Why the Scarecrow Should’ve Saved the World

Halt:
Have you ever seen the three-minute and twenty-two second video called “The Scarecrow”? With over 16 million views, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have. But, if you haven’t, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtnas5ScSE
 
A Brief Synopsis
 
The short film stars a scarecrow who lives in a bleak, unhopeful industrial society.  The scarecrow works at a disturbing factory, painted with a farm on the outside. The scarecrow witnesses the unnaturalness of the food service industry, the mistreatment of cows and chickens, and the unknowingness of the consumer. As a haunting and eerie remake of the song “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory plays, the scarecrow continues his day in a polluted world. Then, he returns to his home (which is the only location with grass and outside of the city). The music shifts to a hopeful tone as he begins to gather fresh vegetables and cooks naturally. He returns to the city with his fresh, non-GMO, organic food and begins to sell alongside the factories. Once trapped in the system of controlled by the unnatural and harmful factories, the scarecrow takes the first step in breaking the cycle and moving towards change. This short film personifies what happens in OUR world.
 
Chipotle? No sir…
 
Yes! Yes! Yes! This beautiful, emotional, authentic film was an online only Chipotle commercial. This video was one of the initial changes in Chipotle’s rebranding circa 2013. Chipotle boldly stated, ‘WE are the scarecrow and WE are going to change how you see and experience food. WE are going to change the system and go back to natural agriculture and farming. WE won’t be fooled into eating ‘Beef-ish’ food and being blind to where our food comes from’. Chipotle was going to break the system of GMO’s, fast-food, and animal abuse within factories.  
 
But what happened?
 
Chipotle was supposed to be the force to revolutionize the food industry. Chipotle was supposed to bring us back to natural eating, not fast food junk. But E-Coli happened, the scandal, the lack of trust and support with consumers. Chipotle, in my opinion, handled the situation with courage and respect through never denying the facts and facing it head on in such a professional manner. But after such a scandal, the name Chipotle is tainted with the thought of E-Coli and the scarecrow message had faded.
 
We are the scarecrow
 
As the world becomes littered with factory fast food, GMO’s, and unnatural junk, we must think to ourselves. What do we want? Do we want to be blindsided and force-fed GMO’s and other unnatural lab junk? Do we want to continue being lab rats? We can stop the cycle; we can be the scarecrow. Chipotle is the only company that will admit the food industry is a disturbing, unnatural, and harmful industry we blindly take part in. Chipotle should have started the movement to a healthier, natural, REAL chain of restaurants. But E-Coli stopped the scarecrow and hindered the Chipotle name. But…We can be the scarecrow; we can stop the madness. Whether you eat at Chipotle or not, we must stay inspired by the scarecrow and begin a movement.
 
WE ARE THE SCARECROW.