#fooddesert #foodswamp #fastfood #fastfoodnation #inequality #systemicinequality #chico The Sociological imagination by C. Wright Mills challenges understanding of a personal or specified social problem within a group as a larger social issue. This meme depicts the disparities individuals face with food insecurity, specifically the personal trouble of
#fooddeserts and
#foodswamps as a public issue. The image is a literal desert, and the man is struggling to crawl across the desert searching for food. The “food” in this desert is not food in the sense of health and nutrition, but “fast food”, and the individual continues his quest leaving the “fast food” behind. This meme does a good job at showing the man does not want the over processed, unhealthy, calorie, fat, salt, and sugar laden food available to him. Despite searching and being hungry, the individual would rather go without. Using
#sociologicalimagination, we can depict a larger social issue of
#foodinsecurity and specifically the type of food available for miles for an individual living in a
#fooddesert and raises salient concern and awareness of the harm food can cause, including
#chronicillness. Highlighting food deserts as a larger public issue predominantly affecting individuals of lower socioeconomic status and
#peopleofcolor, instead of a personal trouble. The “frame” is the lay publics, even a sociology student taking a food class, as I was not aware myself of the troubles associated with food deserts before this year. For those more affluent individuals who may not understand fast food is the ONLY option for some people. Much like other
#American idiosyncrasies, of unhealthy habits and sugary drinks, food deserts present a problem for those who only have fast food available. In food deserts and food swamps there are no healthy, affordable, culturally acceptable, or regionally located places where individuals can purchase healthy options.