Post by drusiph on Sept 20, 2004 17:27:51 GMT -5
Friends and loved ones
Through some introspection I have come to a decision. Because I don’t make decisions on whims and I try to take time and be as conservative as possible when decisions like this arise, I have concluded that I will no longer be eating fast food, and with this decision, another decision was made. I am declaring war on the fast food companies for participating in a conscious effort to destroy the family and our sense of community (war, not terrorism – I, in fact, do not believe in the theory that governments get to maintain a monopoly on war – this is also not an admission that there is no such thing as terrorism).
Concerning the decision of fast food consumption. This is for health reasons. This decision does NOT exclude having dinner in restaurants. It ONLY excludes eating fast foods. Then I may be asked, “What is fast food?” That is a reasonable question. My definition of “fast food” is as follows:
Fast food is food that when I go in a restaurant or drive through a “drive-thru”, and either order at a counter or through a telecomm device, place orders that may or may not include some kind of “value meal”, I pay and leave without tipping (tipping not being a norm at these restaurants – so not just being “rude”).
This definition may or may not be complete. I am leaving it open for future amendments. Businesses that would be included are:
McDonald’s
Arby’s
Burger King
Taco Bell
Jack in the Box
Pizza Hut
Hardee’s
White Castle’s
Rally’s
And many others of the same type of establishments are included. A “burger” restaurant does not necessarily have to fall under this category. Frisch’s Big Boy for instance does not fit the category of “fast food” as it requires a meal, server, and for decent people that have decent service, tipping (the drive thru at Frisch’s is off limits – therefore, its drive-thru service is a reasonable enemy).
Concerning the conscious effort to destroy the notion of family and community. Growing up, I didn’t eat a lot of fast food. In fact, we (my family) ate fast food about once every two weeks at a maximum. We did eat dinner at burger joints and things of that nature, but not at fast food restaurants. Back then I had a very close connection to my family. Over the years, I have established a disconnection with regards to my family. In fact, I spend very little time with my family. I have no sense of community, and therefore, I am left with friends that I spend very little time with. Though they are good friends and I consider them as such, I confess that I am probably not a good “good friend” as I tend to like the “escape” from society. This I feel has become harmful to myself and what little sense of community is left. I am, with much introspection and conservative meditation, putting the majority of this on the shoulders of the fast food companies.
We don’t need to live in a “fast food” society. Why do we feel that we don’t have the time to cook dinner? Why do we feel we don’t have the time to sit down for lunch? Why do we feel we are always in a hurry? These issues are not all going to be answered by not eating fast food. We don’t cook because we “must see tv”. There are larger issues that are more to the root of this epidemic. However, one of my prescriptions for this disease is no more fast food. This is just one prescription. What are its side effects: better health, establishing a sense of family and community with those I break bread with and cook for, and extra money in my pocket for not eating their over priced mediocre food.
What will this war consist of, and what exactly do you mean by war? That is a reasonable question. What do I mean by war? I mean a conscious effort to ruin the businesses of these companies. I want to talk about fast food in the past tense. I want it to be a historical memory. I see this as a losing war (though I am not convinced it is a war that cannot be won – it is possible to win this war), but it is one I feel is worthy of being called a “just war”. How will I “fight” this war? I will fight this war by tying to reclaim a sense of community and family. If we are a family and a community, then we eat together. We have each other over for dinner. We take time to be together. We can’t do this in this unnecessarily “fast fooded” society. The fast foodization of the world has been declared war upon.
This all may seem trivial, but I take pride in attacking the trivial things that, to me, slowly but surely remove our sense of spirit. A people without spirit is a people full of impotence. You all, my friends and loved ones are, unwilling perhaps, my allies in this war. Trust that you will soon be invited to a dinner or some other kind of family or community based event by me. What do I want in return for this? I only want you all to show up (if there is a time conflict, then I will surely be finding out when you will not have a time conflict and inviting you again). Hopefully from this, it will inspire you to reach out to the community and have your own event full of good times. In these “good times” that are sure to come from this, we will be “becoming”. What is that we will be becoming? We will be becoming a community, and a Good community has no need for fast food.
Take care!
jerry
p.s. of course, i don't know how this will work on the internet. this is a letter intended to go out to people near me physically, not digitally. i would, in fact, invite you all to dinner or a picnic, but i don't know how feasible that is.
Through some introspection I have come to a decision. Because I don’t make decisions on whims and I try to take time and be as conservative as possible when decisions like this arise, I have concluded that I will no longer be eating fast food, and with this decision, another decision was made. I am declaring war on the fast food companies for participating in a conscious effort to destroy the family and our sense of community (war, not terrorism – I, in fact, do not believe in the theory that governments get to maintain a monopoly on war – this is also not an admission that there is no such thing as terrorism).
Concerning the decision of fast food consumption. This is for health reasons. This decision does NOT exclude having dinner in restaurants. It ONLY excludes eating fast foods. Then I may be asked, “What is fast food?” That is a reasonable question. My definition of “fast food” is as follows:
Fast food is food that when I go in a restaurant or drive through a “drive-thru”, and either order at a counter or through a telecomm device, place orders that may or may not include some kind of “value meal”, I pay and leave without tipping (tipping not being a norm at these restaurants – so not just being “rude”).
This definition may or may not be complete. I am leaving it open for future amendments. Businesses that would be included are:
McDonald’s
Arby’s
Burger King
Taco Bell
Jack in the Box
Pizza Hut
Hardee’s
White Castle’s
Rally’s
And many others of the same type of establishments are included. A “burger” restaurant does not necessarily have to fall under this category. Frisch’s Big Boy for instance does not fit the category of “fast food” as it requires a meal, server, and for decent people that have decent service, tipping (the drive thru at Frisch’s is off limits – therefore, its drive-thru service is a reasonable enemy).
Concerning the conscious effort to destroy the notion of family and community. Growing up, I didn’t eat a lot of fast food. In fact, we (my family) ate fast food about once every two weeks at a maximum. We did eat dinner at burger joints and things of that nature, but not at fast food restaurants. Back then I had a very close connection to my family. Over the years, I have established a disconnection with regards to my family. In fact, I spend very little time with my family. I have no sense of community, and therefore, I am left with friends that I spend very little time with. Though they are good friends and I consider them as such, I confess that I am probably not a good “good friend” as I tend to like the “escape” from society. This I feel has become harmful to myself and what little sense of community is left. I am, with much introspection and conservative meditation, putting the majority of this on the shoulders of the fast food companies.
We don’t need to live in a “fast food” society. Why do we feel that we don’t have the time to cook dinner? Why do we feel we don’t have the time to sit down for lunch? Why do we feel we are always in a hurry? These issues are not all going to be answered by not eating fast food. We don’t cook because we “must see tv”. There are larger issues that are more to the root of this epidemic. However, one of my prescriptions for this disease is no more fast food. This is just one prescription. What are its side effects: better health, establishing a sense of family and community with those I break bread with and cook for, and extra money in my pocket for not eating their over priced mediocre food.
What will this war consist of, and what exactly do you mean by war? That is a reasonable question. What do I mean by war? I mean a conscious effort to ruin the businesses of these companies. I want to talk about fast food in the past tense. I want it to be a historical memory. I see this as a losing war (though I am not convinced it is a war that cannot be won – it is possible to win this war), but it is one I feel is worthy of being called a “just war”. How will I “fight” this war? I will fight this war by tying to reclaim a sense of community and family. If we are a family and a community, then we eat together. We have each other over for dinner. We take time to be together. We can’t do this in this unnecessarily “fast fooded” society. The fast foodization of the world has been declared war upon.
This all may seem trivial, but I take pride in attacking the trivial things that, to me, slowly but surely remove our sense of spirit. A people without spirit is a people full of impotence. You all, my friends and loved ones are, unwilling perhaps, my allies in this war. Trust that you will soon be invited to a dinner or some other kind of family or community based event by me. What do I want in return for this? I only want you all to show up (if there is a time conflict, then I will surely be finding out when you will not have a time conflict and inviting you again). Hopefully from this, it will inspire you to reach out to the community and have your own event full of good times. In these “good times” that are sure to come from this, we will be “becoming”. What is that we will be becoming? We will be becoming a community, and a Good community has no need for fast food.
Take care!
jerry
p.s. of course, i don't know how this will work on the internet. this is a letter intended to go out to people near me physically, not digitally. i would, in fact, invite you all to dinner or a picnic, but i don't know how feasible that is.
