The Omnivore’s Dilemma Essay Example for Free

The Omnivore’s Dilemma Essay This book by Michael Pollan wishes to illustrate to the reader’s several eating â€Å"dilemmas† that we humans experience. Since we are considered as omnivores, we basically could eat anything, from meat, vegetables, to processed foods. Because of this we are faced with the problem of choice, what we should eat, how much we should eat, when we should eat it. This book wishes to address the eating problem that the society experiences today. This book tackles the complexity of us humans, wherein the choice that we make when it comes to our meals tells us what kind of person we are. What makes the situation more difficult is that we are faced with various choices with the advent of technology and advancements in agriculture. This book tackles the sad reality of the American diet, wherein most Americans are said to be dysfunctional eaters, as a result of a fast-paced lifestyle. For people on the go, fast foods is a convenient source of their meals, thus creating a fast food diet for most of the Americans. This was, according to Pollan’s diagnosis, was the â€Å"national eating disorder,† wherein the abundance of the possible food sources becomes a problem. Because of this abundance, people often make the mistake of choosing the inappropriate meal for him (Hutson, 2006). Unlike other animals, man has a lot of choices. The koala for example, has no problem in choosing what to eat because it only nibbles on eucalyptus leaves. As for humans, we could eat meat, vegetables, fruits, and other foods. We can’t eat all of these foods at once, that’s why we have to make a choice on what to put in our stomach. Mixing this dilemma with the lifestyle of the modern man often leads to choosing the wrong set of meals. Time is of the essence for most of us, wherein we choose to spend more time working than concentrating on what to cook, what would be healthy, nutritious or delicious. We often rely on fast foods like McDonalds for our meals. But eating fastfood doesn’t mean eating the right food (Kamp, 2006). Pollan has given emphasis on the three principal food chains that we humans usually engage in. These include the Industrial, Organic and Hunter/Gatherer meals. Industrial. The Industrial types are those who thrive on corn. They usually have corn on their diet, whether or not they are aware of it. These people are usually those who live on fast foods. Corn binds the ground meat of the McNuggets, and used as sweetener for soft drinks and sodas. It is also used to obtain fat, plump meats for your meals. When you are an industrial type, you are considered to be as partially fossil fuel, because of the fact that corn requires a lot of nitrogen from the soil and is usually cultivated with fertilizer in order to get the necessary amounts of nitrogen. It is also an effective food supplement for the cows, wherein they’re supposed to eat grass. Organic. Another type is the Organic eater, which are mainly made up of grass. These are the ones who eat mostly vegetables in their diets. But then the problem that arises with this was the transportation of these goods. Transportation entails large costs wherein we are spending much not for the food alone but for the shipping expenses. This is impractical albeit nutritious, that is why it is advisable to grow organics in your own backyards, which is impossible for those living urban lives. Hunter/Gatherer. Another menu was the hunter/gatherer, wherein it consists of ingredients that came from animals shot dead or foraged. This tackles the constraints of taking away the lives of animals in order to feed and suppress your hunger. The book presented these facts to a reader in a conversational-persuasive manner. He wishes to impart to the readers the various eating patterns that we are presently observing and the underlying consequences it has to offer. This book tells us of the eating habit or pattern that has resulted through the years and then supplies the downside of every concept. This is a fair illustration of the real situation that we are facing now. Taking for example its take on the Industrial foods, it elaborated the culprit of the â€Å"fattening† of the American population which was the corn. It showed the readers where corn might be in their diets, and then gave the possible negative effects it poses. It also showed that it is a cheap source of calories. But at the latter part, he also emphasized that it has major contributions on the fattening of the people, leading to obesity (Alter, 2006). This book is significant to the readers because it promotes awareness. It gives us the fair share of knowing what we’re eating. It is like deconstructing our meals, looking closely at its compositions and ingredients, analyzing the positive and negative effects it could bring to the human body. Awareness is a step in which everyone could take in order to live a healthy life. This book doesn’t impose what to eat; it merely suggests or shows what could be the underlying effects the meals we are eating could bring us. This book is a clear illustration of what could be the most important things that we often disregard or neglect when it comes to our meals. This is essential for our well being, especially now that the we are living in a fast-paced world, wherein we don’t have the luxury of time to eat and decide what we should intake. Most of us could learn a lot of new things in this book, and this is highly recommended to all readers, not only for those who are concerned with their health, but also to those who value every aspect of their lives. References: Alter, L. (2006). Book Review: The Omnivores Dilemma. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from http://www. treehugger. com/files/2006/05/book_review_the_1. php Hutson, S. (2006). Michael Pollan. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from http://www. michaelpollan. com/omnivore. php Kamp, D. (2006). Deconstructing Dinner. Retrieved March 8, 2007, from http://www. nytimes. com/2006/04/23/books/review/23kamp. html? ex=1303444800en=3c0958f57a4112b7ei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss

The Great Expectations of Human Nature Essay -- Great Expectations Es

The Great Expectations of Human Nature Charles Dickens used Great Expectations as a forum for presenting his views of human nature. This essay will explore friendship, generosity, love, cruelty and other aspects of human nature presented by Dickens over 100 years ago. Friendship was one of the human characteristics Dickens enjoyed. Herbert was a true friend to Pip. Moving to London would have been stressful if Herbert had not eased Pip's transition into the city. Herbert informed Pip of Miss Havisham's story when no one else would tell it. When Magwitch arrived and mortified Pip, Herbert was there discuss what was to be done. Herbert was an integral part in the design and implementation of Magwitch's escape. Herbert even saved Pip's life from Orlick's powerful grasp. By associating fellowship with good characters and deeds, Dickens made it known that he admired friendships. Another human characteristic which Dickens appreciated was generosity. This trait appeared in Magwitch and Pip. Magwitch , the starved convict, was forever grateful to Pip for bringing him food in the opening of the book. Magwitch repaid Pip's kindness by opening a door to the young man's dreams. Pip suspected his dear friend, Herbert, would never become prosperous so Pip took some of the money he was receiving from Magwitch and used it as a stipend in Herbert's behalf. By doing this, Pip precipitated Herbert becoming a partner in a prosperous business. Having characters donate money and benefit from it, Dickens conveyed the goodness of generosity. To Dickens, the most noble of human characte... ...me to visit Pip in London, Pip was embarrassed to know him. If Pip "could have kept him away by paying money, [Pip] certainly would have paid money." After years of Joe's friendship and loving care, Pip thought of paying him not to visit. At the end of the novel, Pip learned what an unappreciative person he had been to Joe and asked his forgiveness. Dickens presented this piece of human nature well enough to create sympathy for Joe and all parents who receive ingratitude from their children. Dickens used his characters to convey his thoughts of human nature - good and bad. Dickens believed if he could present both sides of humanity to the public, people would try to better themselves. Dickens hated the Victorian society in which he was bound, and he turned to the pen to alter his bete noire.

“A Doll’s House” by Katherine Mansfield Essay

â€Å"The Doll’s House† is one of the representative stories of Katherine Mansfield. Who is known for freshness of her approach and beautifully colored methods of presenting her ideas. The story basically gives us deep insight into the manners and behaviors of the aristocratic families. Here she ridicules the negative philosophy of social discrimination caused by uneven division of wealth. It beautifully brings out the emotional relationship between the three sisters and their friends. Moreover, it conveys an idea that parents attitude influence their children and deprive them of their natural goodness. In short in life-like manner Katherine tells us the hidden vices people belonging to higher society. From the very outset of the story we see that the girls of Burnell’s family received a beautiful doll’s house from Mrs. Hay. It was a charming house having a drawing room, a dinning-room, a kitchen and two bedrooms. All the rooms had tables, chairs, beds and carpets. The rooms were painted in different colors however Kezia liked the lamp very much, which was placed in the dinning-room. The girls were very excited and wanted to show it to their friends. So the next morning they rushed towards the school but the bell had rung and they could not disclose it to the girls. However, at the playtime, Isabel finally  disclosed the news of the house, which spread like wild fire. If was decided that two girls would see the house at one time. All the girls got an opportunity to see the doll’s house, except the Kelvey sisters, as they belonged to a poor family. So everybody teased them. Being the daughter of washerwoman and jailbird, they were  victim of the inferiority complex. However Kezia wanted then to see the house, so she asked her mother for permission but was harshly scolded. One day she saw the girls passing by the house. As the family was upstairs, she invited them to see the house. They Kelveys could not  believe but stepped into the courtyard, as they naturally wanted to see it.  Suddenly aunt Beryl’s came there and ordered them to leave the house in an insulting manner. They Kelveys ran away from there with the feeling of shame but they were happy to have seen the house. In the end, we can say that the writer has beautifully shown the attitude of the rich against the poor. It is the parents who are responsible for creating inequality in society. Children such as Kezia are scolded because they are innocent and cannot see the difference between the rich and poor.

Students Freedom Of Speech - 949 Words

Students’ freedom of speech does not exist in society today. Students do not have rights of freedom of speech because society places stipulations on what students can say and do. Freedom of speech includes words, dress code, and actions. In school and at home, students are encourage to stand up for what they believe in. Apparently standing up for what they believe in does not apply to freedom of speech. Students are future leaders, and freedom of speech is a part of that future. The United State Constitution guarantee all citizens living in the United States the right to freedom of speech. Therefore, students’ freedom of speech should be embraced and not condemned. Martinson (2000) states that â€Å"freedom of speech is a basic and intrinsic right of all Americans, including students† (p. 145). If freedom of speech is a basic right, why is it that the rights of students on free speech is often violated by society and school administrators? Instead accepting stud ents’ speech for what it is, students are punished for speaking out. Although in most instances where administration feel the need to restrain student’s speech, what makes that decision absolute? Whenever there is a belief that student’s speech should be restrained by administrators, openness should always be embraced and the school administrators should bear the burden of proof to show justification (Martinson, 2000). School administrators should not always assume that a student’s freedom of speech is disruptive, butShow MoreRelatedStudents Freedom of Speech in School2118 Words   |  9 PagesStudent’s Freedom of Speech in Public School The First Amendment states that all citizens of the U.S have freedom of religion, petition, assembly, press, and speech. The First Amendment was written and adopted for over two hundred years of American History. Throughout this period people have questioned the extent of freedom that they were given through the First Amendment. 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Even though free speech is one of the core American values proudly embedded in each citizen, some poopAmericans find themselves torn between whether or not to limit the freedom of speech