Reading Response #2

They Say, I Say (ch 4-5)

Chapters Four and Five of They Say, I Say peeked my interest. In my junior year English class my teacher always told us that as a rule, when responding to someone else's argument, we should always take a firm stance. It was either in the affirmative or the negative, no in-between, though we could reflect on something that was said, which might indeed have some validity. In They Say, I Say however, the author's took a bit more lenient position and suggested that while you should state your position as early on in the writing as possible, you may indeed take a yes, no, or a combination of the two viewpoint. I really enjoyed reading the different methods of establishing different arguments, and while I will keep my teacher's advice in my head, I will also remember that rules were meant to be broken.

Also, the fifth chapter, while informative, wasn't quite as interesting in my opinion. I usually don't have difficulties with distinguishing my ideas, from that of someone else's, because my viewpoint is often in opposition to theirs. I do however, take note that this chapter can be of very great help, when one's own thoughts are similar to that of another's.

Omnivore's Dilemma (ch 12-13)

As I have stated many time in class, I am the type of person that does not care where there food comes from as long as it's good, and won't make me sick. Reading these two chapters actually changed my views, but not for the reason's one might think. While I still kind of don't mind that my chicken was produced in a large factory, I have now have reservations about the fact that this hurts small farmer's businesses. In these two chapters of Omnivore's Dilemma, it was shown that not only are small farm's food healthier, but the work is "honest" and it is community building. Just as large books stores like Barnes and Nobles make it hard for mom and pop book stores to flourish, the same happens with large meat producers and small scale farmers. Just as finding a one of a kind book loses it's magic when said book is available instore, online, as an iphone app, and on Kindle...having a truly delicious piece of chicken loses its appeal when it was raised for the purpose of being food, and led no kind of happy life what so ever.