Since starting this class, we have learned that Plato believes there are three parts to the soul: the appetite, the spirited, and the reason. Plato believes that the appetite consists of basic animal desires such as food, drink and sleep. He also states that the appetite aims to satisfy itself. The reason part of the soul is supposed to make good decisions and keep the appetite (and spirited) in check. Unfortunately, I do not believe in today's society that Plato would be happy with the misuse of the "appetite."
Lately I have been reading many articles about the obesity, diabetes, and artificial food epidemic that is consuming our country. Statistics show that 1 in every 3 Americans will develop type 2 diabetes from the unhealthy, artificial, Standard American Diet. Americans are spending billions of dollars per year in health care costs due to this disease. Why are so many Americans becoming subject to this epidemic? I believe it is because people no longer use the reason part of the soul to make decisions that will benefit the whole person. The reason part of the soul should not allow the appetite to eat cheeseburgers and drink soda everyday, but many Americans do it anyway. This means that they are not using their reason to make sure their body stays healthy. American's let the appetite make the decisions for health, and it is clear that these decisions are NOT beneficial to the whole of the person because they lead to illness. The reason portion of the soul must come back into play and take control of the appetite if Americans want to get out of this obesity and diabetes dilemma. It makes no sense that people would choose to make themselves sick based on the foods that they eat, but of course it doesn't make sense because it lacks reason. We are failing Plato and his beliefs of the soul by this course of action.
But for those of you who still let the reason control your appetite, I say a job well done.
I agree with what you say about the American diet and what we feed our bodies, we most certainly have lost reason in our appetite. It has been proven on multiple occasions throughout the years, and yet we don't seem to learn. In Eric Schlosser's book FAST FOOD NATION, we can see just how all the fast food restaurants began and what they've become. How different methods are being used to try and speed the process of the food, how there are labs experimenting with liquids to create an artificial taste or flavor of something. The way many have gotten sick with e-coli and many other diseases and how the labor is also rough and unethical. Yes we have lost reason in our appetite if we are ok with reading about all the mischievous things that go into our food and we still gobble it down like it's a 5 star restaurant entree. It has also been proven in the film, FOOD INC. in which they go more in depth with how our meat is processed and delivered. How many times rats and other unwanted creatures are accidently ground with our meat. The way chickens are injected with hormones and how almost all livestock and animals we eat, including fish, are fed corn to make them fat and "ready for the kill." So to conclude, yes, America has lost reason in the appetite of thee soul.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, do you think that Plato was speaking about physical appetite, or could he have meant spiritual appetite? Could he have meant feeding our soul and having spiritual hunger like A Christian would in being hungry for God, for his path/way?