Jing Yi Xie

Winter 2024 Capstone Project Title: Influence of Neoliberalism on Views of the Pursuit of Health Span

Project Description: Why do we want to live longer, healthier lives? I investigate this topic under the lens of neoliberalism, which is a dominant modern philosophy and economic policy. To answer the question, I approached from a multidisciplinary perspective, looking at economic and public health theories, religion, and scandals. Our ageist and individualized culture likely pushes us to pursue longevity, and things like science commodification and a lack of regulation in the supplement industry helps to commodify longevity.

The 1C06 Capstone experience: The capstone paper gave me a chance to research any subject I wanted, so I took what might be the only chance I have to write about longevity in a school paper. It took me a while to write, but I had fun doing it because it is an interesting topic to me.

Key Takeaways: I learned about the negative societal effects of neoliberalism such as perpetuating prejudice, health inequalities, and undermining scientific indifference. I also learned that Zotero is an amazing tool to use to write research essays.

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