My Beef with the State

[Photo from the documentary, Food, Inc.]

Illegitimate by-laws, the false image of protocols and lazy bureaucracy. To me, it is one of the evil triplets in the pervasive pyramid of power. However, upon closer inspection, I have come to understand that the siblings do not exist. In fact, the same entity chooses different hats to wear: The State equals the Corporation equals the Church.

This observation cannot be suitably summarized enough than in the documentary, Food, Inc. This is a film dedicated to exposing the food industry in the United States (and the world). Using the narrative of Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, and Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, the book-based movie shows the intricacies of the how, when, where and why our food is processed the way it is.

The doc begins by explaining how the atrocities of mass-produced meat started because of the fast-food movement. This movement was a direct symptom of the American Dream: 'faster, fatter, bigger, cheaper' or quantity over quality. As a result of the increasing demand of burgers-on-the-go, the corporations increased the supply. At the same time, this spike was a great business opportunity so the major corporations started buying the little ones. In the 1970's, the top 5 Corporate meat-suppliers owned 25% of the business. Today, the top 4 own over 80%. Monopoly was a very popular American-based board game.

Obviously the film forages through the inhumanity of the industry, the science of a contemporary cow's diet, and some hill-billy hippie who has an all-natural, traditional farm. But, what caught me off guard the most was the lengthy look at Monsanto.

Many people (including myself, until my dear comrade devoted her lunch hour to me) have not heard of the bio-tech company that planted its roots in chemical engineering. As the creator of Agent Orange, Monsanto's infamy blossomed through its pesticide RoundUp and the RoundUp-ready, genetically-modified soybean called Agracetus. Due to the genetic-modifications, Monsanto was actually able to patent the seed and, thus, lay claim to any of the crops the seeds produced. It put a lot of farmers and farm-support technicians out of jobs.

Now, to come full-circle: Many of Monsanto's consultants, lawyers and PRs have become advisors and regulators to the Clinton, Bush, Jr. and, quite probably, Obama Administrations. They merely replaced their Corporate caps with their State-official caps. The same people who made millions on poisoning our food are now advisors for the FDA. The State is supposed to merely serve and protect the people through its regulations and laws. But, what happens when the regulators have a conflict of interest? Well, it means that regulations are not made for the safety of the people but for the safety of the business. How is this even legal? How is it not protested and petitioned?

Well, with every push there is a pull. The 'organic' movement is a direct retaliation to our rBST-ridden meat. It just goes to show that the few can impact the many. It also shows that if you push people too far, they will pull themselves up again. People are truly incredible creatures.

RADBUSTERS

Foot in mouth. That is an action that I have had to come to terms with. Considering that this blog started with my negative thoughts about a certain zine, I now present you with Issue #85 of the infamous Adbusters.

As previously noted, Adbusters is a West-coast based magazine that focuses all of its energy on regurgitating left-wing propaganda. However, Thought Control in Economics has hit the Corporate nail on the head.

This issue is a compilation of essays and shorts about our current economic state: a complete monopoly. Unlike previous issues, the stories range from mini-bios on the 'mavericks' of forward-thinking economic thought to the definition of our 'autistic economy'. It also questions where our youth have gone. Today, we no longer see the passionate, persistent, inquisitive nature that has been so definitive of the young of yore. Our stream-lined 'education' system doesn't help and the writers makes note of it.

So, what Adbusters delivers is a prescriptive antidote to Corporate takeover. Instead of going to school and regurgitating ancient theory, the students must become provacateurs. Question the prof. Question the meaning of grades. Question what one is really learning.

Nonetheless, I was sad to see that the only solution that Adbusters provides for our Capitalist economy is State intervention. Again, as I mentioned in the blog's first post, I hope that the readers question this answer and not take it too seriously. I said it before, and I'll say it again, the State is the Corporation and if you don't believe me, they are least in tandem with one another. ('They both share the same interests and they protect one another'. - Can't recall book name.)

The answer is not to look towards the State but to the people. Whether it is on the right or the left, corruption ensues where power is given to the few. Let's spread it out. Take ownership of your place in this world and make that change. Most people do not need a dictator breathing down their backs to tell them right from wrong. Life is not nasty, cruel, brutish and short. It's worth it, so let's take it.

The Bigger Picture

Daunting, moving, life-changing. These three words describe the time I had last night. Did I go sky-diving? Did I hear the Dalai Lama speak? No. I watched a movie.

Last night, comrades, I decided to test my emotional waters by watching The Cove, a documentary about the whaling and dolphin industry that keeps Japan's economy afloat. The sushi that I had for dinner was churning in my stomach due to the graphic nature of some of the footage.

Ric O'Barry, the man who trained the dolphins for the Flipper TV series, joined forces with Louie Psihoyos to expose the atrocities that occur in a little fishing town in Japan called Taiji. What I like about the movie is that the documentary explores every facet of dolphin exploitation. It goes from animal rights to mercury poisoning in humans to the corruption within the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The horror, the horror.

After the movie ended, it was hard to leave my seat. Here was a perfect piece of education that was not only informative, but also visually stunning. Apres school, I believe we all find it hard to keep learning. We may watch some documentaries or read something provocative. However, it feels as though the information goes in through one eye/ear and out the other. We have lost the spark of our youth that inspired us to absorb ideas and to create change. Formal exhaustion has already set in.

Therefore, if you decide to see this movie, do not hesitate to learn from it. You may not stop eating seafood, but make informed choices about what kind of seafood you eat. Which is the most contaminated? Which has the highest incidence of killing innocent dolphins? Do I really want to take my kids to SeaWorld?

Here is a chart, not unlike many all over the internet, that gives you a list of contaminated seafood.

The bigger picture is this: let's stop watching films, reading books, having active discussions and not do something about it. It's all well and good that now I know what the dolphin industry is like, now let me do my small part to make the change. I'm sick and tired, mostly due to my own guilt, of watching the spark die out. Get informed and stay informed. This is informal education so let's learn from it. Make even the smallest decisions that, like the wings of a butterfly, affect change thousands of miles away.