A New Chapter
First, I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the hottie I dated during the holiday season of 2024 who purchased me a subscription to the economist (print and digital). Second, I would like to send a huge thank you to my local library who sent out a newsletter email reminding me that the seed library is restocked! So many seasonal vegetables and greens are donated by local gardening associations that care so much and genuinely about the community. In this email, my library also has a few awesome events coming up like a chat/presentation with an engineer who's working on NASA’s next project returning humans to the moon. I still can’t believe that so much knowledge exists in such a small building.
On my expensive train ride to work today, I read an article that truly caught my attention in a way that does not usually happen before 11am. Tyler Cowen. That's the name of the man who has my attention right now. He writes a blog (like me) that covers a variety of his hobbies and interests (just like me) and I think the reason that I like him the most is that I can relate to him. I agree with his views on politics, technology, and even personal things like his disdain for analyzing life’s regrets.
I do still have some more reading to do on the old man, but I am truthfully looking forward to it! At the end of reading this very well written piece about Cowen, I’ve decided to take more of an explorative approach to my blog. Yes, I already leave a few things open for interpretation and then I always follow up on my social platforms for feedback. But I do feel like I have been holding back on a lot of opinions that cross my mind in fear of a future employer retaliating. Let’s be honest for a minute, how else will I know if people see the world the same way that I do if I don’t talk about it? I know people are listening, but I would love it if the people around me would try a new perspective on life and the way things work.
I would say that my approach to life is that of a functionalist. I believe that society is incredibly complex. I think that every single person is a reflection of their environment and we all play a part in society. Even the unemployed and lower income play their roles to form a sort of solidarity. I have had this theory since my first sociology class a while back that physically and mentally unwell people play more of a role in our American society than any other subset of people. I think that they play the largest role as consumers to pharmaceutical companies.
As more health issues become prominent and drug companies are pumping out whatever they can to cure insecurities (or what you THINK are insecurities, but are actually not), they are the true winners. Pharmaceutical companies as well, play their part. They supply the drugs, they lobby within the government, they pay the salaries of your neighbors or family members.
Every large cooperation, law, street light, exists to serve a purpose. This is actually the reason why I shifted the focus of my independent research work away from resolving childhood obesity. I still continue to volunteer in my community and give my time where I can to teach others about healthier eating habits. Honestly, this issue that I care so much about is way more intricate than I can even comprehend. I can go on for hours about how the USDA has a responsibility to farmers, and how we as a population within America have been fed processed foods and sugars since our birth and we still wonder why it is so difficult to stick to our New Year resolutions to lose weight. I can go on even further about the lack of accessibility for fresh fruits and vegetables in low income communities.
It is so easy for a person of power to say the words “low income community”— I hope to one day reclassify this title. As someone who was raised in it and fought my way out every single day, I can tell you that the label means nothing. Less income will never make you less of a person. One day I’ll dive deeper into why issues like miscarriages and grief look different for high/moderate income individuals than it does for lower income individuals.
For today, I am filled with nothing but gratitude and excitement for what this blog will develop into. And tomorrow, I will begin drafting.
Fran.
