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Today was a very lovely day; my mother and I spent it together just the two of us, like we used to back when I lived at home, going to school at N.Y.U First we had to go downtown to the Angelika Theater in Soho because that was the only theater where Fed Up was showing; not a big deal for us and it was a chance to walk around in Soho for a little bit before our movie. I have to admit that the Soho in my memory from twenty five years ago was a lot more exotic and fun; the Soho of 2014 is for the rich; street after street you find all of the former artist’s spaces taken over by high end boutiques; Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Coach and other huge names in fashion. The Soho that I remember was funky and bohemian; you never knew what you were going to experience and that made it really special. Soho has been taken over by tourists and the wealthy, I feel a little sad for the lost identity of its past, oh well.
My mother and I loved the documentary, Fed Up tackles the subject of hidden sugar in our foods and how it got there. This issue takes on a huge life of its own within the documentary; it entails the relationship between the food industry and its lobby and their interactions with congress and other governmental agencies. The might of the food industry’s dollars is shown as the powerful sword of Damocles hanging over our political system’s head. The panel of doctors that we get to know during the documentary are impressive with their succinct, clear and definitive take on the dangerous and almost criminal actions that the food industry has taken to take choices away from the average consumer. We both were aware of some shenanigans done by the food industry all in the name of the bottom line, but at one point I was quite taken aback by how far they went to keep their profit margins as healthy as possible at our expense.
My most fervent hope is that this documentary becomes required viewing in high school. Its massage is so very important for our future young people to hear; it might make a difference in their lives and future behaviors. One can only hope.
I recommend everyone see it. It is an education and an important one.
laurieanichols 