The biggest issue we have ("we" as in society, specifically Americans) is that we would rather do what makes us happy NOW instead of what is going to help us be healthy in the FUTURE. Instant gratification is everything. And no one can honestly say that they don't know that these things are bad for us. So what if we all started living for tomorrow instead of today? For starters, I would hope obesity in the US would drop significantly. I would also hope that people would start to realize the toll we are taking on the environment. I would hope that recycling would increase and that we found greener ways to commute. After watching "Born Into Brothels" I would hope that we would take a stand against sex trafficking and would fight for the children who are left to live in poverty.
These don't even scratch the surface. There are probably a million other things that I would hope would change if we started living with the future in mind. The bottom line is we have spent so long living for today, we have got a lot to deal with tomorrow!
p.s- by the way, who can guess what the title of this blog is from?? ;)
Yes, I feel you sister!! First off, I feel the same way. I would rather take the easy way then do anything that would make my future better. Change is somehting I am really striving for, especially after these classes. Born into Brothels really made me mad at myself for not trying to do more to ensure a better future. While watching it, I was mad and couldn't understand why they wouldn't take these opportunities. After much thought, I can see how hard it would be to change when their lives are so much harder. If I cannot even make a change in my life, how could they with the horrible lives they have been given?
ReplyDelete“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” —Mahatma Gandhi
ReplyDeleteI think Gandhi had this figured out... Americans are experts at the first half, but only the enlightened ones understand the second.
Having said that, no system is perfect, and change is not an overnight process. I like to believe that we each do the best we can with what we have. If you choose water once a day over Dr. Pepper, or turn off the TV to read to your daughter even once a week, you are moving forward... and that means that you are not falling behind. The small victories are priceless, don't discount their ability to lead to the big ones! P.S. Is this where your title is from?
http://www.spike.com/video/power-is-yours/2970078?cid=YSSP
Tristan,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your opinions and insight on this topic. Please let your voice be heard on our campus, too! Write a letter to our campus health educator to present to our Chancellor and other administration or one for the TWU newspaper, the Lasso! It is the students who will make the biggest difference about this issue on our campus!
Dr. E