Juvenal's Satire III
The first most challenging social problem in the United States is the unemployment.
"Codrus possessed a bed too small for the dwarf Procula, a sideboard adorned by six pipkins, with a small drinking cup, and a recumbent Chiron below, and an old chest containing Greek books whose divine lays were being gnawed by unlettered mice. Poor Codrus had nothing, it is true: but he lost that nothing, which was his all; and the last straw in his heap of misery is this, that though he is destitute and begging for a bite, no one will help him with a meal, no one offer him lodging or shelter." The effect of an unemployment seen in one's living conditions. Although this is not the only evidence of poverty, because the kind of poverty we deal with in America is a little different. Most people suffer from poverty because of unemployment therefore struggling with food and living conditions. 

The second social problem that we see across the United States is obesity.
"yes, at a single meal from their many fine large and antique tables they devour whole fortunes. Ere long no parasites will be left! Who can bear to see luxury so mean? What a huge gullet to have a whole boar—an animal created for conviviality—served up to it! But you will soon pay for it, my friend, when you take off your clothes, and with distended stomach carry your peacock into the bath undigested! " (satire II)Obesity is caused due to bad lifestyle and diet. In this quote it compares the wealthy to parasites - who consume anything. Their stomachs are described as having peacocks in them. Obesity in a sense was not so much of a health problem as much as it was a sign of over-indulgence, greed, corruption - everything juvenal would associate with the wealthy.

The third social problem is the recent discussion over legalizing same sex marriage.
"By degrees you will be welcomed by those who in their homes put long fillets round their brows, swathe themselves with necklaces, and propitiate the Bona Dea with the stomach of a porker and a huge bowl of wine, though by an evil usage the Goddess warns off all women from entering the door; none but males may approach her altar.[15] "Away with you! profane women" is the cry; "no booming horn, no she-minstrels here!" Such were the secret torchlight orgies with which the Baptae[16] wearied the Cecropian[17] Cotytto. One prolongs his eyebrows with some damp soot staining the edge of a needle, and lifts up his blinking eyes to be painted; another drinks out of an obscenely-shaped glass, and ties up his long locks in a gilded net; he is clothed in blue checks, or smooth-faced green; the attendant swears by Juno like his master. Another holds in his hand a mirror like that carried by the effeminate Otho: a trophy of the Auruncan Actor,[18] in which he gazed at his own image in full armour when he was just ready to give the order to advance--a thing notable and novel in the annals of our time, a mirror among the kit of Civil War! It needed, in truth, a mighty general to slay Galba, and keep his own skin"
Men are now dressing and acting more "feminine", which is a sign of gender inversion. Same sex relationships and marriages do stem from the controversy over the what roles of woman and men are and the traditional structure of a family. Likewise, in rome, the gender roles are being challenged in the way they dress.

The fourth social problem is global warming and environmental changesThe works of Juvenal don't talk about the dangers of global warming or environmental effects on the economy of Rome. I doubt that was of major concern during that time. The negative environmental consequences of disasters and bad weather may be seen as signs of the god's disapproval or curses. Weather patterns were very much controlled by the gods, like Juno who enlists the help of Aeolus, who sent mighty winds in hopes to destroy aeneas' ship in the first book of the aeneid. In satire II they do have a quote which does reveal that the wrath of heaven will cause us to weep and the gods could bring upon the people curses if they feel inclined to do so.
"he exiled Marius[15] carouses from the eighth hour of the day and revels in the wrath of Heaven, while you, poor Province, win your cause and weep!"

The fifth social problem is poverty.
 "It is no easy matter, anywhere, for a man to rise when poverty stands in the way of his merits: but nowhere is the effort harder than in Rome, where you must pay a big rent for a wretched lodging, a big sum to fill the bellies of your slaves, and buy a frugal dinner for yourself. ""Who but the wealthy get sleep in Rome? There lies the root of the disorder. "Poverty was definitely a big issue back in rome. That is one of the clear reasons why juvenal left rome in the first place. The social gap was very evident and a huge issue. 

Social Problems in the United States

Blog Post 2

What are the five most challenging social problems facing the United States today? Briefly describe each challenge.

The first most challenging social problem in the United States is the unemployment. Since the recession in 2008, the united states is still on the climb back up to recovery. It caused a lot of serious long lasting issues on the economy, finances and government assistance. In January 2016, the overall unemployment rate reported was at 4.9%. However those whom are unemployed long term (for over 6 months) that are not accounted for in this percentage. The pace of economic recovery is slow, which is very frustrating for many people. Lots of people, whom are highly proficient, educated, qualified still struggle to find a job to support themselves and their families.

The second social problem that we see across the United States is obesity. The prevalence of obesity has increased and grown so rapidly over the last decade. In fact 1 in 6 children are considered obese. This obesity epidemic is due to the sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits that have developed for this particular generation. With the extreme convenience of this age from technology and the easy access to cheap junk food, it is almost inevitable that this epidemic continues to grow and flourish. More people are more aware of the importance of healthy living and many vegan, paleo diets are in trend right now. It is obvious that the increasing figures reflecting heart disease, cancer, health problems are all a result of the natural unhealthy lifestyle this generation have accustomed to. 

The third social problem is the recent discussion over legalizing same sex marriage. The united states supreme court officially legalized same sex marriage in June 2015. Now homosexual couples are able to obtain marriage licenses under the recognition of the law. The shift from traditional heterosexual marriage to now accepting homosexual couples has been a pretty dynamic shift for the united states. Only a few counties in 3 states are still unwilling to recognize this marriage union. It has been a cause of controversy between parties that are arguing for equality and equal protection, versus the social impacts of a having same sex parents on the family. The economic impact of same sex marriage is significant as they are much disadvantaged including healthcare costs, benefits, tax, insurance. As the United States Government face the issues of this recent law, we are seeing a shift in societal values and also of social structure.

The fourth social problem is global warming and environmental changes. The united states and many other countries have been very focused on reducing greenhouse gases, and becoming more “green”. Recently unusual weather patterns across the different states have been a bit more of a concern. Floods, droughts, fires breakouts have not only been affecting the economy but also been threatening to the local people. There is no simply conclusion or consensus on the direct effects of global warming on the economy, but the potential threat to human lives as well as crops and animals will be very significant as it gets worse. 

The fifth social problem is poverty. This is an issue that all governments around the world faces. However even though United states is considered one the wealthiest countries, it still has the highest poverty rates out of any western demographic. The wealth gap between social classes are very significant and very large. Many families, especially ethnic minorities, face basic food insecurity problems, housing, education problems. Although on the surface many people seem anything but poor, but even inside a 3000q ft house, a family could be dealing with unemployment, lack of health insurance, high medical bills therefore going into bankruptcy. Even though the face of hunger and poverty is different here, it doesn’t mean that many hundreds, thousands of people are not faced with the issue of basic survival everyday. 

Using specific examples from the literature, compare the roles of women and men in ancient Greece to the roles outlined in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. How are they similar? How are they different? What is the effect on society as a whole when there is conflict between the genders?

The family Proclamation is given with the purpose of defining a marriage that is meant to last eternally. In a lot of ways, the relationships between penelope and odysseus exemplifies some of the same ideals. The proclamation emphasizes that a marriage is sacred - between a man and a woman because it is a social unit ordained of god, therefore it is crucial that strict loyalty and fidelity to one’s spouse is maintained. In the odyssey, Penelope fights off the suitors and keep them at bay whilst waiting for her husband to return home from troy. Although Penelope could have been well justified if she had chosen to re-marry as there was no news of her husband and he was most likely dead. Likewise, the family a proclamation doesn’t denounce re-marriages after a spouse is dead, However it does encourage us exemplify that same devotion, love and loyalty that Penelope demonstrated in our own marriages and relationships. Even through her hardships, we can see that her difficulties and tries never altered or affected the importance of her marriage to her. In our church, we are asked to esteem our spouses as equals and love them as we love ourselves because marriage is the most important thing to us too. Our roles are equal and complimentary therefore dependent on one other. Even odysseus’s desire to be with his wife, despite all the temptation from many women, exemplify the ideals in family proclamation that a man and woman is a social unit ordained from on high and one cannot be without the other. True happiness can only be found on a faithful, loyal relationship, that is brought about when we esteem two individuals as equals. Therefore, the example of Odysseus and Penelope’s relationships is one that complies with the family A Proclaimation.

We are taught in the family proclamation that the role of a “Mother are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.” Thetis, the mother of achilles, can be seen as perfect example of this. We can see from Achilles strict adherence to her requests of his love and respect for her. She must have been his role model. This achilles, known for his temper and his pride, will fall and bend over at the words of his own mother. When she asks him to stay put and wait for her to retrieve his armour, not even the desire to retrieve the body of his dear friend patroclus would move his resolve to wait for his mother. In the dictionary, the word nurture means to care for and encourage the growth and development of an individual- meaning we are to raise our children based on principles of love, respect, forgiveness, humility, respect, compassion. As I think of Thetis and achilles I recall the familiar story of Christ (even though the son of god) respect to his mother enough to obey her wishes, uses his god-like powers to turn water into wine at a celebration, despite his words, ““Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” In essence, achilles and thetis is demonstrating the perfect parent-child relationship that we strive for as latter-day saints.

Next, let us analyze the role of the father - “Fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” Odysseus was the head of the household. When he departs for troy, the house becomes completely chaotic. Rich, ambitious suitors  invade their home and take advantage of their greek hospitality. Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, doesn’t have the strength, courage, maturity or power to send these suitors off. Although he eventually does finds the courage to set of on a journey, with the help of athena, this is a great example of how dependent a household is upon the father/head of the household. The family structure crumbles without a righteous father at the head. It is not so much his dominance that we are missing, but in the family A  Proclamation we are taught that it is the role and responsibility that comes with being a father/husband cannot be replaced by any other persons. Likewise, without a mother, this important social unit of time will not be effective, according to the a family a proclamation. In addition, looking at Oedipus (who is forced to leave his family due to the realization that he had committed treason and murdered his own father) we can see his deep desire to fulfill the role of a father. He laments over the fact that his two daughter, lsemen and Antigone will not have the protection or honor as a person due to his tragic mistake. He worries over their future and welfare as he departs. He can no longer provide and protect his family and he agonizes over not being to fulfill that role. Even Apollo’s priest plead with apollo to curse the greeks for taking his daughter. Whether it is in our church or in ancient Greece, we can see the unchanging pattern of love and responsibility a parent/father has for their own offspring and their sense of responsibility to care for them.

On there other hand, We can see in the example of king Candaules. He commands and convinces his bodyguard to see his “wife’s loveliness or nakedness”. Not only was this a humiliation to her, but also a sign of selfishness to fulfill his purposes rather than being sensitive to the feelings of his wife or even the laws of the land. It shows that the ultimate role as a husband or father was not as important to him as was his pride and his desire to show off his wife. In many examples in greek culture, the role of men/father has been taken to the extreme, where they become dominating and possessive which is not what we are taught in the family a proclamation: “WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God.” Later Gyges, the bodyguard, kills King Candaules and marries his wife. We can make a comparison of this story with the story of Bethasheba and King David. Whether it is in the old testament or modern day, the act of adultery is prohibited. Although in this case it is his wife who committed adultery, it is known that in greek culture it is much widely accepted that husbands/men can have sexual relationships outside marriage. Marriage is much seen as a formality of connecting social status or for power, therefore concubines, or a second wife was very common. However, woman were not held to that standard of fidelity. Not only does this contradict the definition of a family in the proclamation but also reveals to us the discrimination of sex. In ancient greece, “men” not “woman” are beloved spirit son of heavenly parents, and, as such, with a divine nature and destiny”. The role of men was esteemed to be higher and greater, whereas woman were toys or tools for peacemaking or exchange or for convenience. 

Looking at the similarities and differences between greek culture and the ads familial ideals, I would say that there is in fact a lot of commonalities between what the role of the different genders are. Throughout history, woman have assumed the role of child-rearing and the men of work or in greek culture- warfare/protection. However, there are still a lot of differences between the equality of the genders and to extent our dominion/power extends within a family. This conflict between gender has a huge impact and on society, as stated in the family proclamation: “the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets”. Oedipus’s own family was dissolved due their incestuous relationship is discovered, leading to the end of their royal line and entire family’s name and future. In contrast, we can also see the success and the joy in the the example of odysseus and his family as they are reunited. They became a stronger unit as they united together to defeat the suitors. The land became peaceful and everything was well. It is the very war over Helen of Sparta - basically who  she belonged to - that led to the trojan war. When families come together, when men and woman come united in purpose and roles society will see so much more peace and success. i truly believe that when society values families and gender roles and esteem them as equal - we will see a lot more social stability and social harmony. A society will grow if the varying talents and abilities of all men and woman are all put together for the benefit of the public. That is what and how god designed for society to work and succeed.

Epithets
1. The lover of traveling
I love to travel. Its something that my family and I have always enjoyed. We love the wide range of experiences we get from the people we meet and the places we visit. My favorite place has to be the busy city of seoul, korea and its diverse shopping opportunities, and Paris, the center of art and history.

2. The creator of food
My favorite things to do is to cook and create food. Its one of those hobbies that I inherited from my grandmother. She would spend hours in the kitchen making feasts of seafood, dumplings, traditional cakes, soups just from the top of her head. I learnt to appreciate and enjoy eating and cooking as part of my cultural heritage and upbringing.

3. Learner of the gospel
I love the gospel so much. I just came home from my mission at the Hill CUmorah Visitor Centre. IT was a delight to serve the lord for 18 months. I learnt so much about Joseph smith and the restoration of the gospel. It makes me excited to simply be able to understand how the kingdom of god works. It allows me to appreciate the plan of salvation better and the love our heavenly father has for each individual person.

4.  The believer of serving
Serving others is so important. I enjoy spending time doing things for others like cooking food for my mission companions or family. I also spent sometime tutoring english for free and doing service projects. When you spend time doing things for others, you become less focused on yourself - and that really helps me prioritize my time better. It also helps me find purpose in life.