Hi, everyone.
There are so many topics from "Against Health" that I'm excited to talk about, but there was one in particular that struck me. The chapter toward the end (like, 13 I think?) about cancer dealt with some issues that I've pondered for a long time. I've always been puzzled about the marketing that surrounds breast cancer - eat yogurt out a pink container, and you're supporting women with breast cancer! play golf with pink golf clubs to support women with breast cancer! buy a North Face with a breast cancer ribbon on it to support women with breast cancer! It all seems odd to me - instead of simply donating money to an organization, the Susan G. Komen foundation has become something that literally invades every facet of life. When I was teaching middle school, my 12 year old 7th graders wore bracelets (sold in a breast cancer awareness fundraiser) that said "i <3 boobies" on them. When a teacher suggested that they not wear them because the language was inappropriate for school, she was treated like she had just suggested that all breast cancer patients get over with it and die.
This raises a couple of questions - Is it necessary to prove our opposition to a disease? What disesases are socially acceptable to oppose? What causes certain diseases to rise in popularity, or to decline in popularity?
Also, why don't we have merchandising to raise 'awareness' for lung cancer, or liver cancer? My thought is because they have an element of responsibility - the largest cause associated with lung cancer is smoking. Do we not raise money for lung cancer patients because they "brought it on themselves?"
Finally, the author of this chapter writes about the "Lance Face" and the idea that cancer patientes have to take on certain roles or attitudes - acting like a "fighter" or "warrior" or "survivor." How do we, as "healthy" observers, expect the sick to act? How do you properly perform illness, and does this change according to other factors, like gender, race, class, culture?
Okay, I know I was rambling. See you tomorrow!
I had a similar reaction to Jain's essay 'Be Prepared'. It certainly brings to light how some forms of sickness, to a degree, have become glamorized while others have become stigmatized. We cannot help but make the connection between smoking and lung cancer, although many reported cases of lung cancer cannot be chalked up to cigarettes. I appreciate the author's stance and suggestion about 'renaming the problem rather than the symptom' with regard to raising awareness and fundraising for disease.
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