Not so happy meals: 'Fast Food Nation' author Schlosser berates burger culture

"Who wants a free cheeseburger?" a student yelled, as he ran up and down the aisles in McCosh 50 Thursday night. He was wearing a paper Burger King crown and clutching a brown bag of warm BK sandwiches. Matt Bieber '04 raised his hand, and a wrapped burger was tossed in his direction.

"I better enjoy it now, before I start to feel guilty," he said, taking a big bite.

The charade was posed by some students in opposition to Eric Schlosser '81, author of the bestselling book "Fast Food Nation," who was about to speak.

In "Fast Food Nation," Schlosser takes readers through the history of the development of the American fast food industry, cites statistics about the negative effects of the industry on child consumers, describes the working conditions for employees of fast food chains and meat packing plants and relates methods of preparation and ingredients in the meat and potatoes served.

Schlosser opened with his impressions of the University's "beautiful, protected bubble" that he experienced as an undergraduate. He encouraged students to break out of the bubble and face reality.

As a taste of that reality, he gave some information about the fast food industry. Most food served at fast food restaurants is originally frozen or in powder form, he said. A typical fast food hamburger, he said, has pieces of 1,000 or more cattle in it.

These trends, he added, have a large negative impact on American culture, landscape and workforce.

Schlosser claimed McDonald's slogan, "One Taste Worldwide," is indicative of the corporation's and most of the industry's food and workplace values — conformity and uniformity. These values have contributed to the production of unhealthy food and shaped terrible working conditions for slaughterhouse employees, including low pay, high turnover rates and unthinkable injuries.

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

He argued that racism is at the heart of many fast food corporations' unfair employee protection policies, taking advantage of the fact that most workers speak English as a second language.

Schlosser said the current state of the fast food industry is not unavoidable, and referred to fast food chains such as In and Out Burger, predominantly found in the western part of the country, as evidence of chains that have escaped the accepted ways of doing business.

"They have high wages, their prices are still low, they serve fresh food and they are family owned with strong religious values," he said.

Asked what individuals can do to bring about change, Schlosser told the audience that he wrote "Fast Food Nation" to help his readers become aware of the problems, not to instruct them. However, he suggested using one's passions as the vehicle for a response.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"I'm a writer, so I wrote a book to deal with this," he explained.

Schlosser said he believes the fast food industry is not sustainable. The enormous social costs, such as slaughterhouse dangers, diseases, obesity and pollution, are not reflected in the menu prices, but they are becoming clear, he said.

"I am optimistic — it may be delusional — but I am optimistic . . . You can change the world. If you don't, someone else will. And you may not like their taste in food."

Earlier that night, a group of students, directors of a few New Jersey grassroots organizations — including the Trenton-based group, Isles, which aims to provide consumers with fresh produce — and local organic farmers gathered in Small World Coffee on Witherspoon Street for a private dinner with the author. On Schlosser's plate was fresh potato salad, greens with dressing and a burger — free-range and organic, of course.