W7: Food Inc. & The Persuasive Power of Film

I feel as if Food Inc. is a very effectively persuasive film. Michael Pollan, who, sort of, narrated the documentary, is quite a credible source, as he is the author of the book we are currently reading for class. In addition, the testimonials from real farmers, such as Moe Parr and Joel Salatin, are very powerful and persuasive, revealing the evils of the big oppressor of a company, Monsanto. In addition, similar to the techniques used in Supersize Me, Food Inc. used images of the different food products, coupled with captions, to connect to the audience while they were discussing whatever it was.

The film, in many ways, persuaded me. In my opinion, some of the most effective techniques implemented in the film were the testimonials from the farmers dealing with the immoral and foul practices of companies such as Tyson and, more outstandingly, Monsanto. The parts of the documentary including Moe Parr, who had been investigated and sued by Monsanto for cleaning its seeds, and the lady who ran the chicken farm, who was unable to make the upgrades deemed necessary by Tyson and ceased to work for them any longer, were especially persuasive testimonials. After watching these segments, I was infuriated with how the people were treated and at the wealthy companies, who, with a nonchalant flick of a wrist, ruin people’s lives, driving them into debt for simply attempting to lawfully combat these companies and their wrongful practices.

           

            Furthermore, I feel that films, especially documentaries, such as Food Inc., as especially persuasive compared to, say, reading an editorial or attending a lecture. I feel that they are more effective due to the fact that they do the best job of appealing to the audience and grabbing their attention. Reading and attending lectures can get boring rather fast if the topic of discussion is not intriguing. However, with a film, a wide variety of techniques can be present, and simultaneously. Film can include pictures, vocals, and text, which can all be displayed at the same time. This makes for a more interesting experience, in which, in most instances, the audience is more attracted to, than say an article or a lecture. All around, films are a more exciting way to learn.