Academic Research Sources

Source 1: This article talks about how money can make people lose their morals and do unethical things just for the money. Experiments were also done in order to prove that our morals slip away when money enters the picture.

Gino, Francesca, and Mogilner, Cassie. "Time, Money, and Morality." Psychological Science 25.2 (2014): n. pag. Web. 28 October 2014.

Source 2: This article talks about how money can only satisfy you to a certain extent. It can help fulfill some minor needs that people have but it doesn't do anything significant. 

Wang, Long, and J.K. Murnighan. "Money, Emotions, and Ethics Across Individuals and Countries." Journal of Business Ethics 125.1 (2014): 163-176. Web.  28 October 2014.

Source 3: This article brings to light the idea that money can benefit people. It can be a sign that the person is intelligent and worked hard for their money. However, this article then goes into the fact that wealthy individuals are not only successful but also generally more cold-hearted and bitter.

Diener, Ed. "Will money increase subjective well-being?" Social Indicators Research 57.2 (2002): 119-169. Web. 28 October 2014.

Topic Proposal

I've been wrestling around with different ideas that I want to research. I want to explore the idea that Americans are obsessed with money and that is what most Americans live for. This topic isn't fully developed but I think I can eventually make it into something.

1.Who taught you that money matters?
2. Does the media have an impact on why you strive to be rich?
3. What makes someone "rich"?
4. Is there something that is more important than money? Love?
5. How many Americans base their careers off of income versus doing something they love?
6. Would having all the money in the world make you genuinely happy?
7. What actually makes you happy?
8. In the long run, what matters the most?
9. Once you have all the money you want, then what?
10. Does wanting lots of money have to do with confidence, insecurities, and how you come across to others?

Public Health Advocate-Walter Willett

Growing up around a dairy farm, Walter Willett has been around the food business his whole life. He also was surrounded by biology. His father did the first ova transplant in a human. Willett used these influences to go on to medical school and focused on nutrition. He got his M.D. and has devoted his life "to improve public health by improving diets, most often through research"(Powell).  The things we subconsciously know pertaining to good health came from Willett's research. "Don't smoke, exercise regularly, avoid added sugar and processed food"(Powell). I strongly agree to these unwritten rules about living healthy. I admire the fact that there is someone that researches about public health so that we can better ourselves. The question and answer section of this articles allows for us to hear everything directly from Willett himself. I think it really helped give background information and to see where Willett came from. It is evident he is very successful in his research.

The Lives We Are Leading

David Brooks writes "The Summoned Self" in order to inform people and make them think about how they are currently living. Brooks explores two very different lifestyles. The first is the "Well-Planned Life". In this lifestyle, you think solely on what you should do with your life and do everything that could help. In contrast, the second way of living is called the "Summoned Life". This lifestyle emphasizes the idea that the circumstances around you are calling you to do something specific. Brooks uses real-life examples to help the reader better understand what he is trying to say. Since the two lifestyles are different, that is how he switches gears. He contrasts the "Well-Planned Life" with the "Summoned Life". Brooks turned to a current issue of the Harvard Business Review to provide a clear personal example that we, the reader, could easily understand. Clayton Christiansen is quoted directly since he is the author of the Harvard Business Review. I believe that we as humans live lives in between the "Well-Planned Life" and the "Summoned Life". We plan our lives based on what we believe we were called to do. The people who are more toward the "Summoned Life" lead happier lives because they enjoy what they are doing. These types of people feel like they are contributing more to society because they are basing things off of their surrounding circumstances. The other types of people living more along the lines of the "Well-Planned Life" are typically more unhappy with their life all around. While people should try and lead the "Summoned Life", I think it is very difficult to apply it to your own life.