The Omnivore's Dilemma

What role does/should sustainability play when considering what and how to eat? How does sustainability affect other aspects of agriculture, including culture, health, quality, and efficiency?

What are Pollan’s arguments against the industrialization of food systems? What alternatives can be implemented and how might these changes contribute to human health and well-being?

Pollan describes looking at the labels on food products as a “literary experience” (134). What words and phrases are found in the lexicon of grocery literature? What are the connotations of these words and phrases and how well do they align with the reality of the products they represent?

What role does the government play in what and how humans eat in the United States? How does the government influence the industrialization of farming?

What is the function of the four meals Pollan describes in the book? How do these meals contribute to the topic and the synthesis of Pollan’s research?

Juxtapose the industrialized Iowan corn production described in Part I with Joel Salatin’s farm in Part II. How are the two farms’ approaches similar and/or different? How is each farmer influenced by policy and politics?

How does capitalism contribute to the omnivore’s dilemma? Develop an argument for whether capitalism has influenced the modern food system for better or worse.

In your opinion, which approach to agriculture is the most sustainable? What does the future of agriculture look like?