Final Portfolio

Kevin Kor

10^th May, 2012

English 214

Prof. Stock

To Eat or Not to Eat

            In a majority of family households, meat is the center of the dinner table. Meat is often times the staple of a traditional family dinner and there is often some sort of meat to go along with a lot of family dishes. After reading, Eating Animals, readers may want to choose to be more conscious of what they put in their mouths. Author, Jonathan Sanfran Foer brings to light the cruelty and inhumanity of the American farming industry. Foer uses very descriptive and graphic writing to help display an image in the readers mind; reading the text begins to make readers uneasy. After reading Eating Animals, it’s understandable if the reader converts to vegetarianism; however, the ultimate question is, ‘Is becoming vegetarian on a nationwide scale practical?’ Becoming a vegetarian is more ethical, environmentally friendlier than meat, and healthier for you. It’s also more cost effective in the long run as those who are strictly vegetarian have less medical problems. Sadly, I don’t believe that a full scale vegetarian nation is practical. Foer does make valid arguments for vegetarianism; however, the United States’ economy will not survive if we were all to become vegetarians. Millions of jobs will be affected.

            I’m all in favor of becoming healthier and aware of what you eat. Matter of fact, I’m in favor in practicing a vegetarian diet. I’ve even tried becoming vegetarian; I lasted about 5 weeks until I caved in. Foer nails it when he says, “When people think of a farm, they envision grass, animals, and a farmer”, although it’s quite the contrary. In fact, 99% of all meats produced in the United States have been processed through factory farming (Food Choices). The animals on these factory farms are often times abused, neglected, and shoved into cages so small, they cannot fully turn around and they sleep in their own feces. They are also pumped with hormones and fecal water so they reach a certain weight. Here’s a little excerpt describing the atrocities of factory farming:

Chickens once had a life expectancy of fifteen to twenty years, but the modern broiler is typically killed at around six weeks. Their daily growth rate has increased roughly 400 percent. Some are tossed into large plastic containers. The weak are trampled to the bottom, where they suffocate slowly.

(Words/Meaning pg. 49)

Here is another excerpt from Eating Animals that will make your stomach uneasy:

Conservative estimates by the EPA indicate that chicken, hog, and cattle excrement has already polluted 35,000 miles of rivers….This includes but is not limited to: stillborn piglets, afterbirths, dead piglets, vomit, blood, urine, antibiotic syringes, broken bottles of insecticide, hair, pus, and even body parts.

(Slices of Paradise/Pieces of Shit pg. 177)

            Another reason to lessen the consumption of meat: climate change. According to Eating Animals, animal agriculture makes a 40% greater contribution to global warming than all transportation in the world combined (Eating Animals pg. 43); it is the number one cause of climate change. The common belief is that transportation is the number one offender of global warming. We don’t associate food with global warming, because we do not see the aftermath.

We don’t see the factories releasing gas and toxins into the air; we don’t see factories spewing wastes into our local rivers and lakes. We don’t see it because they hide it from us. After reading Eating Animals, I realized that I’ve never been to a farm; nor do I want to visit one.

            Foer explores family farming like the Niman Ranch farm. Niman Ranch is a private family farm that provides their animals with the freedom to roam around and eat a natural, organic diet. They are also free of hormones and antibiotics. So what is the problem with a family farm? It’s not able to provide for the demand of everyone, and quite frankly; some people could care less about the quality of their meat (Eating Animals pg. 165).

            There are numerous benefits in having a strictly vegetarian diet: A large amount of scientific study discover and emphasize that a vegetarian diet of whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, while incorporating regular exercise has a strong correlation with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, less heart disease, less obesity, and fewer incidences of stroke, and diabetes just to name a few perks. The health benefits are a direct result from a lower consumption of cholesterol, saturated fat and animal protein (17 Benefits of Being a Vegetarian). Studies also reveal that there is a 59% less chance of being diagnosed with cancer among people who eat small amounts of meat, compared to average meat-eaters. Now imagine how much better those figures would be when compared to vegetarians (Scientific Facts about Meat).  A Yale University study discovered that vegetarians have almost double the stamina of their meat-eating counterparts. Cornell University announced through a major newspaper, “Humans are natural vegetarians.” The report stated: “Animal foods, in general, are not really helpful and we need to get away from eating them.” “In addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, low cholesterol also protects against colon cancer, the most common life-threatening cancer among Americans.”(Environmental Impact) Another extrinsic benefit is that world starvation is well connected to meat-eating habits.  If Americans stopped feeding grain to cattle, the excess grain could feed up to 500 million people (not to mention the land that could be used to grow food instead of being used for grazing cattle) (17 Benefits of Being a Vegetarian).

            Foer does an exceptional job in touching the ethical, moral, and compassionate perspective of people. He is able to connect with everyone on the subject of meat. Foer goes from the eye of the farmer, to a consumer, and to a parent. He touches all bases of his audience. In the chapter, Hiding/Seeking, Foer displays views from the factory farmer, the line worker, the Jewish guy, and even the poultry farmer. He even discusses the organic and free range chicken industries.

            In a perfect world, everyone is a healthy vegetarian, and animals are roaming freely on open grass plains. But there is no perfect world. There is a large amount of corruption and politics within the food industry and government. The food industry pressures the government (FDA) to promote dairy products as the main source of calcium and meat as the main source of protein there is. The focal concern I have with vegetarianism becoming a large and mainstream is that it will put millions of Americans out of work. In 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 546,300 privately owned food service restaurants across the United States. If everyone were to become a vegetarian, it would devastate the private sector and hurt middle class America (Significant Points). The food services and drinking places industry employs about 9.6 million wage and salary jobs in 2008; that ranks among the Nation's leading employers. These statistics

don’t include those that work in the farming industry, truck drivers, friendly old lunch ladies, and many others. Tyson Foods, alone, employs over 100,000 people (Significant Points).

            We must also take into account families who have low income. Families may not be able to afford fresh fruits and vegetables; therefore, they are forced into the alternative which is take-out and fast food. There are neighborhoods that don’t even have access to available, fresh produce or groceries (Food Inc.). 

            I understand how damaging the farming industry is for people and the environment. It’s polluting our air and causes multiple health issues. The meat that we eat is dirty, synthetic, and disgusting. This issue is in such a grey area. How do we become less dependent on factory farming and keep millions of people employed? As elementary as this argument sounds, someone with low income would rather be obese instead of starve. Until we find a practical solution, I must stick with purchasing and eating of meat; although, I’ve cut down my consumption of meat.

            The sad reality is that our economy is too large to stop producing meat. Millions of people are employed by some kind of food industry that deals with meat. Unfortunately, the meat industry will not be able to continually employ people if everyone becomes a vegetarian. I’m positive the vegetarian restaurant industry will not be able to survive on a large scale. There’s a reason why there aren’t very many vegetarian chain restaurants. Sure, there are a few around, but it’s not a common site to see. And there is a reason for that. Because of the economic casualty created if the meat industry were to go down, I don’t think it is a wise decision to put millions of Americans out of work. These people work hard to put food on the table; even if that food is filled with antibiotics and growth hormones; it’s better than no food at all.

Work Cited

"17 Benefits of Being a Vegetarian." Yahoo! Contributor Network. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <http://voices.yahoo.com/17-benefits-being-vegetarian-589913.html>

            "Environmental Impact." Factory Farming. Farm Sanctuary. Web. 04 Mar. 2012. http://www.farmsanctuary.org/issues/factoryfarming/environment/cultivating.html

"Food Choices." Farm Forward. Ood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2007. Web. 3 Mar. 2012. <https://www.farmforward.com/farming-forward/food-choices>.

            "Scientific Facts About Meat." Cleanse.net. Web. 4 Mar. 2012. <http://cleanse.net/scientificfactsaboutmeat.aspx>.

            "Significant Points." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs023.htm>.

            Foer, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals. New York: Back Bay /Little, Brown and, 2010. Print.

Kevin Kor

English 214

Prof. Stock

May 2012

Inequalities within India’s Caste System

Social hierarchies have been in place throughout history as a strategy, political and economic tool, to keep people in their place and to create order in a chaotic world. Other means of social classifications are often times implemented by the powerful and wealthy so they can continue their agendas. Hierarchies shape responsibilities and define peoples’ lives. Mentioning the term social class can be considered a taboo. Social classes are often looked down upon as if they are often a tool to segregate and discriminate against others. When mentioning social statuses, I’m not attempting to make a comparison between the rich and poor as there will always be rich and poor.  The type of social class problems being discussed are those similar to India’s complex caste system. As society continues to advance and human rights become more relevant, you have to ask when this form of segregation will come to an end. Interpreters of Maladies, a collection of short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri, highlight the discrepancies between the wealthy and poor. India is one of the largest countries affected by a predetermined hierarchy system, and Jhumpa Lahiri indirectly exposes the difficulties these caste members face to the rest of the world (Lahiri).

The short stories of Interpreter of Maladies, “A Real Durwan” and “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar”, focus on the injustices of the Indian caste system. 

“A Real Durwan” revolves around a group of lower caste members situated in a secluded region of India. Boori Ma, a sixty-four year old woman from Calcutta, is a stair-sweeper or durwan. She’s allowed to live with the tenants of the building in exchange for her services. A couple by the name of the Dalals takes care of Boori as she is becoming older. The Dalals become successful and begin improving the building by purchasing a sink for the stairwell and their room. They continue to steadily improve the building. The Dalals become so successful; they were able take a vacation for a few days. One evening, while Boori Ma goes out for a walk, the sink is stolen.  Upon hearing this news, the tenants of the house all accuse Boori of informing robbers regarding the sink and banish her from the building indefinitely. Boori Ma is constantly mistreated by the other tenants. She tells the tenants stories of her past, but nobody gives her the time of day. They look down on her because of her social status. Once the sink is stolen, all of the tenants gang up and accuse her of anything they could think of. This discrimination shows the unfairness of the caste system and how poorly people of lower rank are treated (Lahiri). 

The second story I will be discussing is “The Treatment of Bibi Haldar”. The story is literally about the treatment of Bibi Haldar. Bibi Haldar, a 29 year old woman, suffers from an unknown disease that has plagued her throughout her entire life. Bibi’s family and neighbors have all suggested possible cures, but even the medical professionals are stumped. She lives with an elder cousin and his wife, who view her more as a burden than anything else. All Bibi wishes for is a normal life, in particular a husband and family of her own. Once she sets her mind to it, Bibi tries to do what she can to prepare; however, her relatives want no part of it. When her cousin's wife becomes pregnant, the wife becomes paranoid that Bibi's condition will harm her unborn baby. While her family pushes her away, Bibi's neighbors are left to carry the responsibilities. I’ve learned that in the Indian culture, neighbors are much closer or more involved in each other’s life than they tend to be in the United States. They pick up where her family fails her. The twist at the end of this tale is bittersweet. She has a child but to an unknown man. Finally she is cured of her disease. Lahiri's Bibi is a sympathetic character and the reader cannot help but feel sorry for her (Lahiri). 

"A Real Durwan" and "The Treatment of Bibi Haldar" are both perfect examples of how women of lower castes statuses do not have the opportunity that is available for others of higher class. Although the Indian government officially eliminated the caste system in 1950, it is still a part of the social structure in India because of its deep-rooted tradition in history. Because a person is born into a caste, the caste rarely changes from generation to generation. Most women of poverty are in lower castes. The women who are lucky to be employed are paid poorly and exploited for their long hours of labor. Women are viewed as "replaceable and disposable”. Many women enter the "unorganized, underground economy". In this type of economy, there are extended hours, horrible conditions, poor wages, and are treated unfairly (India). 

Both Boori Ma and Bibi Haldar were a part of the unorganized, underground economy because they were paid in food and shelter instead of legal and financial compensation. Boori Ma was thrown out of her building because the community saw her as inferior and unequal. Boori Ma and Bibi Haldar are what many people in India would call ‘untouchable’. The word dalit or untouchable comes from Sanskrit, and means ground, suppressed, crushed, or broken to pieces. These dalits (untouchables) are considered to be unworthy; people of higher class do not interact with them. Furthermore, women's poverty is a direct link to the lack of access to education and legitimate healthcare. If Bibi Haldar had access to proper healthcare and a good 

doctor, her illness may have been diagnosed correctly and she would have received the right medication.

The social caste system has been in India’s culture for centuries and is still practiced to this day.  Every Indian knows about his or her own caste as well as the caste of one's acquaintances. Caste is the ultimate deciding factor in decisions ranging from marriage, job opportunities, and religious sacraments. Discrimination against the dalit was made illegal under legislation when Britain was in control of India (India).  There is mystery surrounding the origin of India’s caste system, but historians believe it has been in place for over two thousand years. Caste is commonly thought of as an ancient tradition of Hindu life. During the British colonial regime, the caste system was practiced to the fullest extent, because they saw it as a way to keep control. (Dudley). 

To be born a Hindu in India is to enter the caste system, one of the world's longest surviving forms of social classifications. The Indian Caste system is broken down into five categories: Brahmins (priests/teachers), Kshatriyas (ruler, warrior, landowner), Vaisyas (merchants, businessmen), Sudras (unskilled workers, agriculturalists), and Pariah/Harijans (untouchables). The untouchables weren’t even considered a class until Mahatma Gandhi protested for their rights. They are now known as Harijan, or “children of God”. Gandhi, who fought very hard for betterment of this class, called them Harijans or Children of God. Over a period of time, they became to be referred to as dalits or Scheduled Castes (Dudley).

Castes rarely marry out of their social class. In urban India, though, people of all castes meet socially or for business. Discriminating against anyone because of their caste is against the law (Kamat's). Even though it is considered illegal to discriminate against people’s social class, 170 million Harijans are consistently facing threats if they even think to step out of line. Harijan Girls are members of the lowest caste in the hierarchy. Being a woman and from the lowest caste, these girls face an uphill battle. Their jobs involve doing most of the cleaning, or what we might call dirty work. Both Boori Ma and Bibi Haldar can be grouped within this category of women (Kamat's). 

Dalit men are also discriminated against. A perfect example is of a Hindu by the name of Girdharillal Maurya, a leatherworker, who is considered unclean due to his profession. Hindu law states that working with animal skin is filthy and that person should be avoided at all cost.   Born at the bottom of Hinduism's complex social ladder, that meant he could not eat with people from higher castes or drink from their wells. He was not supposed to strive for a life beyond that of his father, an illiterate cobbler. Years later, he still won't repeat the slurs that people called him. Maurya, purchased land spoke up to the police and other authorities to use the new village well. People of higher rank thought it was disrespectful to ask of such things (Untouchable). While Maurya was away in a nearby city, men from the higher Rajput caste came to his farm, broke his fences, stole is tractor, beat his wife and daughter, and burned down his house. The Rajput wanted Maurya to know that he was to stay where he belonged: the bottom. There are countless stories of how dalits are mistreated because of their status (Untouchable). 

The vast majority of India's 170 million dalits live among a blanket of grim statistics: less than a third are literate, over 40 percent survive on less than $2 a day, infant mortality rates are dramatically higher than among higher castes. Dalits are far more likely than the overall population to be underweight, and far less likely to get postnatal care (India).

How can India discriminate against 17% of its population, the percentage of dalits accounting for the Indian population, with no remorse? After centuries of tradition, religious, and social practice, people wonder if practice of the Indian caste system will ever be fully abolished. Even religious conversion has not helped the dalits. They are more or less treated in Islam, Christianity or Sikhism in the same way as in the Hindus society. The dalits carry the title of discrimination and helplessness wherever they go, although the three religions claim equality for all of their followers. Sadly, the dalits are not able to escape the struggles of caste system even outside Hinduism (A Changed Mindset). 

Some people believe that a revolt is a must for a change to happen. There has been no report of revolt taken, because the dalits do not want to damage the Hindu society.  Professor B M Puttaiah of Hampi University believes that that the only way to eradicate the caste system is to change the mindset of the Indian people. Puttaiah says that the feeling of discrimination is one of the basic traits of human beings. Power, social status, and inequality at times leads to the formation of new caste. In order for a new society, a psychological change is a must for a social change (A Changed Mindset).

In an extensive survey created by the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers discovered that dalits living in concrete homes, not huts made from mud and straw, had jumped from 18 percent to 64 percent between 1990 and 2007 in one north Indian district (Huffington Post). Ownership of various household goods – fans, chairs, pressure cookers and bicycles – had increased over the same period. The study also found a weakening of some caste traditions; for example, far fewer dalits being seated separately at non-dalit weddings. While most dalits still support themselves as rural laborers, there is also a growing dalit middle class, many of them civil servants who have benefited from affirmative action laws (Huffington Post). Globalization and modernization has allows for wealth to triumph over caste. Growing economies also foster urbanization allows for low-caste Indians to escape traditional village strictures. Finally, economic growth also means that the traditional merchant castes are not large enough to fill every job.

Over time, technological advancement and development will help the dalits with their continuous rise up the ladder. There are success stories of dalits who are able to make a fortune with the situation they face. For the dalits that aren’t as lucky, all they can do is dream and use these success stories as a model for hope. 

Citation:

Dudley, Jenkins Laura. Identity and Identification in India: Defining the Disadvantaged. London [etc.: Routledge, 2009. Print.

Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies: Stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Print.

"India - Caste and Class." Country Studies. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. <http://countrystudies.us/india/89.htm>.

AP. "Is India's Caste System Headed For Change?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Dec. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/22/india-caste-system_n_1165874.html>.

"Untouchable @ National Geographic Magazine." National Geographic Magazine. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0306/feature1/>.

"Kamat's Potpourri: The Caste System." Kamat's Potpourri. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. <http://www.kamat.com/indica/caste/>.

"‘Change Mindset to Eradicate Caste System’." ‘Change Mindset to Eradicate Caste System’. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. <http://www.deccanherald.com/content/243827/change-mindset-eradicate-caste-system.html>.