Week Eight Reflections

• How do you feel about western approaches to HIV/AIDS?

I actually feel like for some reason folks have done a much better job of educating the public about HIV/AIDS.  It could be because there is such a strong reproductive and queer rights movement in the US.  You don't see these widespread education campaigns about cancer prevention--it seems mostly like constant updating about the newest study on what new thing prevents or is linked to cancer.  If you look deeper, then you find the information about healthy habits.  Of course cancer is much more complex to pinpoint causes than AIDS.  

But I think it's pretty disgusting how the US, UN, etc. have been perpetuating all this nonsense with ridiculously high prices for medications to Africa and refusing to help support stopping the spread of AIDS in Africa.  It's literally tearing communities apart and could be the cause of so much tensions on top of everything else, the push for development, etc.  Really disgusting.

• Can TCM strengthen our immune systems?

Certainly, since keeping ourselves in balance is the way to protect our immune system.  When we have so many stresses and nothing to help bring us back into balance is when the immune system is constantly having to be activated.

• What do you think of “the deal that saved the whale”?

Yes, the push for development is supposed to benefit, but when you look closer, you find the only people it really benefits are the developers.  Of course the development loots the environment, but it's always made to appear to benefit the people in the country, but it really doesn't.  They are pushed off their land so it can be looted, forced to migrate to the cities where they become maquila workers.  I know of entire villages with rich cultures who lived from the land that were made to flee for the sake of development.