The American Paradox, By Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan the author of the essay “ The American Paradox” argues that America is now “ a nation of people with an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.”(269) Pollan describes how Americans no longer use culture to determine what we will eat on any given day. Rather society now uses biology as a means of determining their meals. He points out how mother’s no longer feed their children what they were fed as kids; rather mothers are now drowned and influenced by biology not culture. America’s shift toward a more biological standpoint to stay healthy is counterproductive according to Pollan. Pollan backs up his argument by providing the example of a country like France where the citizens eat for more pleasure than nutrition and continue to have a lower rate of heart disease than Americans. …show more content…
He continues to argue how journalism has also contributed to complicating the question of “ what to eat.” By making which was once a more simpler question even harder, by confusing society by debating what they think is nutritional or not. These three braches of industry are only in it for the profit, he claims they don’t care about societies actual health, just the money they can get out of them. Not only have these 3 industries made America less healthy they have taken away the thought of pleasure that the food provides. Pollan’s solution to this change of America’s new food habit is to shift food back to a cultural aspect rather than food being treated by a biological standpoint. Pollan believes that shifting food traditions back to being more culture oriented will lead Americans back to a healthier well being and thus bring back pleasure, community, and