I truly enjoyed our class discussion yesterday. And I am sorry that some of you were not able to express your views given that we were running out of time. As a continuity of the first issue - whether business firms have a responsibility to educate their customers - Brendan Green contributes this clip. Enjoy it and feel free to continue the conversation.
This is ridiculous; McDonalds is not a direct cause to that mans death due to high cholesterol. He died because he did not have the will power to eat McDonalds (and same type of foods) once in a while; he ate them everyday.
ReplyDeletePeople should be allowed a variation in the free market. People are rational autonomous beings and are able to choose right from wrong. It is not McDonald's fault that people don't know how to enjoy a burger once a month, and instead go everyday.
Also, its not just McDonalds contributing to America's Obesity its the 100's of variations of McDonalds, i.e. Wendys, KFC, etc.
Not to mention, there are more healthy restaurants and even diners where you have the OPTION to choose healthy.
Thus, I think McDonalds only CSR is to let their consumers know the nutrition and ingredients of their food and thats it.
I'm a vegetarian and I still think it's weird that a franchise founded in the art of the all-American classic hamburger is going on a vegan campaign. Time magazine features an article in which author Bryan Walsch writes, "When the food movement succeeds, it can break down that ignorance — and then it's up to individuals to decide how that will affect their lives. Some will go vegan. Others might choose to eat meat that has been more humanely produced.. And whatever you do, be aware of what you're eating and why" and this sums it up perfectly. Information will be the cause to a healthier society that will enable its citizens to live full, healthy lives- information that will lead them to make informed decisions, rather than coerce them into a certain life style choice that may not work best for them. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2062252,00.html?xid=tweetshare
ReplyDeleteThat clip was very disturbing. It does not seem imperative that McDonald's make this change to healthy, vegetarian options. Many vegetarians are still fat, so this ad does not attempt to change the obesity issue that America has.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, McDonald's may want to inform their consumers a bit more about health risks, but this absurd video has taken that idea to an extreme.
As Gabriella said, "People are rational autonomous beings and are able to choose right from wrong." Or at least people can rationally choose wants over needs. When a person chooses to eat at a fast food restaurant, they know it is an unhealthy choice, but their desire for good taste outways the need for nutrition. The important idea is that humans are conscious of their decision to eat crappy foods. McDonalds should not be held responsible for obesity or heart attacks that occur. It is common knowledge that beef hamburgers are not good for the human body; therefore, McDonalds does not need to communicate to their customers
I believe businesses, like McDonald’s, do have a responsibility to educate their customers about certain items of information, such as the contents of the food (e.g.: amount of trans-fat, cholesterol, sodium, etc.) and potential health side-effects. After McDonald’s provides sufficient information, however, it’s really up to the consumer to decide whether or not they will eat the food and how often. If a person cannot exercise self-control and limit his or her consumption of unhealthy products, they cannot place total blame on the establishment that is serving them. A reasonable person should realize that eating fast food every day, or even every week is a bad health decision. I lack empathy for people who file lawsuits against fast food restaurants for causing their own obesity or health problems when they are the ones making the ultimate decision to eat fast food so often. I don’t believe, however, that McDonald’s is a completely innocent party. When they promote double, triple, and quadruple hamburgers they exploit customers’ lack of temperance and willpower in order to make money, which I believe crosses an ethical boundary.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe McDonalds is to blame for the obesity crisis in America. Yes they are the ones serving the unhealthy food, but our society and our government has made the unhealthy choice, the most affordable one. A family of 5 can go to Mcdonalds and eat a full dinner for about $15, which makes this option more appealing than going to the grocery store and spending their money on overpriced groceries when a meal at Mcdonalds is 1. already cooked for you and 2. a lot cheaper. Eating healthy and organic in this country is so expensive that middle America cannot afford it. So until a change is made the obesity epidemic will continue and Mcdonalds is not to blame.
ReplyDeleteI believe in the case of McDonalds "killing" its customers is a bit excessive. The ones who die from fast-food are the people that have a lack of self control and cant keep their diet in order. And I believe that this commercial is a stab in the back to McDonalds, one of the best franchises of all time, its not like Mickey d's is the only fast food place that serves un healthy food. An example of someone who eats McDonalds many time a week and still maintains his fitness and success as a professional athlete would be Chad Johnson, NFL wide receiver. He says that it doesn't matter what you eat but how you handle your body after you eat it.
ReplyDeleteI believe in the case of McDonalds "killing" its customers is a bit excessive. The ones who die from fast-food are the people that have a lack of self control and cant keep their diet in order. And I believe that this commercial is a stab in the back to McDonalds, one of the best franchises of all time, its not like Mickey d's is the only fast food place that serves un healthy food. An example of someone who eats McDonalds many time a week and still maintains his fitness and success as a professional athlete would be Chad Johnson, NFL wide receiver. He says that it doesn't matter what you eat but how you handle your body after you eat it.
ReplyDelete