NY-Times food columnist Mark Bittman tackles a long-standing national problem that is all-too prevalent in the United States: the massive consumption of junk food. In this editorial, “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?”, Bittman uses predominantly a comparison-contrast rhetorical arrangement, using juxtaposition with different foods and statistics to ultimately point to his purpose: fast-food exists, it’s being consumed at a monstrous rate…BUT there is something people can do about it.
Bittman, a food writer for 30+ years, begins by establishing that fast-food is neither less expensive nor more filling than supermarket produce, defeating these common misconceptions. He uses primarily logos, citing statistics that display the disparity in prices: McDonald’s for a family will cost $28, whereas roasted chicken with peppers and milk bought at supermarkets costs only about $14. This established both Bittman’s introduction as well as part of his confirmation.
However, Bittman decides to qualify his previous statement, which may be his own self-refutation. In a sharp CONTRAST, Bittman presents reasons WHY people are at the mercy of “hyper-processed foods”. Bittman appeals to logos and pathos. Logos appears in science: a scientist writes that there is a certain pleasure similar to drug addiction that arises from consuming fast-food. Pathos is certainly present: Bittman writes about the exhaustion people face, about how cooking may be a burden. Bittman ends with his conclusion by explaining that a major social/cultural change is required to end the fast-food regime. He uses logos when he explains that tobacco has undergone similar changes, and establishes ethos with his credibility as a food writer and knowledge of several organizations promoting exactly the change he’s looking for.
Intended for readers of NY-Times, Bittman writes in spatial and causal context. Obesity is both a new and constant issue, rising as one of USA’s top concerns. It thus historically holds as spatial, but he is also writing it in regards to a current problem, as a reaction to the 50%+ Americans who are not JUST overweight but obese, making it causal as well. At the conclusion, Bittman achieved his purpose, having readers think differently about not only fast food but also the troubles surrounding its culture.
