Laura Ungar's article

It was very interesting reading this article because just before I read it one of my roommates was telling me about this documentary about Wal-Mart, "Wal-Mart: the high cost of low price." I'm not going to lie, I like going to Wal-Mart because it is cheaper, but the costs on society are greater than we see. I watched a bit of the video, and they were discussing health care. They provide health care, but not health care that their employees can afford. They take so much out of their paycheck that when it comes time for lunch, some employees are opting for health care and skipping eating lunch. Is health care worth it when one's lifestyle isn't providing for a healthy living environment? And managers are encouraging their employees to seek state health care, which comes out of tax payers' money, and these employees are eligible for this even though they are full-time because they are still living below and at the poverty line. An estimated amount that this is costing tax payers is $1.557 billion.

This article touched on so many subjects. It is amazing to hear of the interconnectedness of poverty, health care, and standard of living. It is a circle, each affects the other and causes the other. I mentioned the Wal-Mart example because I think it demonstrates what the article was portraying. These employees are living on little and cannot afford health care. I found most shocking about this article the fact that because these rural people cannot afford health care they wait until the last minute to seek medical help, and by that time their issue has worsened and costs them and tax payers more money. Preventative medicine does not seem to be in use in these areas. What is also a little disturbing is that these people are not helping the situation with their daily habits, but it is not something they can completely control. The fact that they cannot afford healthier foods is saddening, but it's true. Healthy foods cost more than non healthy foods. A burger at McDonald's cost more than a salad. Food at the regular grocery store costs less than food from Whole Foods. Organic food cost more than non organic food. It is actually really frustrating. Society is advocating this healthy lifestyle but they don't make it available to the greater public, it is the wealthier rung that can afford these foods.


I really don't see a solution to this problem because it is so widespread and there are so many different aspects that affect the situation, at least not one that would be easily implemented. It is a very deep seeded problem. And many of these people have accepted these fates and see them as beyond their control. As a side note: I was reading an article in the New York Times online and it listed people's beliefs in God by their income. The percentage of people that do believe in God was greater in the lowest income-earning group. We talked in class today about how elder people may have stronger standpoints and many people interviewed in the article seemed to fit this description. Many of them seemed to have accepted their fates, their habits, their poverty, and their life as a whole.