Cows and Tomatoes

Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place” although very long, was very interesting.  After reading those twelve pages I feel like I cant remember the first argument he made, but only the last.  He brought up many noteworthy points like why animals need to be killed.  It is one, natural, and two, completely implausible to say that due to their right that they shouldn’t be.  Animals kill eachother all the time, and humans have been doing it for ages.  Although the way animals are treated and killed, is wrong.  The farm he talks of at the end is a very interesting concept.  It appears to be self-sustaining, and the animals all help each other cycle through life.  They aren’t cramped up in square foot cages, pooping on top of one and other like chickens in a factory farm.  They have room to roam and be free, to enjoy life.  That is, before they do eventually meet their end.  This piece was the most interesting due to the evidence that back up the author’s argument.  There were tons of examples of the points he wanted to convey.  There were examples that were hard to read due to the graphic nature of what was being described.  It is sad how heartless we, as humans, have become; and how selfish we are in our conquest to expand and grow.

Estabrook’s Tomatoland had some startling facts.  It started off saying that one third of the nation’s tomatoes come from florida; and then continued to talk about how terrible they are and for the people who harvest them.  Although I do believe many of the points made in this article were true; there were no citations for many of the claims made.  Many points sounded like they were merely assumed, and did not have factual evidence to back them up.  There was obviously reason behind them being said, and probably factual information, but I felt like it was more to prove a point than build a legitimate argument. 

Cook’s “Infographic” touched on many points that Pollan’s writing did.  It really focused in on the malpractices of the chicken industry, and how workers are mistreated.  Workers are subjected to terrible deathly conditions, just like the animals they prepare for consumption are.  In a way it makes me happy to hear that the birds are in a sense, fighting those who do them in.  This brings me to a point that was also covered in Pollan’s writing.  I do not wish pain on the individual person who harvests the chicken.  Chances are, they are an immigrant who definitely isn’t making much money, and doesn’t have many more options.  I would have to be a terrible person to wish someone in such an unfortunate position any harm.  But when it comes to humans as a whole, I strongly say that it is well deserved that we suffer some for what all these “dumb birds” are being put through.  We are destroying them, not literally since populations are through the roof, but metaphorically speaking.  They are being subjected to such inhumane conditions, the people in charge should be in jail.  The problem is the American people.  There is such high demand for such meats, that this seems to be the only option.