Fast Food Culture is deeply rooted, pervasive and systemic in the Western world.
The consequences of adopting Fast Food Culture values has been: obesity, diabetes, addictions, depression, genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), increased pesticide use, poverty, climate change, childhood hunger, poor water management practices, deforestation, and diminishing fair wages.
Fast Food Culture values are right in line with corporate values and industrial values: uniformity, speed, availability, cheapness, deception, manipulation, and excess. When we accept the convenience of Fast Food Culture practices, we also accept all of the consequences and therefore are also responsible for the outcomes.
Uniformity comes with an expectation of conformity, demands control and is exclusionary by default. It does not allow room for uniqueness and so individuality is erased. Every apple, tomato and banana in the grocery store now looks the same. Uniformity also extends to the workplace, enforced by blanket policies and “factory manager mindsets.”
In a culture that accepts speed as a value, the attitude of ‘faster is better’ leaves warped expectations, shorter attention spans, and higher demands for instant gratification. We no longer allow time to grow and mature, time to reflect, time to cultivate patience because “time is money.”
In Fast Food Culture more is better. Bigger is better. “Would you like to supersize your fries?” “Will that be all?” “Did you find everything you were looking for?” Stores have grown to the size of warehouses that keep consumers on the premises longer so they’ll spend more.
Cheapness has been confused with affordability and comes with a steep hidden price tag. The environmental costs of destroyed ecosystems, the cost of soil degradation, air and water contamination, slave labour, and the abuse of human rights are never factored into inexpensive items but yet, these costs have global impacts.
As Alice Waters would say, “Things can be affordable but they can never be cheap.”
Yet, we purchase cheap products, never wondering where these things comes from – and at what cost.
The innocence of youth is now lost as early as the primary grades. Emails and texts are responded to immediately. The greater number of ‘apps’ you have the more connected, fulfilled and happier you will be. Good service is having 15 different brands of mustard to choose from. Cooking shows have become timed competitions for entertainment.
There is no time to see and understand food, people, or situations clearly and intelligently; there is only weight and volume. Choices are viewed with the measuring stick of “What’s in it for me?”
Fast Food Culture is eerily similar to a really bad boyfriend. He doesn’t raise his standards; he expects you to lower yours. He stays because the interaction works for him...and only him.
It’s time we break up with Fast Food Culture.