The United States Faces Poverty and Hunger

The media provides individuals with various platforms to discuss problems happening in America. However, society talks about celebrities instead. In the 21st century, people would rather be distracted and entertained than know the issues happening around them. During the Great Depression, people used media platforms like the local newspapers and radio get updates and know about the actions taken by the U.S. government. Today, there is even more advanced technology available for men and women to purchase. The majority of Americans have access to television, smartphones or any electronics.

People can socialize, like, comment, watch, share and do research on whatever issues are happening right now. However, in the 21st century, we are in the “about me” era and get distracted by entertainment and not the issues the United States faces today. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the United States faces poverty and hunger.

How can society use media platforms to fight the issues of poverty and hunger? One point of view to explore this question is the documentary called 'A Place at the Table”, produced and directed by Lori Silverbush. Silverbush shows the viewers the food insecurity problem numerous families face in the United States. According to the film, 'nearly 30% of U.S. families were classified as food insecure'. Many low-income Americans struggle with reliable access to affordable, nutritious food despite having jobs. Silverbush demonstrates some of the prime examples with three people who have real-life food insecurity. Two of them are children named Rosie and Tremonica and a single parent named Barbie Izquierdo. Tremonica is a second grader who lives in a rural area in Colorado, who is experiencing health problems because she is not fed properly, causing her to be overweight. Rosie is a fifth grader who experiences difficulty focusing on school because she does not eat regularly.

The last person Silverbush focuses on is Barbie Izquierdo, who desperately struggles to feed her kids and get assistance from government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The film also includes various hunger and nutrition specialists, as well as advocates who criticize government farm sponsorships of product commodity crops like wheat and corn. These harvests supply the central part of the country's processed foods can be calorie dense, but nutrient deficient. One way to look at this question is from the influential philosopher Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.” Singer clarifies the significance of aiding men and women who are experiencing poverty and hunger. His goal in writing “Famine, Affluence Morality,” is to inform humanity how they have the power to make decisions and actions to eliminate the suffering of poverty and hunger. Lamentably, people have not made these vital decisions. Singer believes it is unacceptable for people not to have food, medical care, and safe haven. It is not beyond the capacity of wealthy nations to provide enough aid to help diminish any further suffering to an insignificant proportion. He says people have the power “to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance” (230).

It is in one’s personal authority to prevent something wrong from happening without giving up anything of comparable moral significance. In the end, Singer tells the audience that donating to charitable organizations can help decrease the suffering at a reasonable expense for everyone and not only reduce but eliminate poverty and hunger crisis. Thesis Although both authors bring the poverty and hunger issue through a media platform, Peter encourages people to help while Silverbush brings awareness to the issue. Both Singer and Silverbush help comprehend why it is fundamental to recognize the cause and propose the solution to the problem. The strategies Silverbush uses to gather the viewer’s attention is through Logos: Logic, reason and proof. The film includes nutrition specialist’ testimonies at the start and concludes each scenario by educating the audience about why it is essential to care about food insecurity in America. Silverbush also grabs the viewers’ attention by using pathos: emotion and values. She shows in the film the ways individuals experiencing this sort of life and maintaining poor eating routine due to the lack of nutritious food.

She displays in the film real personal experiences and stories to give the viewer emotional sympathy and encourage helping. Silverbush includes statistics and genuine information that helps convey the awareness she is trying to bring to the audience, so people can make wise decision to solve it. Analysis #2 Compare and Contrast Synthesis Silverbush produced the film to bring awareness and educate people about Americans who lack nutritious food. The documentary “A Place at the Table” was released in 2013, and it had not made any change or difference in this nation. The United States Congress has not taken any action in regard to solving poverty and hunger. This shows how one person cannot make a difference, and it takes numerous people for the government to do something. Singer informs the audience how wealthy nations are not doing anything to diminish at least an insignificant proportion of the problem. However, He states how it is in our power to take to make the decisions and support those who lack resources without willingly sacrificing anything of significance.

If Americans use media platforms wisely to get educated about the issues happening right now. Many of the American problems would be not eliminated but reduced to a small number. To finish up this assignment, Silverbush and Singer offer different perspectives on the causes and the solutions to poverty and hunger in the United States. Several low-income families and individuals struggle to put food on the table to feed their loved ones or themselves. People can make a change if they get adequately informed about this issue. One person cannot make a difference, but the help of countless Americans can. We need to pressure current politicians to stop caring about other useless problems and do something about what matters. We should be using the media, not to impress people, but to make an impact to create civic engagement in various communities to help and support the ones who struggle to put food on the table. This will not only help, but it will empower the nation and make the country look good in the eyes of the world. Everyone will see the actions through a screen or paper and be inspired by what we are doing and will try to do the same thing to help their own communities. America will once again be known as a great nation who helps the ones in need.

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