The way systemic issues were compared to a nervous system such as when a repeated injury breaks down the nerves in a way that either destroys their ability to signal, or causes continuous pain struck me, because it accurately demonstrates the severity of the problem, but also how over time it becomes difficult to pinpoint the source of the “pain.” For example, the education system, justice system, welfare system, housing system are a few examples of systems in the United States that build off of one another, worsening inequality because issues that should have been addressed decades ago have never been fixed, leaving vulnerable minority communities in the same situations they faced in the early to mid 1900s.

Our country has allowed groups to slip through the cracks by never fully correcting our past actions, therefore leaving minority groups at a disadvantage, with reduced access to public goods and opportunities. These inequalities have become compounded over time, similar to a repeated injury, which has deepened the wealth gap and made it significantly more difficult for minorities to succeed in the United States, as they have everything working against them. This is idea of a homeostatic feedback loop is one that I have come across during my research for my project, realizing that the public education system has been in existence for so long with little to no interruption or adjustments, that there is significant imbalance in the quality of education in school districts across the country. But this one system does not exist on it’s own, it is the result of a variety of other systems, and as a result, it feeds into even more systems, creating a complex web of inequality that seems never-ending, and oftentimes hopeless. I think that as a general rule our society doesn’t understand how deeply engrained these systems are into our society, and the effect they have on virtually everything. For example, we raise money and donate items and provide “quick-fix” solutions to the surface-level problems that we see. Although we may fix that problem in the short-term, it won’t stop the problem from happening to others, for generations to come if the system does not provide people with greater opportunities, or protect them from falling into the same vicious cycles it has been for so long. There will continue to be a disproportionate rate of black prisoners in America if there continues to be over-policing in minority neighborhoods, police officers and zero tolerance policies in schools, and neighborhoods that segregate groups, preventing them from getting the same education and opportunities as white students. These issues all feed into one another, creating a homeostatic feedback loop that we have grown to accept as the norm, but creates unnecessary problems that hurt individuals, society, and the economy.

During the millennium village simulator I continuously struggled. I had significant difficulty creating the “perfect” combination of farming, water collection, etc. to allow the villagers to thrive. I was shocked by how sensitive the game was to even the slightest alterations, and how quickly I accidentally sent my villagers into poverty or poor health, when that was obviously not my intention. I realized that the decisions that I was making were negatively affecting people regardless of my intention, and realized that it is easier said than done to be the person in charge of the lives of others.