Bottled And Paradox

740 Words2 Pages

Synopsis: The viewpoints offered in “Food and Society: Principles and Paradoxes” and “Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water” provide a glimpse into the consumption and materialistic culture of society. Food is a universal constant in communities all over the globe; food is used as a means of communion amongst people, humans have designed institutions dedicated to the act of eating food, and food by definition allows humans to exist. In the beginning chapters of “Food and Society: Principles and Paradoxes” food is analyzed in three manners: the association between restaurant culture and food, food as a means of advertisement and marketing, and lastly, food’s role in the societal institutions. “Bottled and Sold: …show more content…

The process of consumption in the restaurant culture possess many layers of depth. In order for an individual to have a meal at a restaurant, numerous instances of “invisible labor” and “emotional labor” are undergone to provide a pristine experience for the customers (Food and Society). Invisible labor, as described by Guptil et al., is the preparation that goes into creating a meal that is neither compensated nor properly acknowledged, Guptil et al. then go onto describe emotional labor as the propensity for individuals working within a restaurant to maintain cordiality regardless of a customer’s emotional state at the time of dining. The experience of eating at a restaurant propagates the consumption culture within society because it allows individuals to enjoy well prepared food without the hassle of dealing with different forms of …show more content…

Athletes drink bottled water during sporting events, students carry around bottled water at school, families buy cases of bottled water due to its convenience and versatility. According to Peter Gleick in “Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water”, it was not long ago that society had no desire nor use for bottled water. From the times of Ancient Greece to modern Cleveland, Ohio, water has evolved to become safer to consume but has also become a product very much engrained in the materialistic and consumption culture of society (Bottled and Sold). Individuals are subconsciously trained to select, consume, and discard due to the nature of bottled water. Not only is this mindset associated with bottled water, it has also become apparent that branding and marketing of bottled water is now valued as much as the safety of the water being consumed (Bottled and Sold). Poland Springs, known to many individuals that purchase bottled water, for some time now has been decreasing the amount of water that it siphons from Alfred, Maine (Wikipedia). Poland Springs promises to provide water that is properly tested and from the springs of Maine, but according to “Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water” the FDA does not do an adequate job recalling unsafe water and thus has allowed companies such as Poland Springs to add chemicals and purifiers in water

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