Henrietta Lacks (SSR)

Over the summer, I read a fantastic nonfiction book, titled The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (here is the book trailer). It was written by Rebecca Skloot. This book made me think differently about going to the doctor, about how scientific discoveries are made, about privacy (especially medical privacy), and about how research is conducted.

Henrietta Lacks's cells have multiplied trillions of times. Her cells have literally been used to develop cancer treatments, vaccines (including polio, an almost unheard of disease in the US), in vitro fertilization, gene mapping, and cloning. All of these advances are fantastic for science and, not only the American public, but humankind. However, the advances were made without the knowledge or consent of the woman from whom the cells came. Her body helped science, but science did nothing for her. Worse than nothing, scientific companies, individuals, research centers and universitires have made millions off of her cells, but at the same time her family was living uneducated and poor in Baltimore. They couldn't even afford the benefits of the medical advancements their family helped to provide. The injustice the book uncovers is profound. As one reads, one is forced to question whether the events of the book could have possibly happened if Henrietta Lacks had been well educated and/or white. I won't claim to know the answer to that questions, but I have a strong suspicion that her race and background played a big part in what happened to her and her family.

People are too quick to brush off science as boring. This book was not only interesting, it seems to me that it is really important to read this book and understand how scientific discoveries move society forward. At the same time, we should understand that science has its own ideas of ethics. As individuals in this society, we need to know what our medical rights are and how to protect them. If we don't protect ourselves, no one will protect us. If nothing else, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks convinced me (again) that knowledge is power. Without knowledge, it is all too easy for society to take advantage of the unknowing individual.

Guggenheim (SSR)

After school on Tuesday, I took a little trip to the Guggenheim. It really was a short, but fascinating trip. While I was there, I saw an art installation by James Turrell. He literally turned the entire museum into an art piece.

http://www.archdaily.com/377267/frank-lloyd-wright-s-guggenheim-rotunda-to-be-temporarily-transformed-into-a-turrell-skyspace/

James Turrell is an artist who concentrates on the study of light. While you and I might not think much about  how light and color affects space, that is the focus of Turrell's artistic life. He turned the Guggenheim's already beautiful rotunda into this magical place where colors change and space disappears. There is no ceiling in his art, just spheres that merge into light. This image doesn't quite do justice to how awe-inspiring the experience was. There were other aspects to the light show that I did not have the opportunity to experience. The line for his installation was almost an hour long and I arrived at the museum an hour before it closed (after the school day ended of course!). Living in New York City supplies so many interesting opportunities to people who are interested in reaching out for them.

This trip to the museum reminded me of how much of the world I do not understand. It is easy to think about all of the things we know: about our neighborhoods, what we read in the news, what we learn in school, and all of the experiences we have in our lives. Still, there is so much to know in this world, and we won't ever know all of it. The idea that I will continue to trip upon new, unexpected, and beautiful aspects of life inspires me to keep looking for more.