" The first draft is just you telling yourself the story." -Terry Pratchett |
Welcome back to yet another one of my blogs. This is blog #10 for my English Composition I class. The purpose of this blog is to explain the meaning of Zeitgeist and capturing a specific moment in time which stood out to me. Zeitgeist means to capture a time of a spirit, and Mathew Arnold coined it in 1848. The idea was to capture the spirit of social Victorian. I have provided a link for Zeitgeist for a deeper incite.
America has so much history and with history comes many stories. Some stories are amazing while others are buried because they don’t fit the perfect textbook worthy profile. I would like to point out a spirit of a time that wasn’t so great for this country. The year 2016-2017 the Opioids Epidemic which existed in both the urban black and suburban communities. Although both communities suffered great losses, the urban black community epidemic was overlooked. Its so many topics or spirit of different times I could do my research on but this topic screams at me the most. Every community is important when it come to drug use and it shouldn’t matter where you live at all resource should be available equally to all no matter what class you reside in. I have found a number of resources where I was able to get facts, actual numbers, and even a small documentary on the lives of people affected by opioids in urban black communities, such as The Opioid Crisis in Black Communities: Who is Paying Attention?, THE OPIOID CRISIS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY: GEOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC TRENDS, Addicted and left behind: the opioids killing African Americans you can click on all of the links listed above. This topic may impact anyone who may not even be aware of this epidemic such as myself, my discourse community in the classroom, and anyone who may not be aware of the different challenges the urban black community faces everyday with poverty. The opioids urban epidemic increased in 2016 involving Black Americans. “Opioid-related deaths increased in black communities by 41% in 2016 alone.” The communities most impacted where, Chicago, Illinois and Washington D. C. Opioids exist because of prescription over use, abuse, failure to educate the patients and community of the danger of addiction to prescription drugs. This Zeitgeist impacts me with my surrounding neighborhood and to watch people walk along side the street and are extremely high on opioids and zoned out is a very sad sight to see, but what does it teaches the children who have to grow up in a household with parents who are users? The problem not only affects my community but my job as well when I have to deal with patients who are (drug seeking) for pain killers so they can get their next high vs the patients who are really in need to pain relieve because they suffer from a terminal illness or painful surgery. I feel sad to see people lives destroyed, families separated, and even losses of the community from drug overdose. The impact of knowing now feels like I’m responsible for trying to make a difference even if its just informing people of the epidemic of opioid in the black urban community. Its just figuring out a way to educate people more and warn our children since they are our future. I know some would say it’s not my problem, but I beg the difference its that feeling of carrying a burden once you are aware of a problem. How can I just ignore it just because its not affecting my household? My community is apart of me and the whole reason why I wanted to become a nurse was to make a difference in my community. This Zeitgeist has opened my awareness more and educated me more than I imagined. I’m not quite sure how I can help but a start is by researching more on this epidemic and finding other resources out in the community that are also fighting the war on opioids not just in urban black communities but as well as all communities.
4 Comments
Shanell Dodd
11/4/2019 05:30:25 pm
The use of drug abuse is on a rampant in our diverse population. I can remember the first time I travel through the Frankford/Kensington are in Philadelphia. I was tackled by the sight and popularity of drug abuse victims. I could not keep my emotional composure. I had to leave. I am willing to learn the underlying facts surrounding this zeitgeist Shay in all its entirety and how it affects different communities
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mack
11/7/2019 06:59:07 am
There's a lot of people that abuse drug and some time i think I'm a big help to people being on drug for when i was saleing them but i'm trying to change is a link for more info Signs of Opioid Abuse
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Sabatino
11/7/2019 07:00:09 am
I am glad to see you have completed this assignment. This is an important topic. Moving forward with this research, let's focus on why this crisis reflects an American zeitgeist. Here are some sources that may help:
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Sabatino
11/7/2019 10:27:39 am
Here is the source we reviewed together in class:
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Shayla MontgomeryHi I'm Shayla I'm a wife, mother, and student. I currently work full-time while going to school part-time to obtain an degree i nursing. Archives
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