NEWSFLASH: McDonald’s existed back when I was a kid

(I know some may be offended by this post since it is a very sensitive subject, but no offense or disrespect was intended)

There is an article in the Lexington Herald Leader about a local mom who, in my opinion, is hammering the McDonald’s corporation. She is comparing Ronald McDonald to Joe Camel (Camel Cigarettes) and again, in my opinion, making McDonald’s the scapegoat for overweight kids. Has anyone ever considered that maybe the reason we have so many overweight children is because we have so many overweight parents? McDonald’s existed when I was a kid. McDonald’s advertisement was very active when I was a kid. In the spur of the moment I can still rattle off the Big Mac song: “Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame bun.” No, I did not Google the song and haven’t heard the commercial in 30 or 40 some years. A Big Mac has 550 calories (I did Google that.) And Newsflash: In grade school we had one or two kids that would be considered obese and I personally knew of maybe a couple of parents that were quite overweight. In Jr. High (now Middle School) and High School the numbers went up, but nothing compared to the obesity problem we see in America today.

Adults and children are not overweight because of a silly looking clown and super sizing meals. They are overweight because they consume too many calories and are too inactive in their lives. What I really think is going on here is the Blame Game, people not taking personal responsibility for themselves. Last year it was the Wall Street Movement who blamed big corporations for their plight in life and thus decided to go on a rampage to destroy private property. It’s the Democrat Party’s fault our country is in such turmoil, says the Republicans, or is it the other way around? Last night I overdid it on Domino’s Pizza and will have to either eat less today or exercise a little more to make up for it. Whose fault was it that I ate too much last night: Domino’s Pizza or the fact that they have delivery service? Or should I blame my wife since she ordered the pizza on a whim? I’m not stupid, no way am I going to blame her.

Maybe it’s time we started up an AA group, you know, and call it Adult’s Anonymous. And I’ll begin. “Hi, I’m Ernie and I’m an adult responsible for my own behavior and actions.”

THE BLAME GAME:

I can’t help losing my temper, nor control my appetite.
I get so mad at mom and dad and blame them for my plight.
I may not be successful, I’m a failure, yes, it’s true.
But if society has taught me anything, it’s all because of you.

If only my spouse would listen, if only my spouse would change,
If only the world would accommodate me, is that so terribly strange?
If only this, if only that, if only you could see,
I’m not selfish or self-centered, I just want you to please me.

So I went to see my psychiatrist, to see what she would say,
To find the reason why so many folks just don’t see things my way.
The secret, she said, is simple, why you’re always under assault.
It has nothing to do with you, it’s true, it’s always someone else’s fault.

So now my friend, before I end, before I cease to complain,
Before you start pointing the finger and think that I am vain.
The answer is so obvious, and I think it’s time you knew,
I now know why I’m so miserable, it’s all because of you

The naive believes everything, But the sensible person considers his/her steps.
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Replies

  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."
  • drmcglone
    drmcglone Posts: 80 Member
    Bravo!!!! Could not had said it any better! Thank you. :drinker:
  • usmcj80
    usmcj80 Posts: 58
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."


    Nobody forces you to eat fast food. Just saying
  • rebeccawesterfield5
    rebeccawesterfield5 Posts: 132 Member
    I think you hit the nail on the head! I was just having the same discussion with my neighbor yesterday, no one is willing to take responsibility anymore. I can sue McDonald's because I was too dumb to know my coffee would be hot and I spilled it because the lid wasn't pushed on all the way. Fast food is and will continue to be a "treat" in my house. I will join your AA group...hi, my name is Becca and I am an adult who is responsible for my own behaviors and actions.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    You can... I dunno.... Not eat it... *shrug*
  • KelARita7
    KelARita7 Posts: 2,694 Member
    I agree with you OP! McDonalds is almost never had by my kids simply for the reason that it is so bad for them. It is totally a special treat when we get them fast food. Yes fast food is cheap and easy but I would never feed it to my kids or myself regularly.
  • stickersticker
    stickersticker Posts: 140 Member
    I worked for the company in question and they are marketing towards kids far less than in the 80's and 90's. They're trying to rebrand themselves as McCafe for those who haven't noticed. Since they have the children's market the effort is to go after peeps with money with their over priced cafe drinks.

    There's no rule saying you have to buy their products. If the child is throwing a fit because they want mcdonalds instead of your supper than that's on you as a parent. Don't agree. I managed for 4 years in one of those stores and seen a lot of parents faced with unruly children. However $3.99 in Canada for a happy meal is hard to beat when you need something easy.



    I like all the points you made OP.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."


    Nobody forces you to eat fast food. Just saying

    I agree. But I will say that it is much easier to someties. Especially if you're an incredibly busy person/don't know how to cook, etc. And it's much easier to over-eat. But in the end, it's still up to the individual. But with that said, I still think more education would do everyone some good. There is absolutely nothing wrong with McDonalds. I eat it about 2 or 3 times a week and I've lost weight. But only because I am educated enough (thanks, MFP!) to know what to pick and choose.:flowerforyou:
  • rebeccawesterfield5
    rebeccawesterfield5 Posts: 132 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."
    Fast food restaurants don't have a responsibility towards their customers, they are in it for the money. Why would they change a product that sells and sells well. We as consumers have to take the responsibility to make healthy choices for our bodies and earth. No one makes us eat cheap, fast food; we choose that and until we don't, McDonald's is just going to keep making it!
  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."


    Nobody forces you to eat fast food. Just saying

    No, they don't force me. I don't eat fast food often, but when people are busy and they need access to a cheap meal, they go to places like McDonalds and other places. It's not a crime to want a cheap lunch. The places that purport to serve food have a responsibility to the people they serve.

    Yes, everybody could pack their own lunch and all the restaurants could close down during lunch hour. But many people, many working people, eat out. The places where they eat should take some responsibility not to serve heavily processed, terrible food.

    Companies have some responsibility to consumers. For example, they can't poison you. The next step is to ask them not to serve ridiculously processed crap to people. No, people don't have to eat it, but removing responsibility from the company is ridiculous. Or, to put it another way, Republican.

    The OP apparently considers that the Occupy Wall Street movement "blamed big corporations for their plight in life and thus decided to go on a rampage to destroy private property." A complete lack of social consciousness.

    It's not a crime to eat food out. Restaurants should serve reasonable food. It's not the 19th Century, 'buyer beware'.

    Also, when kids go out, a lot of them go to places like this because it fits with their pocket money. McDonalds very directly marketed towards children, though I take the point of the poster above who says that it's less so today.
  • eplerd
    eplerd Posts: 91 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    But if McD's customers didn't WANT that food they wouldn't serve it!
    The only reason they make burgers and fries like that is because CUSTOMERS WANT IT!

    I think another big change in our lifestyle is partially to blame for the obesity epidemic - ELECTRONICS!

    I'm 51 and when I grew up we didn't have Video Games, Home PC's, and the internet.
    We were TOLD TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY.

    I didn't have a car till I was 18 or older, so I either WALKED or BICYCLED to go places.
    I got off my BUTT AND MOVED!

    I live in a small community (subdivision) where the entrance is less than a mile from the furthest house and yet the parents all park their cars at the entrance to pick up there spoiled little brats from the Junior High and High school busses!
    Their poor kids can't be expected to walk a few hundred yards to their houses - and it's always the same cars doing it!

    It is a learned behavior - so now the kids DEMAND to not walk anywhere!
    It's this lack of exercise and easily obtainable crappy food that is doing it - and NOBODY IS FORCING THEM TO EAT IT!

    I'm 51 and FAT - and it is MY FAULT - because I at loads of Pizza, McDonalds, Wendy's, etc when I got out of the Air Force.
    And I do NOT blame McDonalds, Wendy's, and other fast food places I BLAME MYSELF!

    Its time that Americans quit passing the buck and take the blame individually!!

    Dave
  • kfraz33
    kfraz33 Posts: 27 Member
    I think you made a lot of awesome points!!! You can easily eat McD's and not have too many calories if you make smart options. That goes for most fast food places. No one at McD's makes you eat a Big Mac, Large Fries, 8 packs of ketchup and that extra large Coke, those are choices you make. And if you make those choices, you must live with those consequences... Stay active people!
  • I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    They don't "make" people obese. They market their food to make money, yes, they don't force feed people. It's up to people, parents, adults, to resist temptation, teach their children healthy lifestyle habits (not just eating habits) and make better food choices.

    McDonald's is everywhere, they are unhealthy, but nobody is holding a gun to my head and forcing me into their restaurants to buy their junk. If I do that, I choose to do it on my own.

    I'm on a fixed income, and I'm eating relatively well. My obesity is my problem, would I have become overweight without McDonald's, Wendys, Burger King? Yes, absolutely. The restaurants didn't make me fat, I did that.
  • jjplato
    jjplato Posts: 155 Member
    They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap.

    McDonald's has no more duty to "not feed them crap" than a bakery has a duty not to sell cupcakes, or a grocery store has to not sell candy bars. And McDonald's food doesn't make people fat -- overeating makes people fat. Someone can enjoy an occasional Big Mac and fries (if they like that stuff) and still be fit. I take my kids to McDonald's every once in a while for ice cream, and you know what I order? Nothing. And nobody in the restaurant tries to "feed me" anything. Health and fitness are about personal choices and personal responsibility.
  • kmg884
    kmg884 Posts: 14 Member
    That is the problem today, with my generation and others. There is no responsibility taken for anything. It is always blamed on someone else and it is never the persons fault. Things happen or dont happen based on someones decisions and actions, so unless the food was forced down someones throat or someone was forced to do something that had negative consequences, it was their choice! I admit I overate, and still do, but I dont blame others for me being overweight. I did it to myself, genetics are not on my side but it is still not an excuse. In my line of work (work with criminals) I see this blame game everyday and it makes me sick to my stomach!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    No, they don't force me. I don't eat fast food often, but when people are busy and they need access to a cheap meal, they go to places like McDonalds and other places. It's not a crime to want a cheap lunch. The places that purport to serve food have a responsibility to the people they serve.

    Yes, everybody could pack their own lunch and all the restaurants could close down during lunch hour. But many people, many working people, eat out. The places where they eat should take some responsibility not to serve heavily processed, terrible food.

    Companies have some responsibility to consumers. For example, they can't poison you. The next step is to ask them not to serve ridiculously processed crap to people. No, people don't have to eat it, but removing responsibility from the company is ridiculous. Or, to put it another way, Republican.

    The OP apparently considers that the Occupy Wall Street movement "blamed big corporations for their plight in life and thus decided to go on a rampage to destroy private property." A complete lack of social consciousness.

    It's not a crime to eat food out. Restaurants should serve reasonable food. It's not the 19th Century, 'buyer beware'.

    Also, when kids go out, a lot of them go to places like this because it fits with their pocket money. McDonalds very directly marketed towards children, though I take the point of the poster above who says that it's less so today.

    What about your personal responsibility?
  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    But if McD's customers didn't WANT that food they wouldn't serve it!
    The only reason they make burgers and fries like that is because CUSTOMERS WANT IT!

    I think another big change in our lifestyle is partially to blame for the obesity epidemic - ELECTRONICS!

    I'm 51 and when I grew up we didn't have Video Games, Home PC's, and the internet.
    We were TOLD TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY.

    I didn't have a car till I was 18 or older, so I either WALKED or BICYCLED to go places.
    I got off my BUTT AND MOVED!

    I live in a small community (subdivision) where the entrance is less than a mile from the furthest house and yet the parents all park their cars at the entrance to pick up there spoiled little brats from the Junior High and High school busses!
    Their poor kids can't be expected to walk a few hundred yards to their houses - and it's always the same cars doing it!

    It is a learned behavior - so now the kids DEMAND to not walk anywhere!
    It's this lack of exercise and easily obtainable crappy food that is doing it - and NOBODY IS FORCING THEM TO EAT IT!

    I'm 51 and FAT - and it is MY FAULT - because I at loads of Pizza, McDonalds, Wendy's, etc when I got out of the Air Force.
    And I do NOT blame McDonalds, Wendy's, and other fast food places I BLAME MYSELF!

    Its time that Americans quit passing the buck and take the blame individually!!

    Dave

    Actually, McDonalds in some countries do serve cheap and rather good salad, I'll say that for them. Customers have been kicking back. But they still have a responsibility to not make such heavily processed food, and customers should show them that by refusing to buy the more calorific products.

    Still, the cheapest 'value' meals at McDs, which are affordable for example for labourers during lunch hour, are the most calorie laden - the chips and burgers.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    I seriously love this post! :heart: :drinker:
  • amwbox
    amwbox Posts: 576 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    Cheap fast food isn't the problem. Its fine to eat that stuff once in a while.

    The problem is lazy idiots eating it all the time and feeding it to their kids.

    Can't blame anyone but ourselves for what we eat...unless of course we are kids and don't get to decide for ourselves.
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
    I think maybe you don't enjoy critically looking at problems. Which is fine, but McDonalds is part of the cheap fast food that is making people obese - it's unhealthy food that is cheap. They do have some duty towards their customers not to feed them crap. Yes, McDonalds existed when you were a kid. People became more and more obese during your lifetime so far.

    Your comments about the Occupy Wall Street movements are similar.

    It's possible to lose weight, but there's no known cure for conservatism/libertarianism/whatever it is that stops you seeing things in context. As Stephen Colbert pointed out, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."

    You can... I dunno.... Not eat it... *shrug*

    BOOM. It's America, last time I checked, we still had choices. We CHOOSE to put certain foods in our mouth, including McDonald's AND as a parent, the word NO works very well.