Language Analysis: Fast foods

The issue of taxing fatty fast foods has recently come to the forefront of Australian media
after suggestions from scientists that taxing fast foods could be a solution to rising obesity
levels amongst Australians. This has ignited outrage in the national and international
community, especially for those who are strong believers in civil liberties. A feature article
by a prominent business commentator contends that governments should not be able to tax
individuals for choosing to live a certain lifestyle and eating fast food. The prominent
business commentator utilises a sarcastic and accusatory tone in his attempt to persuade
the audience to agree that a tax on fast foods is ridiculous.
The author mocks the call for a fat tax by calling it a plague! and urging Western countries
to Attack obesity! His use of sarcasm at the beginning of his feature article positions the
reader to feel that the hysteria caused by the suggestion of a fat tax is ridiculous and that
the issue of obesity has been severely exaggerated. The author then follows with a series of
rhetorical questions which ask the audience Wheres the logic? and Wheres the freedom
of choice? The rhetoric utilised positions the reader to feel that opposing arguments are
illogical and against individual freedoms. This appeals to the audiences sense of security
and fear of being controlled which helps persuade the audience to agree with the business
commentator.
The business commentator describes the food to be taxed under worldwide plans as
pleasures and treats. These terms carry positive connotations and help the reader to
identify fatty foods as being a reward as opposed to a problem. The author also accuses
the Australian government of being a follower rather than a leader when he describes
Australia as riding [a] pillion on this crusade. This accusatory statement intends to
embarrass Australians and make a mockery of government policy.
The author then describes people who call for a fat tax as nutritional puritans who want
people to be in a state of perpetual starvation. The author intends to incite anger towards
the nutritional puritans by exposing their perceived high morals as being similar to sitting
on a high horse. This positions the reader to feel aggravated at being told what they can
and cant eat by people who feel superior to middle class Australia. The use of perpetual
starvation aims to exaggerate the consequences of a fat tax which appeals to the reader
sense of natural survival.
The author proposes that fast food critics see fast food as too convenient, accessible, good
tasting and cheap. This deliberately attempts to produce a straw man where the author
proposes that opponents have said something that they never actually said. This appeals to
all the qualities that consumers value in a product and positions the reader to feel that
people who call for a fat tax are a threat to their convenient, accessible, flavoursome and
cheap lifestyle. The author also quotes Jay Gustman (Anti-Fat Food Brigade) as saying that
fast foods must have a sin tax imposed on them. The term sin carries negative
connotations which positions the reader to feel that they are being accused of being
sinners for choosing to eat fast food. This evokes anger in the reader and immediately
persuades the reader to agree with the business commentator.
Costa Vasili
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material contained in these notes remains the property of the author.

The author contends that fast food is being used as a scapegoat for the lack of good
eating habits at home and insufficient education about the dangers of obesity This
positions the reader to feel that the problem lies not with the fast food industry, but with
parents and the government. This immediately draws attention away from the fast food
industry and makes the suggestion of a tax on fat foods as ludicrous. The author continues
on to describe people in the fast food industry as good people. This positions the reader
to feel sympathetic for the apparent victims of the governments scapegoating and appeals
to the readers sense of compassion and empathy.
The author utilises a call for action by asking people to oppose the governments proposals
by stating that food choices must be protected against those who would command us to
eat a Neanderthal diet of vegetables, fish and fruit. The author utilises a sense of urgency
in his writing and thus positions the reader to feel that they must stand up in the face of
adversary.
The reader highlights the irony that some schools continue to push fatty foods in their
canteens at the same time as teachers are trying to develop healthy eating habits... The
irony of this scenario is used in an attempt to highlight that the problem does not lie with
the fast food industry, but with society, and inadequate educational policies in place. This
positions the reader to feel that the fast food industry is being used as a scapegoat while the
real offenders; the parents and educational bodies, are getting away with their crime.
The author concludes with the rhetorical Where is the morality in that? when
commenting that a fat tax would cost thousands of jobs in the food industry. This positions
the reader to sympathise for those who would lose their jobs if the fat tax was introduced
and thus persuades the reader to feel that a fat tax not only infringes on ones own personal
choice, but also economically disadvantages thousands who depend on the fast food
industry as their primary source of income.
Word count: 907

Costa Vasili
No part of this document may be reproduced or photocopied without written permission. The
material contained in these notes remains the property of the author.