Topic > "Soylent Bad: America's Toxic Relationship with Food" by Kim Jean

Kim dissects the American culture surrounding food and the unhealthiness of its current state. Kim being a medical doctor and "cultural shrink" , delves deep into eating trends in American culture, such as Soylent or other meal replacement options; going so far as to discuss the link between these behaviors and the obesity epidemic, along with the nation's fight against eating disorders plagiarism -essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe author begins the article by explaining the two main groups within American food culture: "foodies" and "goal seekers" (par 1 ) He describes foodies as a group who appreciate food to its fullest potential, viewing it "as a way of life," and then states that goal seekers "see food as a fundamental obstacle to the ultimate management of food." time through minimal effort." sustenance” (para. 1). Kim proceeds to focus on goal-seekers, stating that the group is extremely popular in current American culture. The author then takes the audience on the topic of capitalism and how it is affecting the way Americans view food, suggesting that a capitalist way of thinking only considers the food efficiency of certain foods rather than healthiness. He does this by describing the connection between food and capitalism in America, stating: “When food meets capitalist efficiency, the results in America are generally dismal” (par. 4). She calls this connection “depressing” because, in her eyes, it has led many US citizens to turn to meal replacements (like soy), which are said to save time. Additionally, Kim mocks the goal-seeking group by calling food a “waste of time” and an “enemy,” which is hyperbole used to show his disapproval from the group's perspective. He then examines the obesity epidemic in America, sympathizing by expressing his belief that junk food is a much cheaper and quicker option than most home-cooked meals. Finally Kim implies that Soylent (a meal replacement) is disgusting and sad. He does this by using two different analogies, one of which states thus: "It reminds me of the sad feeding tubes you see in hospitals, where people have lost the ability to swallow or use their gastrointestinal tract, with machines running silently in bags of cream-colored sticky substance in the stomach tube" (para. 9). Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay By comparing Soylent to the “goo” given to people during tube feedings, Kim demonstrates that he believes that meal replacements are very similar to this “goo.” Taking a mocking tone to try to persuade the audience of his position, he shows the grotesqueness of Soylent. Kim concludes the article by asking the reader a rhetorical question: "Why willingly give up the gift of flavor, the gift of food, the sensory appreciation of life, for a couple more hours to finish the spreadsheets" (par 9)? This is intended to let the reader reflect on Kim's position by highlighting the supposed absurdity of the "goal seeker" mentality".