penny for your thoughts

"All over the world, human psychology, local custom and the pressures of poverty are AIDS’s best friends. None of this should be foreign to Americans. We know we should quit smoking. We know we should go have that lump checked out. We know we should give up the French fries. But we don’t. In America, as around the world, a good amount of sickness and death is at least in part self-inflicted."

- taken from When a Pill is Not Enough, NYT magazine

In society today, instant gratification seems to be at the forefront of the decisions we make- manifested in not only the huge decisions, but also the small ones, such as what we want for lunch, buying another round of drinks, or choosing to drive instead of walk to school. The consequences following the choices we make aren't the first things that pop into our minds. Here's a penny for your thoughts- maybe it'll strengthen those New Years' resolutions you've got for yourself this year.