From The Guardian:
This is just one act in an ongoing dramatic production, one small part of a larger campaign of psychological warfare. The target? A two-and-a-half-year-old girl. The stakes are high. As I see it, nothing less than the heart, mind, soul and physical health of my adored only child. I am determined that the Evil Empire shall not have her, and to that end I am prepared to use what Malcolm X called “any means necessary”.
McDonald’s has been very shrewd about kids. Say what you will about Ronald and friends, they know their market – and who drives it. They haven’t shrunk from targeting young minds – in fact, their entire gazillion-dollar promotional budget seems aimed squarely at toddlers. They know that one small child, crying in the back seat of the car of two overworked, overstressed parents, will more often than not determine the choice of restaurants. They know exactly when and how to start building brand identification and loyalty with brightly coloured clowns and smoothly tied-in toys. From funding impoverished school districts to the instalment of playgrounds, McDonald’s has not shrunk from fucking with young minds in any way it can.
But I want my little girl to see fast-food culture as I do. As the enemy.
Comments
7 Comments so far. Leave a comment below.“WAAAH! I can’t say NO to my child! WAAAAH!”
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You have no idea hoe much fun I have watching parents deal with the lollipop bowl in the restaurant… There is NO RESISTANCE! I can’t imagine how they deal with the evil clown. What kills me is the complete lack of control most people have over their little monsters – and how well some people cope with theirs.
Actually my brother and I HATED McDonalds – and Pizza Hut. My Mom went back to college when we were kids and the nights she wasn’t home my cheap-ass dad always took us to those two places even though we begged to go to the other restaurant with the salad bar. Pizza Hut wasn’t terrible if I could bitch enough to get the salad bar (I was successful 50% of the time) That whole kid-screaming thing pisses me off – they only want it because they know it exists BECAUSE THE PARENTS WENT THERE FOR THEIR OWN CONVENIENCE!!!! It takes just as much time to buy healthier food as it does to buy McDevil’s. Who is the bigger person anyway? Sheesh!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Oh wait – DreamDevil said that already…LOL
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
That was a delicious piece of writing.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Here’s a great way to get kids to hate fast food: Don’t let them eat it until it gets cold. The colder it gets, the more it tastes like what it is: CRAP.
But, yeah, parents have gotta be firm on their command of the food-getting situation in general. I’ve seen plenty of bad parenting and not enough good. It’s depressing.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Doesn’t that go for nearly all cooked food? That it’s meant to be eaten hot and freshly cooked, not after it’s been left out for ages. I can’t imagine a sunday roast with gravy tasting good cold, or an omelette / spaghetti / cottage pie. Not defending fast food as being healthy (Hint; it’s not) I just think it tasting bad cold isn’t a very good arguement to not eat it.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“Hi! I’m white, rich and privileged, and I’m here to tell YOU everything you’re doing wrong with your life!”
Dude, for all your lurve of Jaime Oliver, he did exactly the same thing – he blamed the people, not the system. You REALLY want to make a difference in people’s lives? Campaign your governments – local, state and federal – for change. Campaign for cheaper fresh food; campaign for subsidies on fruit and veggies, not HFCS; campaign for affordable fresh food markets in every community; campaign to change school dinners.
It’s about creating choice, not denial.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0