Sinclair S and Spurlock S Critiques of Capitalism

1

Kim

SihyunKim

Dr. J. ElizabethClark

English101.2651

29October2005

Sinclair’s and Spurlock’s Critiques of Capitalism

InUptonSinclair’sTheJungleandMorganSpurlock’sSuperSizeMe, lifeinAmericaisportrayedasonethatisdeeplyrootedinsocialproblems. ItisportrayedasaneconomicDarwinianstruggleforsurvivalwherethebigbusinessesofAmerica, intheformofthemeatpackingindustryinTheJungleandMcDonald’sinSuperSizeMe, cunninglyexploitthevulnerabilityofthoseatthebottomofthestruggle (thosewithleasteconomicmeanstosurvive). Nevertheless, SinclairandSpurlockofferradicallydifferentsolutionstocounterthesesocialproblemsthathavebeenbroughtaboutbytheincrediblyunbalancedrelationship. Sinclair, seeingthatnohopeforendingthecapitalistexploitationoftheworking-classexists, suggestsatotalabandonmentoftheeconomicsystemforanewone. Spurlock, ontheotherhand, placessomeoftheblameofsocialdegradation (theincreasingrateofobesityinAmerica) ontheconsumersthemselves, and, therefore, suggestswaysthroughwhichtheaverageconsumercanlearntoadjusttotheexistingeconomicsystem.

In TheJungle, UptonSinclairusesJurgisandhisfamilyinhisportrayalofthetypicalmenandwomenwhohaveimmigratedtotheU.S. insearchofabetterwayoflife. LuredbytheidealsoftheAmericanDream, JurgisandhisfamilyhavetraveledthousandsofmilestocometotheU.S.. Theywishtoparticipateinasystemwhereallmen, nomatterhowpoortheymayinitiallybe, canachieveeconomicsuccess. WhenJurgisandhisfamilyfirstsettleinaboardinghouseownedbyMrs. Jukniene, thefirstthingJurgissaystoheris, "[T]o-morrowIwillgetajob, andperhapsJonaswillgetonealso; andthenwecangetaplaceofourown," (31). ThefactthatJurgistalksabouttheacquisitionofjobsinsuchamatter-of-factvoiceshowsjusthowunfamiliarheiswiththetruenatureoftheAmericanDream. Jobs, asJurgiswilllearnmuchlateroninthenovel, areextremelyhardtoattainand (uponacquisition) maintain. ItisJurgis'sfaithintheAmericanDreamthatplaceshiminsuchadisadvantageinAmerica. He, likemanyotherimmigrantmenandwomenwhohavecometotheU.S., haslittlesenseofrationality, and, therefore, isgravelyunpreparedtodefendhimselfagainstthosewhoseektopreyuponsuchnaïveté.
Indeed, itisbecauseofJurgis’sirrationalfaithintheAmericanDreamthatthebigbusinessesofPackingtownfindhimeasyprey. WhenJurgisgetsajobonhisfirstdayoutintheStockyards, heandhisfamilyimmediatelyconsiderbuyingahouse. Duringhissearchforahome, Jurgisisluredbyanadvertisementfeaturinga "house, brilliantlypainted, new, anddazzling. Theroofofitwasofapurplehue, andtrimmedwithgold; thehouseitselfwassilvery, andthedoorsandwindowsred," (49). Thehouseisatotalembodimentofeveryman'sdream. Itisportrayedasapalacebrimmingwiththelatestamenities. Yet, Jurgisdoesrealizethatbuyingsuchahouseisfarbeyondthecapabilitiesoftheaverageworking-classmenandwomen. Onthecontrary, Jurgisfeelsthateverybodyisentitledtosuchahouse. "Jurgiswasatalosstounderstandwhy, withwagesastheywere, somanyofthepeopleofthisdistrictshouldlivethewaytheydid," (50). Jurgisdoesnotyetrealizethatitwasmereluckthathelpedhimattainajobathisfirsttry. HisirrationalfaithintheAmericanDreamblindshimfromthefactthatemploymentisextremelyinsecureinPackingtown. Jurgis, unfortunately, doesnotunderstandthathisrashdecisiontobuyahousewillbindhisentirefamilytoacontractthatcanultimatelytraptheminaninundationofpaymentsanddebts. ItisbecauseofthisnaïvetéthatbigbusinessmenliketherealestateagentcanmercilesslyexploitJurgisfortheirownbenefit.

ThepredicamentsinwhichJurgisandhisfamilyrepeatedlyfindthemselvesarenotisolatedones. Infact, accordingtoSinclair, thesubjugationofthesehard-workingimmigrantmenandwomenisanaturalpartofAmericanlife. WhenJurgistakeshisfirsttourofPackingtown, hewitnessesfirsthandhowthelivestockareslaughtered:

Itwaspork-makingbymachinery, pork-makingbyappliedmathematics. Andyet

somehowthemostmatter-of-factpersoncouldnothelpthinkingofthehogs; they

weresoinnocent, theycamesoverytrustingly…Theyhaddonenothingtodeserve

it…Eachoneofthesehogswasaseparatecreature. Somewerewhitehogs, some

wereblack; somewerebrown, somewerespotted; somewereold, somewereyoung,

somewerelongandlean, someweremonstrous. Andeachofthemhadanindividuality

ofhisown, awillofhisown, ahopeandaheart'sdesire; eachwasfullofself-confidence,

ofself-importance, andasenseofdignity, (39-40).

Sinclairismakingaclearconnectionbetweenthelivesofpigsandthelivesofmen. Thepigscometrustinglyintotheslaughterhouses, wheretheylearn—whenitistoolate—thattheywillbekilledforhumanconsumption. Likewise, theimmigrantmenandwomenareluredintotheUnitedStatesbythepromiseoftheAmericanDream. Theyareunknowinglyplacedinthehandsofthecorruptbusinessmenwhotakecompleteadvantageofthemuntileverydropofvitalityleavesthem. WhenJurgis, arepresentativeofthesemenandwomen, triesdesperatelytofindanotherjobafterspendingmonthsinbedduetohisankleinjury, Sinclairobservesthat "he [Jurgis] wasnolongerthefinest-lookingmaninthethrong, andthebossesnolongermadeforhim; hewasthinandhaggard, andhisclotheswereseedy, andhelookedmiserable. Andtherewerehundredswholookedandfeltjustlikehim," (135). Jurgiswasmanipulatedbythemeant-packingindustryandwasultimatelythrownoutwhenhisyouthfulenergylefthim. Nowheisjustlikethemanyhopelessmenandwomenwhohavenothingtodobutobservenewerandyoungerpeoplereplacingthemattheirworkplace, and, consequently, repeatingthedestructivecycleofcorporatepredation. Inotherwords, JurgisisnottheonlyonetobeexploitedbythebigbusinessesofAmerica. Thissocialproblemaffectspeopleonamassivescale.

LikeSinclair, MorganSpurlock, inhismovieSuperSizeMe, alsoportrayslifeinAmericaasonethatisfilledwithsocialproblems. Spurlockdepictsthepeopleatthebottomoftheeconomicstruggle, thistimeintheformofMcDonald’sconsumers, asbeingswhoareillpreparedtodefendthemselvesfromthosewhoseektoexploitthemfortheirownbenefit. Thesourceoftheirdisadvantage, accordingtoSpurlock, istheirlackofbasiceducation. Infact, Spurlockarguesthattheproblemhasbecomesoseverethatthefederalgovernmentisactivelyinterveninginschoolaffairs. Forinstance, PresidentBush’s“NoChildLeftBehind”Actwouldholdstatesaccountableforhavingstudentswhohavenotmetminimaleducationrequirements. TopersonallywitnesshowseriousthelackofeducationisinAmerica, Spurlockvisiteda9thgradehealthclassinBeckley, WestVirginia, toaskthestudents, “Whocantellmewhatacalorieis?”Asheexpected, nobodywasabletoprovideanacceptableanswer. Infact, onestudent, unabletorespond, askedSpurlock, “Isitthefatthatgoesthrough…your…umm…?”Shockingly, youngAmericansareincreasinglyleavingschoolwithouthavingsuccessfullycompletedbasichighschooleducation. Itisalmosttragictoseetheseteenagersunabletoanswerabasicquestionlikethatof“Whatisacalorie?”ItisthisgrowingignoranceamongAmericansthatplacesthematsuchadisadvantageasconsumersintheeconomicworld. LiketheimmigrantmenandwomeninTheJunglewhoardentlyembracenaïveidealisms, theaverageconsumersinSuperSizeMearequiteunpreparedtodefendthemselvesagainstthosewhoseektopreyuponsuchlackofeducation.

Itisbecauseoftheconsumers’lackofbasiceducationthatthefoodindustriesfindthemeasytoexploit. WhenSpurlockvisitedaMcDonald’sinTexas, thecashieraskedhimifhewishestobuythesuper-sizevaluemeal. Spurlock, afterhavingacceptedtheoffer, asked, “Sayyouaskfivepeople. Howmanyofthesefivedoit?”Inresponse, thecashierstated, “IguessI’llgetaboutallofthem.”Atafirstglance, theoffermadebythecashierseemsquiteinnocuous. Forlessthanadollar, theconsumershavetheoptionofdoublingtheportionsoftheirFrenchfriesandsoda. However, aMcDonald’sSuper-SizeorderofFrenchfrieshas630caloriesand29gramsoffat (thestandardmedium-sizeorderhas350caloriesand16gramsoffat),[1]whileaSuper-Sizeorderofsodahasroughly410calories (medium-sizeorderofsodahasabout210calories).[2]Inotherwords, theseconsumersunknowinglyadd480caloriestotheirdieteverytimetheyagreetoSuper-Sizetheirvaluemeal. Becausetheconsumerslackbasiceducation (specificallythatofhealthandnutrition), theyfailtorealizethedangersthattheirpoordietarychoiceshaveontheirphysicalhealth. Itisthislackofbasiceducationandtheresultingreadinesstoconsumewhateverisavailablethatmakestheconsumerssovulnerabletothevicioustacticsofthefoodindustries.

Indeed, thefoodindustriesarequitemercilessintheircorporatepredationoftheirconsumers. AccordingtoMarionNestle, thechairofNutritionandFoodStudiesinNYUwhomSpurlockhasinterviewed, “Thinkaboutthewaysthatfoodismarketed: T-shirts, coupons, toysforchildren, give-awaysatfastfoodplaces, placemats. Imean, thinkaboutallofthedifferentwaysinwhichfoodmarketingisubiquitous. Themostheavilyadvertisedfoodsareconsumedthemost.”Foodadvertisementshavebecomesoubiquitousthattheyhaveessentiallybecomepartofourculture. Nowhereisthefoodcompanies’infiltrationofeverydayAmericanculturemoreobviousthanitisinchildren. WhenSpurlockvisitedaclassof1stgradestudentsatWorcester, Massachusetts, heshowedkidsseriesofpicturesoffamousfigures. MostkidsdidnotrecognizeGeorgeWashingtonnorJesusChrist. Yet, everyoneofthemrecognizedRonaldMcDonald. McDonald’shasbecomesuchanintegralpartofAmericanmainstreamlifethatbythetimekidsareingradeschool, mostofthemarethoroughlyfamiliarwithMcDonald’s. Byshowinghowthechildren, thebuildingblocksofanyhumansociety, arefullyconditionedbythefoodindustries’aggressivepromotionsoftheirproducts, SpurlockmakesthegraveobservationthatthesocialproblemofeatingunhealthyfoodisaffectingtheAmericanpublicinamassivescale. BymakingfastfoodsafundamentalaspectofAmericansociety, thefoodindustriesmakeprofitsattheexpenseoftheirconsumers’health—mostwillnotthinktwicebeforeconsumingaSuper-SizebigMacvaluemealwithalargevanillashake.

DespitehavingobservedtheserampantsocialproblemsinAmericansociety, neitherSinclairnorSpurlockdiscountsalvationfortheimmigrantmenandwomeninTheJungleandtheconsumersofMcDonald’sinSuperSizeMeasadistinctpossibility. BothmenofferpossiblewaystohelpcounterthesocialproblemsplaguinglifeinAmerica. However, theirsolutionsareradicallydifferentfromeachother. Sinclair, forexample, viewsthatthesalvationcannotbedeliveredundertheexistingeconomicsystem. AccordingtoSinclair, lifeinAmericahasdegradedtremendouslytothepointthateventhelegalsystemisplaguedwithcorruption. WhenJurgisisbroughttotrialafterhavingassaultedMr. Connors, themanwhohassexuallyassaultedhiswifeOna, JusticePatrickCallahanmakesnoefforttohearhistestimony. Infact, Callahanstates, "Yes, Iknow…Ihearitoftenenough. Thefellowseemstohavehandledyouprettyroughly. Thirtydaysandcost. Nextcase," (185). Callahan'ssheerindifferencetowardsthecaseillustratesthegrimnatureofthelegalsysteminAmerica. Thelawisjustascorruptasthebigbusinessmenwhopreyupontheimmigrantmenandwomen. Itsofficials, bribedbythosewithmoneyandpower, turntheirbackawayfromtheproblemsthataredestroyingthelivesoftheworking-class. BecausetheonlysystemthatcanbringjusticetothecorruptioninPackingtowniscorruptaswell, noreformcanpossiblybringsalvationtothehardworkingimmigrantmenandwomenaslongasthecurrenteconomicsystemcontinuestoexist. ThesolutiontoAmerica’ssocialproblems, therefore, cannotbesoughtwithintheexistingsocialorder; itmustbesoughtoutsideofit.

Asaresult, Sinclairproposesthatcapitalismshouldbeabandonedaltogetherinfavorforanewworldorder—socialism. WhenJurgiswalksintoapoliticalmeetingafterhavingspenttheentiredaysearchingforajobinvain, heencountersaSocialistspeakerwhomakesthefollowingspeech:

…Mywordswillcomelikeasuddenflashoflightningtoonewhotravelsindarkness—revealingthewaybeforehim, theperilsandtheobstacles—solvingallproblems, makingalldifficultiesclear!…Workingmen…openyoureyesandlookaboutyou!…Thereareathousand—tenthousand, maybe—who…donothingtoearnwhattheyreceive…Theirlifeisacontestamongthemselvesforsupremacyinostentationandrecklessness, [and] inthewastingofthelaborandthelivesoftheirfellow-creatures…Andyou, workingmen, workingmen!…Isthereamanhere…sohardenedanddebasedthathedareriseupbefore meandsaythathebelievesitcancontinueforever; thattheproductofthelaborofsociety…willalwaysbelongtoidlersandparasites…? …[A] dreamofresistancehaunts [you], hopebattlingwithfear; untilsuddenly [you] stir, andafettersnaps—andathrillshootsthrough [you]…andinaflashthedreambecomesanact! Youstart, [you] lift [yourself]; andthebandsareshattered, theburdensrolloff… (333-337)

Thesocialistspeakermakesanargumentthatsocialismisthesolutiontoallthesocialproblemsbroughtaboutbycapitalism. Hezealouslyarguesthattheviciouscorporatepredationmadepossibleundertheexistingcapitalistsystemcanfinallybebroughttoitsendbysocialism. Inaddition, thespeakerpassionatelypleadsforhisaudiencetoabandontheirfearsandjoinhiscrusadeagainstthecorruptcapitalists. Apparently, Sinclairhimselfhasbeengreatlyaffectedbythesewordsaswell. ThelastfewchaptersofTheJungleabandonthenarrativealtogethertoserveaspurepropagandainfavorforsocialism. WhenJurgisconvertstosocialism, heimmediatelybecomesoneofitsmostdevotedproponents. “SoJurgisacquiredthereadinghabit. Hewouldcarryinhispocketatractorapamphletwhichsomeonehadloanedhim, andwheneverhehadanidlemomentduringthedayhewouldplodthroughaparagraph, andthenthinkaboutitwhileheworked,” (357-358). Afterhavingdevotedgreattimeandenergytodevelophischaracter, SinclaircompletelyabandonsJurgisbytheendofthenovel. Upontheintroductionofsocialism, Jurgisandhislonghistoryoftragediesseemtobeforgotten. HeisnolongerthehardworkingLithuanianimmigrantwholovinglytoiledoverhisfamily. JurgisisnowameretoolthroughwhichSinclairadvocatesforsocialismanditsideals. Inotherwords, Sinclair’sbeliefsthatsocialismisthesolutiontoeveryproblemplaguinglifeinAmericaaresostrongthathehasultimatelyinvestedthefirsttwenty-sevenchaptersofhisnovelnottodiscussthetragiclifeofJurgisandhisfamily, buttoestablishafirmplatformforhismainargumentforsocialism.

InsharpcontrasttoSinclair, SpurlockbelievesthatthesolutiontotheproblemswreckingAmericaneconomiclifeisnottoeliminatethem, buttoadapttothem. IntheopeningofSuperSizeMe, Spurlockmakesthestatement, “Wheredothecorporateresponsibilitiesendandourpersonalresponsibilitiesbegin?”Thetruthis, whilethefoodcorporationsdoanexcellentjobmakingtheirproductsavailable, theconsumersthemselvesaretheoneswhohaveultimatecontroloverthefoodstheyeat. Unliketheworking-classimmigrantmenandwomeninTheJungle, theconsumersinSuperSizeMeshareabulkoftheresponsibilityfortheincreasingrateofobesityinAmericansociety.

Therefore, becausetheconsumersbearsomeoftheresponsibilityforthedegradationofAmericansociety, Spurlockdoesnotadvocatefortheabandonmentoftheexistingeconomicsystem. Becausetheconsumersthemselveshavehelpedcreatetheproblem, theycanalsohelpreverseit. Allittakes, Spurlockargues, isinitiatives. WhenSpurlockvisitedpublicschoolsthroughouttheUnitedStates, hefound, asheexpected, atotallackofreformsinfoodeducation. Infact, mostschoolsprovidedtheirstudentsfastfoodsduringlunchbreak, andmadesnackvendingmachinesreadilyavailablethroughoutthehallways. Nevertheless, somepublicschools, likeAppletonCentralAlternativeHighSchool, inManitowoc, Wisconsin, deviatedfromthisnorm. Theschool’skitchenpersonnelactivelyservedthestudentscookedfoodsabundantwithnutrients. Thestudentswerequitereceptivetothechangeintheirdiet, and, consequently, thedeanofschoolimmediatelyobserveddramaticimprovementsinthestudents’abilitytofocusandcontributeconstructivelyduringclass. IfAppletonCentral, aschoolthatisinfamousforitstroubledstudents, canhelpitsstudentswithtruancyandbehavioralproblemschangetheireatinghabits, forwhatreasonsaretheconsumersoffastfoodsunabletochangetheirdietintothatofhealthierfoods? Thetruthisthatmanyhealthyalternativesexistthatarejustascheapasfastfoodsare, and, therefore, thereisreasonfortheconsumerstofindthemselvesforcedtoconsumefastfoodsonaregularbasis. TocontrolAmerica’sincreasingrateinobesity, Spurlockassertsthattheconsumersmustassumeresponsibilityfortheirownhealth. Onlythroughproperhealtheducationcantheconsumersbeawareofalltheoptionsavailableforconsumption. Itisthrougheducationalonethattheconsumerscanlearntoadapttothepredatorytacticsofthefoodindustry.

LifeinAmericaisgrimlyportrayedbybothSinclairandSpurlockasadog-eat-dogworldwherethosewithmoneyandpowerviciouslysubjugatethosewithlittlemeansforasecurelivelihood. ThepeopleatthetopofthiseconomicDarwinianstruggleforsurvival, intheformofbigbusinessesandcorporations, areportrayedbybothmenascorruptindividualswhoexploitthoselessfortunatethroughunfairtactics. Nevertheless, thisinjusticeisportrayedbyneitherSinclairnorSpurlockasirrevocable. BothmenofferpossiblesolutionstocountertheseeminglyrampantsocialproblemstroublingthelivesofmanyinAmerica. Yet, becausetheirmethodsaresoradicallydifferent, we, asthereaders, areleftwithaveryharddecisiontomake. Doweadjusttothismenacingworldbroughtaboutbythesebusinessmen, ordoweoverturnit? Thesearethemanyquestionsthatwe, ascriticalreaders, mustaddress.

WorkCited

Iannelli, Vincent. “PortionSizesandtheObesityEpidemic.” [

ity/a/portion_sizes.htm]. 2004.

McDonald’s. “McDonald'sUSANutritionFactsforPopularMenuItems.” [

alds.com/app_controller.nutrition.index1.html], October2005.

Sinclair, Upton. TheJungle. NewYork: TheModernLibrary, 2002.

Spurlock, Morgan. SuperSizeMe. ProducedbyHartSharpVideoLlc. 96min. 2004. DVD.

Endnotes

[1]VincentIannelli, “PortionSizesandtheObesityEpidemic,” 2004

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[2]McDonald’s, “McDonald'sUSANutritionFactsforPopularMenuItems,” October2005

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