Prom in Black and White

During this time of the year, many high school students across the nation are preparing for Prom. For many, this night will be a memorable time to share with friends. But, what if you couldn't spend prom together with all of your friends? I read an article that talked about a rural county in Georgia where a high school has two separate proms: one for White students and the other for African-American students. To give you an idea of how serious this separation is, one student remarked that,"if you're an African-American and you show up to the white prom, you'll probably get asked to leave". In this day in age, it is almost impossible to imagine any place, especially a school, continuing to segregate students. The article explained that since the prom is private and is not a school event, it is organized by the parents and students and held off campus. Therefore, two separate proms are allowed to be held without any lawsuits toward the school. What I found interesting is that many of the students are now in favor of holding one prom that would be integrated but the only thing holding them back are their parents. The parents are more interested in maintaining the tradition than moving into the 21st century. But, this year they will be holding their first integrated prom.

I could not wrap my mind around the idea that there was segregation still apparent in the United States to this extent. I find the conflict between the tradition and modernity very interesting in this case. The parents want things to be the way that they used to be while their kids would rather move foreword. This story became a national focus because the students created a Facebook page so that they could raise money and awareness for an integrated prom. This shows the dedication that these kids had to create change, and they were successful.

Afraid of Death? Tylenol May Help

As I have been working on my Junior Theme, I have been thinking a lot about the American mentality of popping a pill to fix any and every problem. For my Junior Theme, I am researching the increase in antidepressant usage in the United States. I recently found an article that describes new research that suggests that a component of the household medication, Tylenol, may help ease some peoples anxiety about death. The researchers believe that Tylenol, a pain reliever, can also be used to relieve psychological pain rather than just physical. They found that, "these anxieties may be processed as "pain" by the brain". Since Tylenol is proven to work as a physical pain reliever, they found that it can successful in reducing "pain" that the brain interprets from anxieties about death.

To me, this is just another representation of how Americans want to find a cure for nearly every problem in life. Consumers would find it appealing knowing that a cure is right within their reach, probably at easy access in their medicine cabinets at that very moment. This new finding worries me because it makes me think about what other psychological problems, even some that seem not very severe like this one, can be fixed with simple medications. Furthermore, this begs the question about our society and the values that we posses. Is a "quick fix"really the solution to every medical problem?

Mental Illness Affects More Than You Would Think

For my Junior Theme, I am researching the rise of prescriptions of antidepressants. I have identified a few key factors to support my thesis but I was completely unaware of this new statistic. I read an article that talked about the estimate that fifty percent of the American population will suffer from a mental illness sometime in their lifetime. I did not realize that it could really be this high. According to the fifth edition of the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, or better known as the bible for psychiatrists that is published by the American Psychiatric Association, the rate will truly be this high. I have found through my research that there is a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness. This could be reason why I was surprised that half of the population will have one; because it is not generally a topic that arrises in casual conversation. One reason for the rise could be that the DSM is always adding new diseases to every edition so it is easier for doctors to classify more characteristics as mental illness than before. Also, doctors have become better at detecting these mental illnesses because of newer technology.

I think that American society needs to somehow lessen the stigma that surrounds mental disorders. If this statistic really is true, then it is more than likely that you or someone that you love will have a mental illness. People will need support and it will be more difficult to receive it if there is not a change in understanding within our society.

Profiting from Injury?

If you have been keeping up with the NCAA Tournament, you are probably aware of the horrific injury that happened to Univeristy of Louisville's player, Kevin Ware. It has become a topic of discussion for many of my peers because of the grotesque nature of the injury. I found an article that talked about a campaign by Adidas and Louisville in which they are making T-shirts with the slogan "Ri5e To The Occasion"(the number 5 signifies the number on Ware's jersey). At first glance, this seems like a great tactic to raise money for Ware and the expensive medical fees that he will have to pay. To my surprise, as I read further in the article, I found out that none of the profits from the T-shirts go to Ware. I think that this is absolutely ridicuolous that they would not give any of the money to the person that actually deserves it.The rationale for this is that, "college athletes are prohibited from receiving money for their efforts" and profits from a T-shirt would be no exception from this rule. This means that the NCAA, Adidas and his university are profiting from his injury.The shirt was created as a respectful tribute that fans could engage in but it does not seem right that the corporation is making money from the misfortune of someone.

This instance is an prime example of the marketing that plays a major role in our society. Many people would have the same initial reaction that I did and purchase the T-shirt to help (financially) support Kevin Ware. But, they are unknowingly giving all of their money to Adidas and the university. I think this also speaks to the control that large institutions such as universities and companies possess.They have strong reputations and are able to boost their public appearance if they "support" a cause such as this one. Do you think that the actions of Adidas and the university are ethical?