Melonie Jimenez- Salazar

Professor Berns
13 April 2016
The View of Food
People have different ways to prove a point. While reading Omnivores Dilemma and
Foods, I had the chance to compare how the authors use different rhetorical theories to prove
their point. Rhetorical theories as pathos, ethos, and logos. Throughout the essay I will point out
which theory the author was using the most to prove their point.
Cowspiracy, a documentary available on Netflix brings up many important facts about
the world. Facts related to cows, waste of water, and what can be done to waste much less.
Throughout the documentary the main rhetorical techniques used was logos, due to it being facts
back to back. Facts that were then explained to the level of where the viewers could understand
better. It did not give any time to doubt whether what was being said was not true due to having
facts and evidence to back up what was being said. It also made me question everything I
believed to be true, for example the idea that organic food is the healthiest.
In an article written by Robert Paarlberg, that idea is gunned down and left one with
questions using pathos and logos. Numerous times in the article, the idea that organic food was
not the healthiest choice was brought up. Not being the healthiest choice is not just towards
people but also earth itself. Thats due to the fact that it would take much more to maintain an
organic farm than it does a nonorganic farm. The article brought up that in order to maintain an
organic farm without fertilization, it would require a lot more animal manure which would
require a higher population of cattle and much of the land in the lower 48 states would need to

be converted to pasture (146). Meaning number of water consumed by animal agriculture

would rise and also would the food by cows consumed. Which was all brought up in the film
where it also states that all of that together. Percent of water and food consumed by cows affects
the world today, imagine how much more it would be affected if the number of cattle would rise
just to maintain a fully organic farm.
The truth behind organic food is not commonly known. People are often left in the dark
about many things including the health of our earth and whats best for the health of our body.
The truth behind the poverty in Africa is not commonly known. The reason in the poverty being
low income productivity of farmers labor (142). The article also states that the solution to the
poverty in Africa is known using the rhetorical technique pathos. Making the readers, including
myself wanting to loudly scream to Africa the solution to help them raise their productivity and
income and lower their number of hungry people. Yes, organic food does have lower amounts of
pesticide but the amount is so low that it doesnt make a difference if you consume nonorganic
food with pesticide (145). The reason for the success in the U.S is due to the fertilization, which
helps keep up with consumption of the food the people, since it is so many. Without it, the food
and the amount of people would not level out equally leaving many people in hunger since there
wouldnt be enough food for everyone to consume.
In the chapter, The Market in the novel Omnivores Delimma; logos was the strongest
technique used but it was not using credible facts. But by making you think and understanding
what makes sense logically. The chapter focuses on the idea that fresh organic meat is the best
meat. Joels reasoning being that it is the freshest since it does not travels for miles like the food
in the grocery store. And the meat being antibiotic free, the people know exactly what theyll be

consuming which is healthier in every possible way. Although Joey is correct in his point of
views, theres other views that need to consider.
Other points being that organic food can come with a higher cost. Meaning it can put the
earth at much higher danger than I already is, in order to assure it is completely organic. Meaning
free from pesticide, fertilization and other antibiotics.
The idea that it is better to eat organic or not is contradicting. From one point it is safer to
eat organic due to the food being chemical free. And the consumer knowing exactly what they
are about to consume. But yet organic cannot be dangerous for earth due to all of the water that
will be consumed more, but also the possible starvation. Since fertilization would not be able to
be used, so the food would not equal to the human population consumption which could lead to
not enough food and people starving.
Although organic food is much safer for the human body, not everyone can offered to eat
it. Not only because the price for organic food is much higher. But also because there is not
enough organic food for the whole population currently being produced. Through the different
evidence the most common rhetorical technique used was logos. Although it was enforced
differently in each different article.

Works Cited
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret. Kip Anderson and
Keegan Kuhn A.U.M. Films and First Spark Media.
Netflix. 2014. Web. 12 April 2016
Rollins, Brooke, and Lee Bauknight. Food. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead, 2010. Print. Attention
Whole Foods Shoppers by Robert Paarlberg
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York:
Penguin, 2006. Print.