There are many different issues affecting food service today, from consumer issues about health and nutrition to a trend toward no tipping and increased minimum wage to issues involving the fallout from the 2020 pandemic. There are industry organizations that work to lobby and advocate for their members. One such organization is the National Restaurant Association.
It is important to stay up to date with industry issues. Take a look at the issues and advocacy page on the National Restaurant Association’s website. Take some time to read through some of the topics on the advocacy page and the policy agenda page. Choose one issue to explore more fully.
Find and post a link to an article from a source outside the National Restaurant Association that focuses on that particular issue and explain how and why the industry issue is impacting more than just restaurant employees or owners.
What does this issue mean for the future of the restaurant or foodservice industry?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Impact of Increasing Minimum Wage on the Food Service Industry
Thesis Statement
The push for increasing the minimum wage in the food service industry has far-reaching implications beyond just restaurant employees or owners, affecting the economy, consumer prices, and the overall landscape of the industry. This issue has the potential to reshape the future of the restaurant and food service sector significantly.
The call for an increase in the minimum wage has been a hotly debated topic in recent years, especially within the food service industry. While proponents argue that a higher minimum wage can lead to improved living standards for workers and reduce income inequality, opponents raise concerns about potential job losses, increased operational costs, and inflationary pressures.
An article from The New York Times titled “Raising the Minimum Wage: What’s the Right Number?” delves into this ongoing debate. It discusses how the proposed increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour has sparked discussions about its potential impacts on businesses, particularly in the food service sector.
The implications of raising the minimum wage extend well beyond restaurant employees and owners. One significant impact is on consumer prices. As businesses in the food service industry grapple with higher labor costs, they may be forced to pass these expenses on to consumers through increased menu prices. This can potentially lead to reduced consumer spending in restaurants, impacting overall sales and profitability.
Moreover, the ripple effects of a higher minimum wage can be felt throughout the economy. Small businesses, including many restaurants, may struggle to absorb the increased labor costs, leading to workforce reductions or even closures. This, in turn, can result in job losses and a decline in economic activity within the communities they serve.
For the future of the restaurant and food service industry, the issue of increasing the minimum wage poses both challenges and opportunities. While a higher minimum wage can attract and retain talent, improving employee morale and productivity, it also presents financial hurdles for businesses already facing tight profit margins.
In response to this issue, industry players may need to innovate their business models, streamline operations, and explore technology solutions to mitigate the impact of rising labor costs. Collaboration with policymakers, labor unions, and advocacy groups will also be crucial in finding a balanced approach that ensures fair wages for workers while maintaining a sustainable business environment.
In conclusion, the debate over increasing the minimum wage in the food service industry goes beyond just a matter of pay rates. It has broader implications for consumers, businesses, and the economy as a whole. How this issue is addressed and navigated will significantly shape the future landscape of the restaurant and food service sector.
