Outliers...

Reading the excerpt from Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell was very interesting, and it made me think, a lot. First of all, it is so unique and interesting that the Rosetans were so healthy just because of their surroundings and their history. I always thought that people are who they are because that was just how they were born. But, this excerpt made me realize that that's not true. People are who they are because of where the live, when they live, who they live with, and how they lead their life. This is the idea of sociological imagination. This is how the Rosetans stayed so healthy; their health was "in terms of a place". You have to "look beyond the individual" and realize that one's culture, community, values, and people surrounding them have an affect on who they are. In the excerpt, a sociologist named John Bruhn went to Roseto to do studies to investigate this medical mystery. This supports the fact that sociologists do studies to gain support for their claims. Finally, this completely changes my view of other people, myself, and health in general. I'm now more aware of why certain areas of people are more likely to have certain diseases or conditions or not have anything wrong with them, health-wise. I think that my sociological imagination tells me that I am me because of my family and friends. My family and friends are huge parts of my life, so I think that they shape and contribute to the person I am. They give me my values and shape my personality. Also, I think that living in a suburb of a big city makes me less sheltered because I visit the city often and see many different things that you don't normally see in the suburbs. This informs me more about what life is like in other areas. I also am privileged enough to travel because of my family's place in social structure, so that allows me to see more of what life is like in different parts of the world. This overall makes me a more cultured and learned person.