SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY | MOVIE REVIEW

Name: ____Victoria, Jocel L_____________________________________________________________________

Year and Course: ____BSA 1-8__________________________________________________________________

Direction: Answer the following questions by providing specific examples based on the documentary film, That
Sugar Film (2014) by Damon Garneau.

I. Discuss your ideas on how the overproduction and overconsumption of sugar-based products
potentially prevents humans from achieving eudaimonia? Give at least five ideas to explain.
It is really fun and enjoyable eating sugary foods but behind those feelings that we can get, sometimes
we are also forgetting the consequences that it could bring in our life not just physically but also in mental
manners. Eudaimonia is an objective definition of happiness where it is the state of living well, and
overconsumption and production of sugar-based products can restrict us from achieving it by means of the
effects that it could bring to us in many aspects.
For instances, (1)we can gain weight due to that products that can be stored in front of our tummy as
an unhealthy fats as a result of insulin in our blood that is dealing with the glucose which makes our fat cells
to holds on to the fat which merely affects our fat-burning process, aside from this is the fact that it can cause
us to have a fatty liver; (2) It affects our mood. In the documentary film we can see how the mood of Damon
changes whenever he eats sugary products and when he isn’t able to do it, he’s becoming irritated than usual.
This is due to his brain being used to overconsumption of sugar, making it to want more and have a bad mood
when he can’t have some; (3)It increases the mortality rate and the chance of having different diseases, just
like in the small town of Amata in the film, where we can witness how their life changes because of the sugary
products. We can even hear in the interview where the interviewee said that a lot people there is now having
a dialysis: (4) It can destroy our teeth, just like in the case of Larry where he got his teeth ruined by drinking
a mountain dew making other people bullied him; (5)Lastly is how our brain reacts to these sugar-based
products where it subconsciously think that it can give us satisfaction more than any other foods available,
that’s why when we see it all we want to so is to grab and eat it.
Eudaimonia can be achieved when we know how to control ourselves including what we need and what
we want most specifically when we are talking about our physical wellbeing.

II. Is there a need for industries to regulate the production of sugar-based products and for consumers
to reduce their consumption if they are to journey toward the good life together?
According to my standpoint, yes there is a need for the industries to regulate their production and for
the consumers to reduce their consumption to achieve good life. But what I think more necessary is the latter,
because after all we can say that it is all about the control that we have towards something whether that’s a
desire or temptation. It’s our own choice to eat unhealthy foods just like the sugar-based products. Thus, we
cannot blame the industry for producing it because in the end of the day when we think about it, industries
will never succeed without the support of the consumers. The truth is that the primary aim of these
fabrications is to generate profit more than the health and the threat that it could bring to one’s life. But not
because it’s not them to be blamed means that they should not do something about it. There still a need to
modulate their production because we know that there are times that we cannot control ourselves and that
living healthy doesn’t necessarily mean to stop consuming it but rather avoiding it and have a proper diet
and exercise, we can still eat sugar-based products, we need to satisfy our taste buds at some point. But I
 think regulating the production can help in a way that, if the consumers can no longer eat it as often as they
are used to, they will stop looking for it every single day until they realized that their brain don’t want it
anymore. Just like in the small town of Amata where there is a store there selling sugar-based product, and
the owner said that it’s not him who wants to bring those product in the town but rather the people living
there that wants changes but on the other side when Damon interviewed one of its member she said that
they now need healthy foods so they could have more healthy children. Unity is important between the
source and the consumers so that we can have a harmonious life together.
If everyone will stop being selfish and will be concerned with others, we can create a eudaimonic world
where money isn’t the issue because we no longer need to spend a lot whether that is for the food or even
for hospital bills. Thus, it is vital not just to survive but to live.

III. How do you see the continuing effect of the movie and your own personal experiences beyond the
film?
The movie film is a great explanation and clear documentation on how sugar-based products can
affect us unconsciously. At some point after watching this, I became more aware and alert of the foods that I
eat. In fact, I used to drink soft drinks for literally everyday just like Larry who’s addicted to mountain dew,
and I thought it was just a form of craving so what am I doing is that I am responding to my desires each time
and without watching this movie I will not realize that this isn’t just a normal craving but rather an effect to
my brain to look for it to function again. The truth is that, it’s not me who feel so thirsty with it but my mind
and I was not able to figure that out myself because I am too blind by the taste and too desperate to drink it.
I am thankful that I got the opportunity to watch this as I can see myself being really affected to it as I know
that I consume more that 40tbsp of sugar everyday that’s why while in the middle of the film I am somehow
worried that what if Damon can’t no longer go back to his healthy state? Was that mean I can’t no longer go
back too? And then finally got relieved at the end of the video where he became healthy again.
Sugar is everywhere and the fact that we sometimes do not care about its presence in our food can bring
threat and danger to our life. That’s why we need to be conscious even more and watching informational
films just like this will put awareness in our mind to stop doing what can destroy us and to start living our
life in the state of eudaimonia.