Monday, October 8, 2012

10.8.12 Hybrid Day Post

After viewing The Meatrix, what do you discern the main thesis (or theses) to be?  How is this communicated through visual rhetoric?  How effective were the clips in persuading your thoughts and/or actions?  What counterarguments might you make?  Please make sure your response is at least 8-10 sentences in length.

62 comments:

Unknown said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I discern the main thesis to be that farming is becoming more commercialized. Local farms are being overrun and bought out by big commercial food industries. The goals of the industries is to produce the most amount of meat and product by saving the most amount of money and without regard to the well-being of the animals. This thesis is communicated through visual rhetoric by the different disturbing videos in The Meatrix. The clips were pretty persuasive in my thoughts and actions. My initial thoughts were that I understand now why some people are vegetarians. The clips open up the true, disgusting side of where our food really comes from. There are no counterarguments that I would make against these videos.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix seems to be primarily trying to get across the point that commercial agriculture has been systematically lying to consumers and inflicting harm upon animals and the only way to stop this is to stand up to these companies. The extended metaphor of a “Meatrix” is a play on the blockbuster film The Matrix and provides for anyone that has seen the movie a good idea of how consumers are being deceived. The giant robots are an extension of this metaphor as they break up the “resistance” in the form of family farms. Although this establishes some basic problems with factory farming through some crude animation many questions go unanswered. Like what has fostered this growth of factory farms and what actions individuals can take to become a part to change how they function. Overall however the cartoon adequately simplifies the entire message of how consumers are being misled to a point where it is not too graphic and is easily understandable. Factory farms would probably hide behind the legality of what they are doing and how they must feed our growing population.

Unknown said...

After viewing the Meatrix, I think the main thesis is how meat production is becoming more commercialized rather than farm raised. The issue with this is that in factories, there are no ethics on how the animals are treated, the main goal is productivity and efficiency at any expense. The clips were effective in explaining the process of destruction that takes place in factories. To actually see the mistreatment of animals, rather than just read an article about it definitely appealed to me more. The most revolting part of the clip was when it showed how blood and guts sometimes get mixed in with the meat because the process in the factory is so rushed. Not only do factories not care about the animals, they do not care about their consumers either. The use of visual rhetoric an effective appeal to pathos and ethos. I have no counterarguments against this.

Deneisha Poe said...

The Meatrix had many themes, which included informing people about the health risks involved in eating these products, as well as, the mistreatment of animals in large scale corporate farms. This clip was an example of visual rhetoric because it is showing a deeper message beyond the initial message. Visual rhetoric was represented through personification of the animals making it easier for humans to relate to their pain. The creators also added a pop culture element, making the plot of the clip follow a popular television show. The clips were extremely effective in getting their message across and communicating what actions could be taken to improve conditions. A counterargument could be that people make the choice to buy meats from the larger corporations versus the small family owned farms. The government should make harsher rules for how the animals are treated and what they are fed to make things healthier for the consumer and the animal. When meat is brought at the store it is stressed that the meat be washed and cooked fully before consumption to ensure that all the bacteria are eliminated.

Unknown said...

After watching The Meatrix, I have discerned that the the main thesis is that farming has become commercialized to an unreal point. The clips show this through cartoons that are anything but childish. They have sick animals and they show people losing body parts in the meat that people eat. The visual rhetoric also lies in subtle parts of the clips. I noticed that in certain parts there were dead cows just laying on the ground in front of the others. Although these clips do usually persuade people, I never get too hung up on any movies or clips in the genre. Some counterarguments could be that facilities have been getting safer because of more regulations. The clips are fairly extreme and this world is no longer Upton Sinclair's "jungle".

Unknown said...

I thought that The Meatrix was a very creative twist on the original Matrix to raise awareness on the real process of meats and dairy products. I believe that the main thesis is that factory farms' processes harm animals, increase the rates of diseases carried through meats, and cause mass releases of pollutants. These concerns are communicated through visuals of the mistreatment of animals, the disturbing processes of feeding animals, and the explanation of how much more damage factory farms emit to the earth, than family farms. I felt that the clips were very persuasive. I feel like if all I have to do to help the cause is buy organic and family farm products over factory farm products, that should not be too hard to carry through. I had an idea of how gross and disturbing the processes were that raised and fed animals, but I was not clear on the details and all of the chemicals that are fed to animals. While there any many arguments against factory farms, I feel that if factory farms can change their processes and means of raising animals, they will be a much more effective way of getting meat and dairy products. While in a perfect world, the meat and dairy industry could be solely owned by family farms, it is unrealistic to think that family farms could meet the demands of the growing population.

Dustin Bizub said...

Having already seen Food Inc. and coming to understand its points on the food industry, much of the information in these videos was old news to me. The main thesis is that food corporations abuse both animals and their employees, on the path to maximize profits and sell their services to the consumer. The visual techniques of this video are much more appealing to those individuals who would find a full-length documentary into the issue “boring”. Through a cartoon-like animation style and the obvious adaption of the “Matrix” series plot, the Meatrix conveys a strong point that the corporate meat industry is a threat to not only the animals, but also human health.

Molly Casey said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I found that the main thesis seems to be the meat industry is becoming much more industrialized. The small farms are being taken over by the big companies and harming thousands of animals on a daily basis. The visual rhetoric was very effective in communicating the thesis. The sickly looking pigs and the chicken getting its beak chopped off persuaded me to start buying my meat from a local family farm. A counter argument could be made that the more industrialized the meat industry becomes the more cost effective it is. However, I feel most people would not mind spending a little extra to have meats from healthy animals that are not pumped full of antibiotics. The antibiotics that are being pumped into the animals are so powerful they are creating bacteria that could cause an epidemic. I think the government should change the laws and regulations on the treatment of these animals because it is very dangerous, not only for the animals, but for humans as well.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix displayed multiple theses, but the main thesis was the revelation that the meat industry has become commercialized and corrupt. Through the use of cartoon farm animals, the horrid truths of the meat industry were revealed. Although the Meatrix mainly focused on the meat industry, other types of industrialized farming was discussed. A point was made that we have to stop the commercialized industries by supporting local farmers and only buying organic milk and eggs. I found the clips extremely persuading, but I feel that in reality the commercialized industries will win, for lack of a better term. It's too expensive to support local farmers and buy organic milk at double the price. The horrors of he meat industry are real and something should be done, but I don't think that anything is going to change.

aagforster said...

When we were directed to watch the Meatrix videos I had no clue what to expect. Honestly, I had no clue that any of this went on. When I go to the grocery store with my mom, she always tells me to get fresh meats instead of farm raised. I always just thought she was being crazy and that it did not matter but after watching these videos I understand what she is saying. I was shocked when the video stated that the pigs do not see sunlight and many cannot turn around. I understand trying to maximize profit but at the same time sacrificing the life of an animal is not okay, especially when many do not see sunlight. I also think it is horrible that more than two million family farms had had to close due to the factory farms overtaking them. This is also a problem when the factory farms are polluting the land and water sources around the farm and harming the neighborhoods and environment around them. When I was watching the video on the dairy farms it was so sad to hear that the cows get injected with RGBH growth hormone. Cows are my favorite animal and I never realized that this happens to them! It was also disturbing to hear that the baby cows get separated from their moms and are fed a liquid that often contains cow blood which spreads mad cow disease. A factory chop and package over 5,000 cows a day, which is so sad and un-humane! Meat factory workers have the most dangerous job in the nation and work in a place that is often contaminated with e-coli. I had no clue that any of this happened and never really believed it. After watching this video I will make sure to watch where my food is actually coming from and open my eyes to where my meat is coming from.

Unknown said...

Having watched The Meatrix, I believe that the main thesis of the video clips were to show how un-environmentally friendly the meat industry has became. The scenes in these clips showed how unsafe work conditions and living conditions for these animals are seemed to be unethical. Visual rhetoric was used to highlight how mass production has led to the conditions that these animals live in. The pictures and scenes in The Meatrix were shown in a way to make the viewer sympathize with the animals and experience some sort of discomfort towards these big production companies. The clips showed how confined the animals were and the sanitary problem they face every day. The clips were very persuading. They depicted the problems that come along with the mass production of any animal very clearly. One counter argument that I must make is about the anitbiotics. If these animals were not treated with these medicines, I would think that they would catch diseases that would very well spread and could cause a huge sickness within the human population. The anitbiotics may produce resistant germs, but with the technology that we have today more medicine would be produced that would then kill those resistant germs.

Unknown said...

When I viewed the Meatrix, I thought that the main problem was the fact that farming is becoming more and more commercialized. It was a wake up call to learn some of these things that they said, for example pigs never see the daylight. The meat industry is an awful place for animals and something needs to be done to save the lives of cows, pigs, etc. I always knew the food industry was a bad place but I didn't know the detail of it such as the treatment of not only the animals but the employees as well. I feel like most people would be willing to pay a little extra money just so they are eating food that is actually good for them and not just animals that were pumped with antibiotics. I don't think there is no intention of the meat industry changing though, even though it needs to.

Unknown said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I discern the thesis to be that with such a huge demand for meat products in the modern day society, it is cheaper and more efficient for companies to raise cattle and poultry in mass warehouses with hormones and little space. These mass warehouses allow for maximum profits to be made and the animals to grow at a substantial rate so that they can be killed and processed in minimal time. All this is can and has led to more resistant diseases which affect not only animal health but human health as well. All this is communicated through visual rhetoric by using the idea of the matrix and switching the people to animals. There is some comedic expressions in the video as well as it is cartoonish in fashion. The videos were quite convincing to me personally as they show how animals are treated and how this can affect human health. They really persuaded me to want to buy more organic foods.

Unknown said...

After watching the Meatrix videos, I feel that the main thesis would be that farming produce should be more local than commercialized. The videos portray that our commercialized way of farming is extremely unsafe and dangerous. Also, there are many disgusting and unhealthy things that happen to the produce to enhance efficiency. The visual rhetoric displayed in the video are the subtle words and dead animals lying around. To me, the clips were a little persuasive, but I thought of them more as a spoof on the real Matrix movies than a push for localized farming. The only counterargument that I would have would be that because of recent regulations placed on farmers, the commercialized farms aren't as extreme as the video makes them out to be.

Karina Gomez said...

After watching The Meatrix, the main thesis appeared to be that farming is almost entirely commercialized. Small, local farms are being replaced by food processing industries. The goal of the industries is "profit," and they could care less about how they reach that, even if it means cruelty, disease, and pollution. The main thesis is communicated through visual rhetoric by being "the truth" - most people see an illusion of food industries that care about people and animals and the environment, but the truth is that the animals live in terrible, disgusting conditions. The clips were very persuasive, and I completely understand why people would not want to eat the food these industries produce. I'm feeling pretty weak at the moment just thinking back to the clips. There are no counterarguments against this video that I would make. I agree that more people should invest in local farms in order to stop these industries, but the only suggestion I would make is to share how people can do this.

Derek Silk said...

After watching The Meatrix movies, I learned that nearly all family farms have been industrialized on a large scale. The conditions are unsafe for not only the animals themselves, but also the people eating them. The animals are kept in extremely poor living conditions where they face diseases, cruel living space, and terrible food. The corporate owners of the companies are perceived to run the farms to maximize profits at the cost of the animals living there. The Meatrix made me think a little more about what I am eating, it also made family farm food seem to be tastier to me. If I am buying food next time and there is a family farm nearby I will go there instead to get my food. The only counterarguments are that the Meatrix clearly overemphasizes what the farms are actually like, my problem is to what extent are they overemphasizing?

Unknown said...

In watching this film I realize why a bunch of people are vegetarians. This Meatrix uses visual rhetoric by showing how animals are mistreated in the industrial production farms. The main thesis of these clips are to represent that the meat production industries are becoming to industrialized and not caring about the animals well being or humans. These clips show
how the meat industries treat animals and do not even care about there well being. This is a disgrace because the meat
they produce to us is going to contaminate humans and kill us off. I read the book "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair and these were some of the same irregularities he was portraying. Honestly the government should become more strict on the
meat industries rules and regulations. In all reality just like the environment not much is going to change involving
the meat industry. A counter argument of someone could be that the meat industries are becoming safer but who is to tell
if this is really happening.

Adrian Taylor said...

After watching the Meatrix, the main thesis seems to be that the meat industry is quickly becoming commercialized. Large companies are taking over the small farms that once raised the animals in humane fashions. The companies are now raising their livestock as machines, and not living creatures. These clips were quite effective because of their portrayal of the brutal reality, and by giving the animals distinct personalities, reminding us that animals are still living creatures. The Meatrix expresses ways in which we can help stop the meat companies from taking over all the small farms. We can purchase the produce that is from the small farms, and not the ones that are from the large industries. The only problem with this is that this lifestyle is much more expensive and there are many people who cannot afford to pay. Since there are so many large factories, that have practically taken over, it would be nearly impossible to eliminate them. Instead of completely eliminating these large factories I think we should find a way to improve their conditions.

Unknown said...

After watching The Meatrix, I believe the main thesis is the way in which large farms are run and the way they produce their products is unacceptable. People must reverse the changes which are occurring in farming so that there are more small farms, whose products are made in a respectable way. Large farms which mass produce products, possibly contaminated with mad cow disease or E-Coli, can no longer be supported. This message is communicated through visual rhetoric by the characters. The animals which are being affected and are the victims, a cow, chicken, and pig, are the characters who are attempting to stop the ‘bad guys.’ These ‘bad guys’ are portrayed as humans because it is humans who are harming these animals. The clips were very effective in persuading my thoughts because so much information was presented and it was all done in a short amount of time. The horrible ways in which the animals are treated were explained and also the bad conditions in which the products are exposed to was shown. The only counter argument I believe that could be made is many people will not be able to switch over to the buying organic foods produced by small farms, due to the prices. The companies which own large farms and mass produce their products are able to charge much less than the small farmers.

Ivey Griffin said...

After watching the Meatrix I can discern the main thesis to be that small farms have been and are still being over run by large corporations. And that these corporations are forcing the animals into unhealthy living habits and causing lots of pollution. The Meatrix is all communicated through a visual rhetoric of the Matrix but with animals not humans. These animals come and tell one pig all about the problems and he then wants to help them fight the factory farming industry. The clips were very effective in showing all the aspects of how factory farming is negative and that it is causing many problems one does not see to begin with. I would like to make a counter argument that not all factory farming is bad. If the animals and workers were taken care of then it would not be a bad situations. However, if such conditions were to occur I think the ratio of animals to workers would not be very profitable unless the price of meat was increased drastically. Factory farming has been viewed very negatively over the past several years, but the negativity comes from the minimal price consumers are willing to pay for meat.

Unknown said...

I believe that the main thesis of The Meatrix is that farming and livestock production is becoming highly industrialized. The importance of maintaining healthy living conditions for livestock is becoming less and less important, while the importance of higher profit is steadily increasing. This lack of concern for livestock living conditions is consequently lowering the health of consumers. The video illustrates this thesis through images of manure-covered meat products, sad looking livestock in cramped living conditions, and the portrayal of individuals in the industry as greedy "bad guys." Personally, I was already informed about the majority of the material in the videos, so they did not persuade me. However, I think that the videos could be very successful in persuading those who are unaware of where their food comes from due to the disturbing truth the short clips reveal. I also would not make any counterarguments, due to the fact that I share the same views towards the food industry. I refuse to eat any Tyson products due to some of the research I have done. However, individuals involved with the food industry could try and defend themselves by discussing the amount of unharmed people in the country. They could say that their methods are safe since a large portion of people are seemingly unaffected.

Unknown said...

After watching the Meatrix I believe the main thesis is that small farms are being bought and commercialized to maximize profits which is unhealthy for humans and animals. Small farms are being bought and turned into industrial farms. These farms are only concerned with maximizing profits and not the wellbeing or healthiness of their animals, workers, or the product leaving their factory. This is seen at the factory the “bad guy” takes the cow too when they maximize profits the level of safety is decreased. Manure is then dropped in the meat and employees are expected to exceed their working ability. The visual rhetoric in the short films are effective because it shows the cramped living conditions of the sad animals, manure covered meat, cows being injected with hormones, and other cows drinking formula with other cow blood which cause’s mad cow disease. The videos make good points but many people are unaffected by this message because smaller farms would produce higher quality meat from healthy animals which would cost more. Industrial farms produce such large amounts they can price their meats much lower than a small farm. Thus, we continue to support these farms because we don’t want to pay more money for out meat.

Unknown said...

The main thesis of the The Meatrix is to inform people about how the meat industry has changed into a commercialized production and why this transformation is bad and that it affects a number of things in a negative way. The video clip was a cartoon spinoff of the movie 'The Matrix' that focused on the meat industry. The clip kept the viewers attention because it related to a popular movie. The time span was a good length so that to make sure the viewer was still interested. The clip was a good representation of visual rhetoric because the cartoon was a way to keep it light but at the same time the topic was serious enough and clearly presented to keep the viewer interested and focused. The video was very persuasive in sparking an interest about the issue. I am interested in learning more and watching more videos about the meat industry. This video has persuaded me to buy organic meats, even though it is a little more expensive. Now that I watched this video, I will be more conscience of where my meat is coming from and really think about what the process was to get the meat on my plate. Even though this argument is very strong, I am not affected enough to become a vegetarian. I still really enjoy eating meat and I don't want to have to give that up. I am not convinced enough to limit myself to only eat vegetables at restaurants.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix videos focus on educating the general public about the foods that are consumed on a daily basis and more importantly where the foods have come from. Small, family-owned farms are emphasized as the only healthy, ethical option for meat and dairy production. By using animation, the creators of the Meatrix are able to appeal to all generations and effectively breakdown the facts and ideas into comprehendible ideas and thoughts while not “dumbing down” the audience. Being that the major element of these videos is bringing awareness to the public, the ideas need to be easy to understand and persuasive enough to initiate a change. Pathos, logos and ethos, all elements of persuasion and visual rhetoric, are throughout the videos in the emotions given to the animated animals and the scenery depicted, as well as the facts given. While these videos are accomplishing the task of bringing awareness to the problem of factory farming, the videos are not persuasive enough. In my mind, for something to be persuasive, not only is the problem illuminated through the facts given but there also needs to be an effectively promoted and supported solution to that issue. Yes the video did display the problem with catchy facts and explanations but, the solution of reverting back to small, family-owned farms is not as simple to do as it is portrayed to be. The exponential rise in human population is the reason for the creation of factory farms, yet the Meatrix only focuses on the big businesses that made profit off of something that society was going to need anyways.

Vinicius Taguchi said...

The main thesis of the Meatrix appears to be that commercialized factory farms are cruel to both animals and humans. The most powerful example of this was how the production lines were sped up for profit, at the cost of worker safety and cleanliness. People usually only argue against factory farms for the sake of the animals there, but the concern of feces falling onto the meat is a health risk for humans. Though this video was a little corny, its target audience might be a little younger, in which case it was well-suited. The images it showed would also achieve a certain degree of shock with younger viewers and the relations to the popular movie The Matrix are entertaining. These videos did not impact me specifically because I had already been exposed to much more violent and shocking videos by Peta, which convinced me to become a vegetarian. Unfortunately, I only did that for a little over a month because of my family's wishes. The visual rhetoric in the video depicted factory farming as the evil "Meatrix," which effectively conveys the desired view of factory farming. As far as counterarguments, it seems that the argument of large-scale commercial farming consuming small farms is completely valid. Perhaps there are better and more humane methods of large-scale farming, but the current ones seem to correlate pretty strongly with what was shown in the video.

Unknown said...

After watching The Meatrix videos, the main thesis seems to be that industries will do anything to maximize profit. This includes injuring animals and employees. Animals are contained in tiny spaces with hardly enough room to breathe. I was unaware that chickens beaks were taken off in order to stop them from fighting. I also did not know that calves were taken from their mother and fed a milk replacement. Both of these are disgusting to me. These clips were effective in informing me about what is occurring in the meat industry. I know where the food that I consume is coming from, and I am more likely to make better choices. I do not have any counterarguments.

Unknown said...

In the short videos The Meatrix I, The Meatrix II: Revolting, and The Meatrix II ½ , the over industrialization of meat production is addressed in a negative light. The overall thesis of the video is that the modern meat production is a cruel, unhealthy, and unsafe way of producing food. While the clip uses animation rather than actual images of factory farms, the animations are drawn in such a way that will make a viewer disgusted at the subject. The images of sick looking animals, evil meat corporation robots and agents, and disgusting meat-packing factories are all examples of affective visual rhetoric that convinces the viewer to think twice about where his or her meat is coming from. The information the video provides is also very enlightening and convincing. Some facts are startling, such as how unsafe meat packing factories are, and also how unsanitary they are. Some people would try to make the argument that the way meat is produced now is an unavoidable necessity and is the only way to provide for our huge population. However, after watching the Meatrix videos, one would have a hard time continuing to eat the same meats.

ErnieR said...

After viewing “The Meatrix” one can see that the main thesis behind the plot was the importance of knowing how your food is processed and the condition s in which food is prepared. The author includes main points bulleted at the bottom of movie to provide viewers with points that were meant to be stressed. Using the method of Visual Rhetoric, the audience was able to see and compare the transfiguration of agriculture from the past to current time. The living conditions and health of each animal, and the working conditions of factory workers were areas that were all allowed to be emphasized strongly through the use illustration. The clips were persuasive in becoming more alert to package meat and other items. Areas that might be looked into more when deciding on certain foods would be whether they are organic or alter with injected substances. A counter argument that could be made about the production the food industry is their method of producing foods at high rates. Factories strive to produce as much food possible in the smallest amount of time possible and through their methods it is beneficial to the population in supplying high amount of foods so that there is never a chance of shortages.

Kristin Snyder said...

The Meatrix aims to disprove the positive preconceived notions many people may have about factory farms. It brings to light the cruel, inhuman treatment of animals in meat production. The Meatrix uses visual rhetoric to communicate the corrupt practices of the meat-packing industry and the results of there actions. Negative effects of faotory farming include animal cruelty, antibiotic resistant germs, massive pollution, and destroyed communities. The clip was very persuasive, however, I already knew most of the information in the video. Also, The Meatrix only showed the negative effects of factory farming. A counterargument could be made that factory farms are much more efficient, and they produce mass amounts of high-quality meat to feed our growing population. However, this does not mean that factory farming is the only solution, it just means we need to find a better way of factory farming without the adverse effects.

Alexis Cope said...

After watching The Meatrix, I found the main thesis to be that the food industries are becoming more commercialized, and destroying the family operated sustainable farms of the past. This was clearly illustrated through the animation utilized in The Meatrix. The small, pleasant farm shown in the beginning was a stark contrast to the tight, packed portrayal of the factory farms. The animals looked diseased and were crammed together with manure everywhere. Around the factory farm, pollution was occurring and the landscape was ruined. These visuals enlightened the viewer on the conditions inside these factory farms that produce a majority of meat consumed today. The clips were convincing when the facts that were presented were matched with the appropriate visual. Some consumers who viewed these clips may change the way they are purchasing their food, or what foods they continue to consume.

Unknown said...

After viewing The Meatrix, it was obvious to dicern that the cartoons were trying to inform the viewer of the bad practices that are taken in the mass-producing meat industry. The Meatrix is a pun on the movie "The Matrix" and uses animal characters to fight against the meat industries. It is in this way that the cartoon uses visual rhetoric because the farm animals are never going to be able to stand up for themselves. The clip becomes very successful in persuading the audience to act upon correcting the problem. Rather than presenting facts, the cartoon is a creative way to show you what it is actually like in one of these production farms. Society pictures the first farm in the cartoon as being the source of their food, yet never really considers the mass-production that goes on behind the scenes. While the cartoon presented many different arguments against the industries, it is also important to realize that there are regulations against animal cruelty as well as health regulations. We can not assume that all farms that mass-produce are as dirty and evil as the ones in the video. The best thing to do would be to do further research to make an unbiased assumption.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix is a cartoon featuring the horrors of the modern day food industry. The main points emphasized throughout the short are that the food industry has grown too large for its own good, and that the animals being mass consumed are being treated unfairly. Visual rhetoric is when an argument is being made solely by images, and not by words or any verbal rhetoric. The Meatrix features several examples of visual rhetoric such as the exaggeration of blood throughout the slaughterhouses as well as the reference to “The Matrix” movie, showing how this is all unreal and gone too far. The clips were very effective in their message that the food industry is expanding at a very rapid rate and that has cheated the animals out of being treated fairly or actually living their lives rather than being born just to die. I have seen this video before, and while it is incredibly powerful both with visual rhetoric and providing the message, I personally did not change any of my eating habits. While I am well aware that the animals are being treated unfairly, I succumb to my lazy tendencies and go for the cheapest and most readily available food rather than spend money for animals that are well treated.

John Cameron Murray said...

The Meatrix is a series of short clips designed to bring to light the issues with the agricultural industry today. Each video had a running list of key points, which was very useful for viewers to know exactly what The Meatrix was against. For example, animal cruelty and the spreading of diseases. The videos were a parody of the movie The Matrix, and used cartoon animals to tell the story of the corrupt agricultural industry. The videos presented a lot of useful information about what exactly these companies are doing so that the viewer knows what they are actually eating. However, along with the images of the animals, The Meatrix also showed how it can be harmful to humans with the bit about the workers being injured as well. This was a very good idea, because some people may be more inclined to act if they know it is affecting people too.

Michael Brangle said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I feel the main thesis is that commercial agriculture is hiding an ugly truth. Commercial farming is subjecting animals to unbelievably inhumane conditions and substances. Not only is commercial agriculture harming animals but it is also damaging independent family farms by destroying/buying them out. The cartoon images used in the Meatrix are very successful in displaying the monstrosity in that they are not overly gory and disgusting yet can show what goes on in the farms. Overall, I feel this has a strong effect on making me not want to purchase from large commercial farming businesses. The images has somewhat of a scare factor to them and urge one to not contribute to this disgusting reality.

Emily HInes said...

The Meatrix displayed how agriculture has become extremely commercialized in recent years. Large industrial companies, are overtaking small, intimate farms, with no regard to even a remote sense of animal ethics. Their priority is placed upon increasing productivity levels, rather than animal safety. The clips reveal the cruel treatment animals receive and the complete lack of concern for the animal’s well-being. Consumers are treated with similar sentiments, considering the companies do not allocate enough time to properly sanitize the meats, occasionally allowing blood and other bodily fluids to be packaged with the meat. Humanity needs to lean more heavily on smaller farms for their products, rather than the large industries, to discourage the maltreatment of animals. A re-assessment of ethical regulation for the animals is an integral step in creating a just, healthy, and salubrious factory.

Zeke Hartner said...

The main concept of the Meatrix was the exposition of the modern agricultural farming system. The videos offered a look beyond the past image of mom and pop farms that most people think about when farming is concerned. Instead, viewers are faced with the dismal conditions animals are kept in dairy and meat farms. The videos supported buying local and organic meat and dairy in order to combat corporatized agriculture. I believe the message contained within the visual rhetoric is an important one, in that most people are willing to look the other way where their food is concerned. Unfortunately, the video communicates rather annoyingly, potentially running away any view not forced to watch the whole series.

Unknown said...

I believe that the main thesis of the meatrix is how most farms in which we get our daily food from are becoming commercialized. The meatrix like most of the topics we’ve been discussing are about raising awareness, the clips do so by being entertaining as well as getting their point across. Farms are now only looked at as a means of making profit rather than healthy food options. In the videos many points were talked about on how industrialized farms are affecting the animals involved but communities as well as those purchasing the products. The meatrix creates two groups on the right are small-family owned farms which seem to be the more healthy and ethically acceptable choice whereas industrialized food farms are on the opposite side of the spectrum and serve as the enemy their only goal is profit. The clips also portray a feeling that commercialized farms are somewhat hidden due to the illusion they put out.

Geoff said...

After watching "The Meatrix" it gave me a real sense of whats going on. Animal cruelty is justified by the idea of fast food which is immoral. The way animals are treated throughout their life span on these industrial farms is unreal. Packed into small spaces, fed food with anti-biotics and given growth hormones are just a few of the problems these innocent animals encounter. The greed of businesses was shown, as they do not car about quality of the food or treatment of animals and workers; profit is all that matters. Even with these clips being cartoon and cheesy, they still get a point across that industrial farming is immoral and must be corrected.

Ben Cogsdale said...

After watching “The Meatrix” I concluded that the main thesis of the video was to show how misleading and deceiving the meat industry has become; also, to portray just how harmful the industry is to animals, humans, and the environment. The creators use the analogy of the Matrix because the two are very similar. The meat industry deceives consumer society into believing that the food they consume comes from a safe source. However, just like the matrix, the reality is that the industry has become commercialized and manufactures food to achieve a profit not to satisfy people’s biological need to eat. This industry doesn’t care what you’re eating as long as they’re making money. In this industry young calves are forced to drink their mothers blood instead of the milk we use for cheese. Society needs to return to growing their own foods and stop the harming of the animals we consume.

Caroline Miller said...

After viewing the Meatrix, it is easy to conclude that the main thesis is the problem with the "farming" industry. Consumer's in grocery stores see the colorful, happy labels on their food that mislead them to think farming is done in a healthy, environmentally friendly way. When in reality it is the exact opposite. Animals are kept in unsanitary environments with no space to move until the day they are slaughtered. They are fed unnaturally to help them grow to abnormal sizes to produce more food at faster rates. The Meatrix does not hold back and reveals what farming has turned into. The video itself is a great visual that highlights all the wrong-doings of the industry. By using animals as the main characters it draws people in more and makes them feel more sympathy. I have seen these clips before, so I was already well aware of the problems we are facing. Together, my family and I are working on buying more local foods and buying meats/dairy that are raised fairly and fed the right foods. I think the main counterargument would be that it is too expensive for many American families to purchase free-range animal products which makes it challenging to persuade the entire country to eat this way.

Anonymous said...

Factory farms have taken a strong hold on our system of agriculture, which affects everyone in society. From our dairy products to our meat and milk, most food is produced in factory farms. Even though it is very efficient, it is very abusive to the animals and causes much pollution in the surrounding area. Although the Meatrix is a cartoon, it still provides all of the needed facts to understand the dangers of factory farming. They show a sense of innocence, yet have a sense of urgency about them. In fact, the cartoons do a great job of highlighting the benefits of sustainable, small family farms and demonstrate how factory farms are a menace to society. It definitely persuaded me to start thinking about where my food comes from and I will now start to buy either organic or locally grown products when possible. Counterarguments could be made about the benefits of the business side of factory farms. Many people have benefited from factory farms. It is a very quick and efficient system that is designed to produce much more food than a small traditional farm ever could. Although the system is quick and profitable, it is in this that the problem lays. Making farming more efficient takes away vital parts of the farming process, such as ensuring proper nutrition and medical care for all of the animals involved. There are alternatives to this grueling process that need to be taken advantage of.

Olivia Chen said...

The Meatrix has showed us the ugly truth behind commercial agriculture. I believe the main thesis was that commercial agriculture is gradually taking over the entire meat industry. By exposing commercial agriculture, we also learned more about animal cruelty and the dangerous working condition for the workers. The videos talks about the fact that commercial agriculture is not only cruel and unfair to the animals, it is also dangerous to humans because of all the mutations and diseases due to unsanitized condition. I really liked how the videos were constantly comparing reality to fantasy, commercial agriculture to home farming. I think the videos were very educational and also interesting, especially the first two. The pictures were not very violent but still made their points.

Kyle Anderson said...

The main thesis of “The Meatrix” is the exposure of the lie believed by citizens as to where their food is grown. This is done through a spoof of the popular movie “The Matrix”, which is personally ironic because people quite often refer to me as Mr. Anderson although I have never watched the movie. Jokes aside, “The Meatrix” begins in the scenery of a typical farm with a barn and animals roaming freely within a fence. Soon Moofius appears and begins unraveling the truth of agriculture. While he is explaining the truth, the video uses images like aliens attacking and stomping farms to reference agriculture corporations modifying the “sustainable methods” of family farming. This use of visual rhetoric creates a negative connotation towards these corporations and connects them metaphorically with world dominating aliens.
Personally, these clips do not have much influence on my thoughts or actions about the food industry, mainly due to family connections to the industry. The videos present the corporations as the enemy, creating these farms for profit gains while the consumer is sitting on the sidelines. I believe the consumers have had a major influence on agriculture in demanding lower prices. By doing this, corporations began finding every possible method to keep the consumer happy with low prices and stay competitive within the industry.

Unknown said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I consider the main thesis to be that the meat industry is only concerned with increasing productivity to make a profit. Extreme animal cruelty is involved with the processing of these foods. Animals aren't being raised in the traditional farms most people think of when they think of animals. Instead they are raised in "factory farms", in harsh, no sustainable conditions and being injected with substances. This is communicated through visual rhetoric by showing the viewers what is actually happening compared to what they think is happening. The visual rhetoric in the clips was extremely effective in persuading my thoughts. The way it is portrayed in The Meatrix, brought me to the realization of the awful things being done in this industry that I had not known before. I now too think that something should be done about this.

AlexMelton said...

After viewing "The Meatrix", one thesis presented was about the sacrifices we as humans must make to maintain our overpopulation. Rather than using traditional farming, food production has now become more of a mass production factory. Now, there is simply no other option. Smalls farms must be cast aside because they can't maintain our state of over-consumption. By showing the cruel and disturbing images of the mass production of food, The Meatrix displays what cruelties humans must endure to just sustain themselves. The movie is persuasive as it questions how far humanity must go to sustain themselves, and at what cost to the environment. Perhaps the viewing of this film will persuade people to change their attitudes towards the environment. People are likely to take action against something that affects themselves personally, and nothing is more significant than what we put in our bodies.

Courtney Turner said...

After viewing "The Meatrix," the thesis provided is that commercial farming is consequently taking over the industry, leaving family farms out of business. The constant use of chemicals and antibiotics, the unsanitary environments, and the dangerous conditions for both workers and animals illustrate the ugly truth behind commercial agriculture. The labels put on products at manufacturing companies allow consumers to believe the product is processed in a safe and healthy way, even though it's not. This process of animal cruelty is immoral, and the problem is clearly illustrated throughout the clips. Profit is all that matters to these companies. This film will help people stand up for what they believe in and cause this to stop happening.

Sarah Beebe said...

After watching "The Meatrix", I decided that the thesis of the video is to address the effects that the meat and farm industry has on animals, people, and the surrounding communities. These effects include animal cruelty, growing antibiotic resistant germs, massive pollution, and destroyed communities. The Meatrix shows how Americans get their daily food and the process behind it. By using a play on the movie The Matrix, it showed the farm animal raising process in a cartoon and easily understood way. The cartoon aspect helps to simulate the cruelty faced by animals that are bred to be slaughtered. Though the clip may have been slight joking, the issue behind the cartoon is very real and serious. I may not become a vegan or vegetarian, but this video made me reconsider what kind of food I eat and where I get it from. I already knew about this issue and the effects it has, but I think this video reinforced the negative aspects of it. The only counterargument to this industry is the high prices of organic and freshly grown food. Many Americans who hope to eat healthy and prevent animal cruelty may not be able to afford or find these types of food.

Mikeyd said...

After I watched the Meatrix online, I thought about looking into buying a cow and getting the grass fed beef instead of buying it at the store. The Meatrix does a very good job of showing how industrialization has ruined farming for animal owners. Although the creators of the animation seem to go too far and exaggerate a lot. Not in the sense that these horrible things are not taking place, but the creators wanted this to be as dramatic and horrid as possible. But the message that they are trying to convey comes across pretty easily. They are trying to expose the cruelty to animals and unhealthy practices that industrialization of farms has affected the environment, animals, and humans. The environment becomes polluted with excess waste. Animals are treated horribly and live very meager lives just so that they can be slaughtered and abused. And humans are at an even worse risk of disease and other unhealthy effects from eating these products. The Meatrix also uses a well known symbol of the Matrix movies to help persuade people to watch their videos so that they have a better chance of more people listening to them. I think this is a creative way to display pollution, and animal cruelty. It definitely made me think twice about buying eggs and milk at the store.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix was a short video used to spread knowledge about the horrid conditions of the commercial farming industry. The main thesis was that of explaining the main effects, or harms of commercial farming. Those disadvantages are animal cruelty, antibiotic resistant germs, massive pollution, and destroyed communities. The creators appealed to the visual rhetoric of the viewer through many different images. Some being that of forcing four traditional farms worth of pigs onto the plot of one traditional farm. The creators also showed the pigs and chickens being discolored compared to traditional farms, this shows the viewer how poor the conditions are in these commercial farms. The information of the clips was created in an easy to relate to and understand manner by using a similar format to "The Matrix" movie. I haven't been particularly affected by this video yet due to the fact the system I've expected to be reality is being challenged. Through the course of time and more information, this seed could come to change my understanding. Some counterarguments that can be made of this is that it is an over dramatization, that this isn't quite reality. Another may be the fact that the quality of free-range animals is so great that factory farming will in fact regress.

Unknown said...

In The Meatrix, the problem of commercial factory farming is taken on in a humorous way. The video depicts the dangers of factory farms from health issues, animal cruelty, and worker safety. It not only included what the problems were, but how they are masked from the public. The false vision of pastural fields and picteresque farms is one that many Americans think where their meat comes from. In fact I was talking to a friend about The Meatrix and he said he had no idea that this is what farming was like today. The visual rhetoric involved is the use of the cultural popularity of the movie, The Matrix, in a parody. The short film mimics this popular sci-fi film to appeal to a large audience.

SW said...

The Meatrix wants dirty practices of factory farms to be stopped. It portrays consumers as being lied to and animals being treated more cruelly than would be necessary for a farm. I couldn't take most of what they said seriously due to the bad flash animation, and they did not cite any sources for their information. I believe that factory farming is a good thing overall, for even though it produces low-quality meat, the meat is able to be sold for an extremely low cost. There is still a demand that is met for high-quality meat that is not harvested in such a way. If consumers really wanted to curve the environmental and ethical issues of factory farming, one solution (that I have grown very fond of) is harvesting insects for meat. To produce 1/3 lbs. of grasshopper protein, grasshoppers only need to consume as much water as they eat with their food. Comparatively, to produce 1/3 lbs. of beef protein, a cow would need to consume 900 gallons of water. However, most Americans and Europeans would scoff at the idea of eating insects, even though arthropods such as lobster are considered a delicacy. I don't want to pay loads of money for a burger. I don't care if the burger was made from a happy or a sad cow, or a happy or sad grasshopper. I just want something cheap to eat. -sw

Unknown said...

The main thesis of the Meatrix is that the commercialization of the meat industry has serious negative impacts on animals, people and the environment as a whole. The videos were a cartoon style parody of the Matrix designed to get viewers to think about the changing meat industry. I do not believe these clips were effective in persuading my thoughts or actions on the meat industry. While the intent of the Meatrix is good, however, how the organization went about delivering the information was ineffective. Hearing facts from a talking cow and pig made me distrust the information being provided. The personification of animals being abused by the current in order to elicit an emotional response would have been more affective without the corny nature of the videos. I did find the matrix reference to be entertaining and an accurate representation of the meat industry. The Earth and its inhabitants would be better off if all farms were small family farms however the current scale of our economy and society would not facilitate such a structure. In order for the meat industry to change society must change first.

Unknown said...

The main thesis of the “Meatirx” is to influence and make a point for viewers. Clearly the creators were exampling the mistreatment of livestock and the conditions animals used for production. This usage of visual aid was very powerful, the creators used a modern movie that would be relatable to a wide span of society, many people have seen or at least heard of the movies in the Matrix trilogy. The cartoon style also made it easy to watch and pay attention; it was not too gory. The overall effectiveness of the visual aid was extremely effective. The facts were clear and the visual aid was not too over the top so it was an easy watch and very factual and many would look for more information. The main argument that is likely to appear would be there is not shown proof or have any evidence. There may be facts, but no proof behind them.

Unknown said...

I believe the Meatrix videos had two main themes: that we need to revert to small family owned farms and that we need to pay more attention to where our food is coming from and the conditions the animals we eat are in. For me, the clips were not that persuasive. I believe if you are talking about something like animal cruelty, you need to take a more realistic route than having cartoon videos. If the videos had real footage from these factories it would have made me horrified to eat meat. However, it also shows that it might be hard to gain access to this type of footage, which insinuates that the conditions might be so real that they do not want anyone to be able to see them. The visual rhetoric element comes from how they are trying to make it almost funny at how bad the conditions for these animals and the food we eat are. I could make the counter argument that there weren't any statistics or sources coming from the information presented in the cartoon. And I could also argue that I felt like I was watching a children's television cartoon. I was expecting these videos to really make me not want to eat meat, but the images just were not enough to make me cringe.

Unknown said...

After viewing The Meatrix, I believe that the main thesis is that the meat industry has become completely industrialized and has taken over the fantasies of all of the many "family farms". After watching the video I definitely developed some different views than I had before. Although the video was just a cartoon, its depictions of the meat houses where the animals are housed, still seemed gruesome to me. Also the image of the chicken getting it's neck broken stuck out in my mind because so many people don't realize how terrible the meat industry really is. I have never really sat and thought about what the animals that we eat every day go through, and The Meatrix opened my mind to this torture. I believe that the video was effective, and I like how at the end it pointed out that there is still some hope and there are people out there who are trying to fight against this horrible industry that quickly taking over every aspect of meat farming.

Unknown said...

The main thesis of The Meatrix appears to be to convert the Earth from unsafe commercialized meat production to healthy and humane free range and traditional farming techniques. Images of sickly hogs and cows were shown, contained within small cages and standing in their own feces. These messages conveyed a sense of disgust which alone could turn many consumers towards humane sources of meat and dairy products. The clips, although overdramatized at many times, do persuade me as well to be smarter with what my family buys. There’s nothing wrong with attempting to source products such as these as opposed to your run-of-the-mill big name brands. On the other hand, large livestock operations can often offer lower prices at the store, which many people can afford. These people can still get the meat and dairy they need without paying extra to support small farms and organic ventures. However, I believe traditional techniques are the better way to go in terms of health.

Unknown said...

The Meatrix aims to persuade viewers to move from current commercial meat production methods to more humane methods such as free range herding. Images of the horrible conditions in which livestock currently exists in are shown in order to persuade viewers. Sickly animals are shown in small cages standing in filth. The clips were effective in persuading my thoughts to a more active pursuit of meat and dairy obtained in a humane fashion. I intend to purchase meat and dairy from local farms instead of large commercial operations. However, counter arguments can be made against this view when you look at price efficiency. Purchasing from a local farm I will be spending substantially more per pound of meat then I would at a larger commercial operation. In spite of this, I will still favor the humane methods of obtaining meat and dairy.

Christiana Tiburzi said...

After viewing the Meatrix, it is evident the main concern is the meat packing industry In America and the lack of concern for sanitation, health, worker safety, and living conditions for animals. The main thesis is that the meat packing industry is extremely apathetic towards animal rights as well as towards health issues. These ideas are communicated through visual rhetoric in many ways. One of the ways visual rhetoric is portrayed is when the little pig is shown the meat packing industry and thinks it looks great. In reality, this was an example of the way things used to be and then the video clip jumps to what it is like today with many machines and chemicals used to gather mass amounts of milk and such. The clips were very effective in persuading my thoughts because it showed the truth to the production of meat and exposed the processes that no one is educated about. A counterargument I have however, is although this is very upsetting and awful for many, it is one of the only ways to sustain the society we live in today. With fast food chains and grocery markets buying in mass amounts, the old ways of simply milking a cow would never work. A possible solution to this problem is not to go back to the old simplistic ways, but improve the mechanisms we use today by avoiding chemicals, improving the food the animals eat, and so forth.

Unknown said...

The thesis for the Meatrix is that big agricultural companies have sold us a lie. The imaginary land of green pastures and happy farm animals died a long time ago. The Meatrix parodies the movie the Matrix to tell this story, and lays out potential hazards of continuing down this path. Although the video and animation quality for the video are low, the message is still clear and effectively conveyed. Visually, they appear to be trying to make fighting agricorp "cool" through the use of Matrix references. The pig Leo takes the pill, puts on the shades, and is ready to protest. The only minor criticism i have of the video, is that the businesses were merely responding to a massive and growing demand for cheap meat, and the consumers had an equal part in encouraging the behavior.

Unknown said...

Although the themes of The Meatrix varied, the main theme seems to be that family farms are being vastly replaced with factory farms. In result of the factory farms, there are many cases of animal cruelty, massive pollution, antibiotic overuse, and destroyed family farms. The videos mainly use the visuals to portray the emotions of the animals in the factory farms and to show polluting and unmoral the factory farms are. The clips have proved how dangerous fast foods can be. The factory farms overuse antibiotics and hormones, putting humans are at risk of coming in contact with e coli. The fact that manure is sometimes packed into the meat is disgusting. I believe that the factory farms may speed up the meat production process, but they are too dangerous for the animals, the humans, and the workers.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
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