"The Other Wes Moore" - Free Will

     Free will is defined by a person making their own choices without any fear of destiny. This concept usually comes up when someone does something wrong or makes a mistake. Free will is depicted through the lives of both Wes Moores. Some believe that they both had the choice to decide how their lives would turn out. It could be said that the other Wes Moore did not have a choice in how his life played out; that because he was constantly surrounded by drugs and violence, there was no way out for him. The narrator was able to escape through military school and that was his choice to make. But was it really?
     Wes Moore began to slack in school and his mother shipped him off to military school. He did not want to go and tried to escape multiple times. In a way, his mother forced him to attend and blackmailed him into staying. The other Wes Moore, however, was not pressured into doing anything. Everything he did, whether it was getting involved in the drug system or trying to turn his life around by joining Job Corps, was all his doing. His mother never forced him to go to school nor did she discipline him as much as the narrator's mother did.
     To most people, it seems as though the other Wes Moore had the power to stop himself from ending up in jail. In a sense, he did because all the events leading up to his arrest were all a result of his own choices. The narrator did not have the choice to go or not to go to military school; that was his mother's decision. If seen closely, the other Wes Moore had more free will and his personality is a depiction of his true, authentic self whereas the narrator's persona is highly influenced by his family and the military.

"The Other Wes Moore" - Fear

     A theme that Wes Moore seems to indirectly mention throughout his book is fear; fear in homes, families, on the streets. He emphasizes that fear is especially present in a drug-ridden neighborhood. The narrator's mother was terrified when her husband passed away and regarding the break-ins in their neighborhood; so much so that she wouldn't sleep in her room in order to keep watch. When they moved to their new neighborhood, his mother was afraid of her children getting into crime and drugs.
     Fear is also shown through the drug operation on the streets. The necessity or thirst for money attracts people to the game. There is a constant fear of fighting, violence, and getting caught while you're a part of it. But there is also a fear of leaving. There isn't a simple way for someone to quit and that eats at them emotionally. This constant fear prevents people from living normal lives.
   

"The Other Wes Moore" : The Importance of Good Parenting

     Wes Moore, the author of "The Other Wes Moore" tackles many themes in his book such as loss, violence, drug abuse, alcoholism, and maturity. However, the theme that resonated most with me was the role of parents in children's lives. Both Wes Moores had absent fathers; one died due to premature death and the other wasn't around because of his alcohol addiction. Regardless of this, both men had very hard-working mothers who struggled financially and with the horrid circumstances around them. Not only did they have to provide for their families by working long hours, but they also had to protect their children from the violence and drug world that surrounded them.

      I am thankful to have had both my parents with me since I was born. Therefore, reading about children who grow up with abusive or absent parents breaks my heart because I begin to realize how much they have missed out on. Having both parents is crucial to a child's upbringing; a child needs both a mother and a father to develop a strong personality. Unfortunately, many children in low-income and drug-ridden neighborhoods end up losing one. 

     Wes Moore speaks highly of the women in his and the other Wes Moore's life because he wanted to acknowledge the work they have done to raise both of them. They suffered a lot, and most of it by themselves, to make sure their kids went to school and had food on the table. But no matter what they did, they could never fill the shoes of the men missing from their children's lives. Having both parents around affects a person emotionally and physically. For one Wes Moore, it had a positive effect as it made him stronger as a man. However, for the other Wes Moore, it made him a bad father as he did not realize his role as a parent. 

The above video shows one of the ways parents affect their children. The narrator's father had a lasting impact on him in regards to education; in his life, he stressed education and proved his dedication to education with his steady job. However, the only aspects the other Wes Moore remembered of his father were negative. This further proves that parents have a major effect on their children and that's why it is important for both parents to play active roles in their children's lives.   

Higher Education: Smart Investment or a Waste of Time?

             Some people sell property in order to pay for their children’s education while some students laugh at those struggling with their college applications. For some, a college education is a valuable investment while for others its seen as a complete waste of time. In my opinion, higher education is worth its price. College degrees give people a higher chance of getting a respectable job in most cases. Also, college graduates make more money than simple high school graduates.

            On the other hand, a college education does not only promise a steady job but also basic like skills. Sanford Ungar believes that these skills include “learning how to write, and speak well, how to understand the nuances of literary texts and scientific concepts, how to collaborate with others on research”. College forces you to think critically about the world around you, something that a working environment cannot provide. 

Who Should We Blame for Obesity?

             It’s very easy to point fingers at someone when its time to assign blame; especially when that finger can be pointed at you. The same thing goes for the question: who should we blame for obesity? People are always ready to blame anyone but themselves. They’ll shift the blame to family, friends, classmates, etc. However, the number one person people blame is the government, and they are actually correct.

            The government, for the most part, is responsible for what is presented and provided to the public. Whether it’s on television and especially on billboards covering each highway, there are fast food restaurant advertisements and barely even one poster board about eating healthy. This constant promoting becomes embedded in people’s mind and therefore leaves no space for them to think of new healthy options. I know that if I did not educate myself, I would have fallen into the same trap as any other little kid in this generation who believes that fast food is the way to go. Commercials nowadays target children because they know that parents will not be able to resist their children asking and begging for something they want.

            Okay okay I know what you’re thinking. So what if there are so many advertisements for unhealthy foods? People already know what harmful ingredients are used to make these meals and the horrific effects it has on people. That’s where you're wrong. Families are not educated about the fats and sugars in the fast food meals they consume. It is the government’s job to take care of its people and educate them about the food on their plate. There are no nutritional labels on fast foods and even when someone is curious about these facts, they are given inaccurate information. There should be a proper label on these foods in order for people to know what they are consuming and only the government can implement something as such.

            Also, something to take into consideration is how many supermarkets are even available in the local area. There are McDonalds and Burger Kings on every other street yet barely a supermarket in sight. A total of 35,000 supermarkets are scattered throughout the United States while there are 40,250 fast food chain restaurants. Those are scary numbers because there are more than 5,000 restaurants than there are healthy food outlets. There is more access to junk foods than there is access to healthier and safer options and the government CAN make a difference by establishing more supermarkets.

            On the flip side, one cannot only blame the government. Obesity is a team effort and there is no “I” in team. Although the government can be held accountable for not educating people and not giving enough access to healthy options, at the end of the day what goes into a person’s body goes in by their choice. Granted there is scarce information regarding potential programs that could help people control their diet, these organizations do exist and are willing to guide people to live a healthy lifestyle. However, it is the person’s job to reach out to such institutions to help them.

            It is a person’s responsibility to go out and find healthy food options for themselves. It is also their job to instill a healthy lifestyle for their kids. Excuses such as the baby crying, or whining should not be accepted when it comes to food intake. Parents need to take control and make sure that their children are not falling into bad eating habits because once they get addicted to fats and sugars, it will (1) affect them negatively and cause many diseases and (2) it will follow them into their adult life. This can be potentially avoided if parents take initiative and present their kids with healthy food options.

            Next time you hear someone say that the rate of obesity is raising simply because people are not taking care of themselves or because the government is not efficient enough in providing for its people, stop them and tell them that it's a two-way street. The government has to meet the people halfway in order to solve this issue. The blame cannot fall on only one side because both sides are responsible for this epidemic. If we use the resources the government provides us with and be cautious with our food intake, we can maintain a healthy diet.