Summary Of Being Fat In America By John Robbins

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In 2011, author John Robbins released an excerpt called Being Fat in America. It would also be included in his later released book, No Happy Cows: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Food Revolution. This perceptive and scrutinizing article attempts to make its American readers self reflect on what they have become, individually and as a society. Robbins’ is the son of Irv Robbins, the co-founder of the ice cream parlor, Baskin Robbins. Instead of continuing his father’s legacy, he left the company and chose to become an author. Being Fat in America is retitled in the book as Chapter Six’s ‘The Heart Attack Grill’ and exposes the connections between diet/health, and societal blame. Through the strategic placement and usage of ethos, pathos, …show more content…

After briefing his readers on the death of Blair River, the spokesperson of The Heart Attack Grill, Robbins begins to delve into the seriousness that should come when discussing the repercussions of obesity. He states that “The Centers for Disease Control tells us that obese people have a substantially higher risk not only for heart attack, but also for diabetes, most cancers, and many other types of cardiovascular disease.” (Robbins 69). Robbins places this claim from the CDC after discussing the death of the morbidly obese River in order to get the reader to mock and question how The Heart Attack Grill owner, Jon Basso, jokingly approaches the idea of obesity. After the author then writes about how Basso will not change his ways and will continue to praise the overweight, he then transitions into nationwide statistics about American sickliness. Robbins presents that “Two-thirds of the residents of the United States are now either overweight or obese… [‘Type 2 diabetes’] accounts for 90 percent of the diabetes in the country, and the incidence in children is skyrocketing.” (69). Robbins is once again trying to convince the reader that the unhealthy epidemic occurring in America is a matter that should be taken earnestly, and by juxtaposing his evidence with the light hearted approach from Basso, the two advocates almost become …show more content…

Following his accounts, detailing the the scarily high statistics of obesity in America and its ramifications, Robbins subsequently transitions from establishing his validity to inquire “It’s easy to point our fingers and pass judgment… We can play the blame game ad infinitum, but who does that help?” (69). Robbins auspiciously is able to make himself appear more cogent to the reader by approaching them as if he were on the same level as them. Robbins uses key words like ‘we’ and ‘our’ in order not to come across as reprimanding the audience and soften the blow of his opinions. He does not ignore the reader’s, perhaps, contrasting thoughts with the points he has made; he acknowledges them and addresses them. Robbins is almost agreeing with the detractors, that what he is claiming is controversial, but he then prompts the reader to reflect upon society’s unhealthy cycle of fat shaming, so that he may appear as a sensible man with valid points, which the reader will then trust and concur

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