Rhetorical Analysis Of What You Eat Is Your Business

Words: 1234
Pages: 5

From the beginning of the fast food era, when home cooked, sit down dinners became a thing of the past, obesity has been blamed on everything from the one eating the fast food, to the government allowing companies to sell the high-fat foods. In the article “Don’t Blame the Eater” the author, David Zinczenko believes that the fast food companies are liable for ill health caused by their foods, and thinks the government should intervene and guide Americans to make healthy choices. In contrast Radley Balko, the writer of “What you eat is Your Business” believes that obesity should be left to personal responsibility and not the company selling the food and especially not the government. Zinczenko gives a personal account of how he fell victim to …show more content…
Balko thinks the government should not interfere with societies, obesity issues because the government’s job isn’t to change people’s thinking. Therefore, his tone shows how he is fed up with people not taking responsibility for their own actions. Having an audience of republicans, with well-defined viewpoints causes influences his tone taken with the subject. He published this article on the Cato Institute website, who’s audience consists of limited government supporters, exposes another reason for the tone taken with the government. Balko seems annoyed with the government when he says “Instead of manipulating or intervening in the array of food options available to American consumers, our government ought to be working to foster a sense of responsibility in and ownership of our own health and well-being” (897). The tone of this sentence shows the disapproval of the governments acitons and you can tell he was annoyed with the system the government uses and wants a change in the way they handle obesity. They have very different tones, but they both help to persuade the reader of their claim, because their tone works for the audience they are …show more content…
Whereas Zinczenko is appealing to a broad audience and wants to make a strong connection with them because he knows how they feel and how difficult it is to overcome obesity. Lastly their tones are different because of their beliefs, views, and audience. Zinczenko’s tone of sympathy makes his audience feel like they are on a personal level with him and wants to accept his viewpoint because he has a personal connection with obesity. However, Balko seems to disapprove of the government and has a burning hate for government intervention. This relates to the audience he is connecting with because he is comfortable that his audience accepts his views, and what he believes about limited government. Overall the strategies for both the authors work for them and creates diverse viewpoints that can both be viewed as acceptable, depending on the reader’s