Generationalism Has Got To Go

Even trying to be a positive graphic, this still
highlights the perceived differences in generations

Let's start with a simple statement: Generationalism is just another ism. Another generalization. And therefore it needs to stop.

In the modern age when things change from generation to generation, every generation has thought and will think that ones before are stodgy and unadaptive and the ones after are ungrateful and flighty. Every One. Just wait, if you are in the current generation, you will soon be in the same boat, lamenting the next generation's flaws. And older generations, we should know all this by now, having experienced the same from our predecessors.

U of Tennessee Vols Step Up Vs. Bullying

You may have seen it on the news already, but I wanted to extend my gratitude to the University of Tennessee for taking a stand against bullying.

By producing the design that caused a student to be bullied, and donating all proceeds to STOMP Out Bullying, they show that they have a heart.

What You Think About Immigrants & Minorities May Just Be Wrong

A common scene by people protesting
undocumented immigration

In the current rhetoric of the day regarding immigrants, policy and perception against immigrants is too often spun to say that they are people with high crime rates that make our country worse just by being here. This is and has been used against blacks in America as well. We are told that they bring and create crime to our society. It creates a perception for whites that they need to defend themselves. We have seen how this perception affects things from the actions of police (justifying use of force) to national policy meant to keep them our of the country.

But if you have seen or heard these arguments and leaned toward believing them, you might want to see some statistics for yourself and then form your own perception. Here is some help.

Mental Health League Helps You Back Your Team

Why do we seem to flaunt many of our physical health problems and conquests, by hide our mental ones? That is a question that the Mental Health League, an apparel company that supports a mental health organization, seeks to not only answer, but turn on its head and conquer.

Why do survivors of cancer wear shirts proudly declaring so, but we don't share surviving depression? Why do we have people sign our cast for a broken limb, but we can't share conquering anxiety? Why do we celebrate the steps made in physical therapy, but hide going to mental therapy?

In our society, battling and recovering from a physical ailment: disease, injury, accidents, is seen as a badge of honor but dealing with a mental ailment is met with shame. We need to change that stigma.

Coming To Terms With The Beef Problem

One of most perplexing things to me is disregard for the environment. Whether people chose to believe the science behind global warming, in general there are more immediate, local impacts to not caring about what we and businesses do and don't do. Drinking water, wildlife, recreation all are impacted by how we act as consumers. While far from perfect, I am no hardcore environmentalist rather a pragmatist, I am always looking to reduce my family's impact.

Image courtesy gentlebarn.com

One new area I have begun to explore is the impact of diet on the environment, namely in the form of livestock. The more I look into human impact on the environment, the bigger the argument to try to give up the consumption of beef products, as well as other livestock. Cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases, as measured in CO2 equivalent, than transportation, uses up more land and resources than the growing of plants, and creates immense waste. So for me, it is time to seriously consider reducing or fully removing the consumption of cattle products.