Eric Schlosser

The thing that's been inhibiting long-form investigative reporting is fear - fear of being sued, of being unpopular, of being criticized by very powerful groups.

I hadn't planned on being an activist.

Fast Food Nation' isn't about my journey into the dark world of fast food and the prison book is not about my journey into the prison world. I'm not using myself as any kind of narrative link.

I'd like to think that, in the United States, you can criticize a company that makes hamburgers without having to worry about what might happen to you.

The fast-food industry is in very good company with the lead industry and the tobacco industry in how it tries to mislead the public, and how aggressively it goes after anybody who criticizes its business practices.

It's possible to go to the market, buy good ingredients, and make yourself a healthy meal for less than it costs to buy a value meal at McDonald's.

I think it's important that people know what they are eating and especially to know what their children are eating.

Fast food is popular because it's convenient, it's cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu.

I'd been eating fast food all my life without thinking about it. And the more I learned about the subject, the more intrigued I became.

I'm just angry at the sort of things that are winding up in ground beef. I'm angry that other people - mainly children - are going to be sickened by eating a hamburger.

Fast food chains spend a large amount of marketing to get the attention of children. People form their eating habits as children so they try to nurture clients as youngsters.

By the way, I'm not a vegetarian. I have a lot of respect for people who are vegetarian for religious or ethical reasons.