Two teenagers from the Bronx sues McDonald's for making them obese, many responded that it was preposterous to hold a fast-food chain accountable for individual choice. Critics claimed that the girls were to blame for their own ignorance and lack of willpower. And some said, if anyone were to blame, it should be their parents for failure to exercise reasonable control as well as family genetics.

Although this case was dismissed, the arguments about the unhealthy consequences of fast food began to make their way into different spheres. Newspaper articles, books and even an award-winning documentary film, Super Size Me, made the arguments of the court cases. Manufacturers of fast food and snack food began to listen. Kraft Foods, producer of Oreo cookies, announced that it would reduce the size of its portions in single-serving packages. McDonald's ended Super size meal option and reduced the size of some of its servings. Frito Lay decided to reduce or eliminate trans-fats from their foods because of possible health risks associated with them. People from different associations and groups see different things in the world around them. They talk of different subjects and have their own rules of discourse.

Cases such as this are not all that uncommon. McDonald's had been subjected to several lawsuits because of asserted health consequences associated with its menu. McDonald's is not alone. Manu food companies have been scrutinized as potentially damaging the health of consumers. Recently Starbucks was compared unfavourably with McDonald's because many of its specialty coffee drinks had more fat and more calories than a Big Mac. In fact, items on the Starbucks menu have the following characteristics:

Menu Item (16 OZ. Sizes)

Calories

Grams of Fat

Drip Coffee (Black)

5

0

Non-fat Latte

130

0

Vanilla Latte with Whole Milk

280

11

Chai Latte with Non-fat Milk

200

0

Mocha with Whole Milk and Whipped Cream

360

19

Strawberries 7 Crme Frappuccino Blended Crme with Whipped Cream

570

15

Java Chip Frappuccino

460

19

Coffee Frappuccino Blended Coffee

240

3

Question 1: With diabetes reaching epidemic proportions and the United States being the most obese country in the world, if you were in charge of Starbucks, how would you respond by using appropriate critical thinking processes? (7 Marks)

Question 2: What argument spheres and fields are you associated with in the context of Starbucks? (3+2 Marks)