Health, Western

(The title of this blog is not meant to imply that the physical health of any person or population is distinct and separable from mental and spiritual health.)

I did much of my growing up in College Station, TX; my youngest brother, almost all of his. College Station is home to Texas A&M University, known to many as the home of the bonfire tragedy of about 10 years ago. My mother describes it as "the young, white, Republican capitol of the world," and I think you have to add "Christian," and probably "conformist" to the list.

John, my youngest brother, calls it a social experiment.

With that in mind, it may be less surprising to know that my brothers and I have all developed non-standard perspectives on society, judging more harshly the effects of socialization and inclusion to the group, and generally thinking more analytically, more critically about societies large and small.

This has led John to devote his life to spiritual betterment for himself, and to seek to educate and enlighten the public for his work. He sees our society as thoroughly unsustainable. People are unhappy and unhealthy, power and wealth are concentrated, and the environment is suffering. Species are dying out, and climate change is so complex that even the world's best don't know what to expect.

I'm pleased that health care reform is in the wind. That was a really good speech.

I was pleased to read a good op-ed article in the paper the other day. The more I learn about agribusiness, the less meat I eat. I'm on the fence about fish even! It sucks to learn this stuff. Ostriches don't save the world, though, and as we have a world, or it has us, or however you want to look at it, and who knows but no-one.

What to do.