealthy, is all that some people can afford. So what some call the Food Bill or the Farm Kill, must be addressed and altered quickly. It is essential that the agricultural policy and the public-health and environment values are aligned in order to benefit not only Americans, but our environment as well. At a time when maximum output is not only encouraged, but required for survival in this seemingly cut thrut industry, we must construct a bill that stresses quality rather than quantity. With this in mind, perhaps Americans can turn around this trend and if we are lucky, the children of today might actually live longer than their parents.

Claim: Corn is going into everything, which is causing an obesity epidemic in America. Because calories are becoming cheaper, we are consuming more.

Grounds: 3 of every 5 Americans is overweight, 1 out of every 5 is obese, UN reported that in 2000 people suffering from over nutrition (1 billion) outnumbered the people suffering from under nutrition (800 million)

Warrant: If they can spend all this money on over-producing unhealthy foods that are so cheap, then they should be able to produce less food with higher quality and better nutritional value that will improve the health and lifestyles of more Americans.

Backing: Since 1977, Americans daily intake of calories has jumped by more than 10%. Because of the health problems accompanying obesity, today’s generation of kids may be the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy is shorter than their parents. Super-sizing meals and increasing portion size has caused people to eat 30% more, even if they are already full.

Qualifier: Although there are some Americans that cannot afford better food, most Americans can afford to spend more money buying better food and spend more time preparing nutritionally balanced food as opposed to fast foods and quick, unhealthy meals.

Rebuttal: Americans can make choices for themselves about what to put in their body and how to live their own lives. Fast food meals are easy, convenient and cheap.

Before going to the Whole Foods, I visited their website as a brief overview as to what I should expect when observing the arguments being presented at the store. I knew right away their mission and goals were much more specific and complex than say a Tom Thumb or an HEB. Upon walking into the Whole Foods on Lamar, I quickly realized that they are selling much more than foods and other products; they are selling a certain and very specific lifestyle. There are large signs marketing products that satisfy the “whole body”; including body, mind and spirit. Just past the registers, there is aisle after aisle of supplements, vitamins and natural herbs. Beyond these aisles, there are products marketed as fresh and organic. This is an argument that is seen throughout the entire store. Part of their mission is to provide their customers with the highest quality natural and organic products. The first thing to see even before entering the store is a sign that says “certified organic grocer”. This reminder automatically sets Whole Foods apart from other grocery stores. While observing the customers and the prices, I also realized that this is definitely a more expensive and more luxorious grocery store. Their Team Members are highly qualified and educated, which is an ethical appeal that presents their staff as credible and honest. They are committed to their work and to the satisfaction of the customers. The benefits of specific products are clearly stated, which appeals to the logical aspect of an argument. Throughout the store there are many references to the “Whole Foods family” and to their dedication to local support. They have pictures of different aspects of Austin and a company timeline. This appeals to the emotions of the customers in that they are forming a personal relationship and relating to the business. Down the middle of the store, there are many signs that address the New Year and customer’s resolutions. These signs say things such as “reweigh”, “reenergize”, “reawaken” and many others. This reaffirms their dedication to satisfying the entire body. Before leaving the store, the last sign to see is their mission statement which says “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”. This is one last way that Whole Foods presents themselves as a business that is fully committed to the betterment of their customers and to the environment.