Michelle Pyke

Argerey Stapakis
Assignment #4
19 November 2016

Response to Prompt 2:
An issue that I have been contemplating recently involves the obesity epidemic within the
United States. I am personally disappointed with the misguided efforts to encourage healthier
habits (especially through diet regimes) suggested by the generation of my parents and even
more so by my own. It is well known that there are a number of misconceptions about nutrition
within the American populace. Following this logic, it does not make much sense to consider
what we believe as fact to be the truth (or the ONLY truth at that). This was one of the primary
outtakes that I had from the Global Challenges discussion.
David Battisti stated that Climate Change puts the rules of law against the rules of
science. In other words, the heart of the issue lies not in forcing scientific studies upon people
who are not willing to be persuaded but in ensuring that the truth can speak for itself. In terms of
changing the perceptions of healthier lifestyles, it is important to note that helping someone
overcome obesity is not intended to be a form of criticism, but rather to say that we hope to work
with their perceived limitations. I believe that the implicit biases against obese individuals and
climate change deniers prevent us from uniting in the end.
This leads me to my next point. Jean Dennison brought up that without deep community
engagement, we cannot ask the right questions. I admire how Professor Dennison is heavily
involved with the Osage Nation and other indigenous nations. She actively seeks a link with
individuals, not just personal fulfillment through studying issues of governance and sovereignty
by herself. I think that this is what I lack when it comes to the topic of nutrition because all of my
ideas come from individual adventures in research and not through collaboration. I would like to
be a member of a community that shares my interest, but it is always the first step that is the
most difficult (especially for introverts like myself). Similar to how governing bodies should
hold corporations accountable for negative externalities associated with their businesses, I should
establish a system to hold myself accountable for failing to live up to my words. When I can
proudly say that my knowledge is a collection of stories from strangers rather than an evening
excursion on the Internet, I think that I will be able to better understand the degree of the obesity
epidemic in the U.S. (or at least Washington state).
The final panelist Hanson Hosein caught my interest on multiple matters. He initially
introduced the idea of not getting caught up in all the narratives as a journalist. The future of the
Climate Change movement is uncertain, especially due to the presidential election, so it is
essential to find the light in the darkness. To tie these two concepts together, I think it is an
intriguing thought to be able to listen to all the sounds around you, but also tune in to the voices
that can enable progress. I do not mean only those who are optimistic, but those that view
setbacks as a platform for innovation. I think that professors who strongly support the need to
address the obesity epidemic are valuable resources for my education. Again, I could simply join
a non-profit organization, but I would like to prepare myself intellectually before taking action. It
may be an unreasonable defense for me to have, but it is what it is. Professor Hosein mentioned
how from an environmental perspective, climate change is imminent; it weighs on our minds like
the Trump presidency does for the average American citizen. The consequences of poor
nutritional choices have the same effect on me. I hope to explore interdisciplinary approaches as
much as I can because even from this brief discussion on climate change, I know for certain that
there were points left unsaid and I am curious to hear what those were. With all global
challenges, deep engagement is necessary and I hope to apply this lesson to my pursuit in the
field of nutrition.