The Morality of McDonalds

 

The image above depicts two figures, one composed of a variety of fruits and vegetables and the other composed of sugary, fried, and fast foods. This image is a representation of the popular phrase “you are what you eat”. At a surface level, there is some truth to this statement. Fruits and vegetables contain a plethora of crucial vitamins and minerals for human health, and when an individual consumes these foods, their body absorbs the nutrients. However, in a society run rampant with fatphobia, there has been morality imposed upon healthy eating. In the second image, there is a bag of popcorn with the label “indulge guilt-free”, in which the word “guilt” insinuates that consumers should feel shame for having done something deemed wrong if they make an alternate choice. 

     In Douglass’ book Purity and Danger, she analyzes the importance of bodily boundaries, specifically how this relates to food consumption. She notes the importance of the ways in which food is cooked, and how the purity of the food is dictated by such methods and practices, suggesting that when food deemed “impure” is consumed, the impurity is absorbed by the body, thus resulting in the individual becoming impure (Douglas 156). The cooking processes, the utensils used, and the rituals involved in food consumption carry different significance depending on the cultural values of the group. In American society, the morality and purity of food is directly tied to fatphobia. Snacks labeled guilt free, such as the SkinnyPop bag of popcorn, are not advertised as such because of their rich nutrient composition, rather it is because they are low in calories. Furthermore, these guilt free snacks are often filled with artificial sweeteners and harmful ingredients in order to maintain a desirable flavor without adding extra calories. This suggests that the phrase once coined in order to encourage eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, now represents the impurity of certain foods, particularly those high in calories, and how consumption affects one’s moral character by subjecting oneself to potential weight gain. 

Douglas, Mary. 1966. Purity and Danger: An analysis on Concept of Pollution and Taboo. London and New York: Routledge Classics. 

Williams, Raphael. 2019. “You Are What You Eat”. Fueled, October 13. Retrieved March 23 2023. https://berocketfuel.com/blogs/news/you-are-what-you-eat