A Nation of Guilt

I just got around to watching the much talked-about documentary, "Supersize Me." I must say, I was fascinated by every fact and every comparison (for example, McDonald's Supersized soda has more sugar in it than what goes into 3 dozen cookies). The pace of the piece was only enhanced by the growing intolerance of doctors who, at first, had marginal warnings against fast food diets, and later came to despise them.

Fast food is a way of life for some people. Unfortunately for myself, a quick bite on my way out to a rehearsal or show is never easily found in my fridge, however I always know there is a Taco Bell on the way. I thought of this as I watched (and ate 2 slices of pepperoni pizza) the piece with another theatrical friend, and realized that I hated the way I ate, but like many other Americans, have no ambitions to change.

It's convenient, it's good, it's terrible. My logic may be hard to follow, but it is all I can present. I tried to rationalize "quitting" soda, until I realized that I have a show in a week, and that would make me drowsy, sick, irritable and poor in performance. How do I know this? I have tried before. Only two days I ago I was late for a coffee date because I had passed out on my couch for 2 hours after putting on one shoe. I had not had caffeine in 2 days. I passed out... This is obviously a problem.

The main focus of the documentary was to qualify the fact that some obese people want to sue McDonalds and other "fast food kings" because they somehow influenced every meal of their lives. I disagree totally on this point. I think the average human being knows the difference between wants and needs, between advertisements and reality. If it is irresponsible on the part of the person to eat so much fast food, it is ridiculous that they would want to sue.

These are the people who elected G.W., world.

I still need to organize my thoughts on the issue, but I hope to follow up this post with a more concrete answer to my problems. I will not generalize, it is impossible anyway.

Zachary Slack