3/31/2026
There exists a common cultural misconception across the United States, that of how deeply our systems shape our lives, and how reluctant we are to admit when those systems fail. Take a moment to think about that. It’s an initially disruptive and unsettling idea to many, and for many fundamental reasons pertaining to agency, identity, meaning, and of course worldview. Rightfully so, its aims expose the very core of our beliefs and actions to confront a reality that contradicts what has been prepared in advance for us to consume. Or, in other words, that it really is positing that the experience of lived reality is molded and shaped by institutional involvement and thus that we are not nearly as decisive as we believe ourselves to be.
Now, that’s a lot to take in and consider. This I understand. But, it is ever more a position that invites opportunity to influence the direction of change in a society. This is brought up for many reasons, but it is also clear that our very institutions are experiencing a legitimacy test; one that is speculated to be ever grander than the previous financial collapse was in 2008. The framework of our society is undergoing a rapid restructuring bringing out the very worst in human behavior. The affluent are continuing to benefit at the hands of the most at risk. Wealth disparities are growing and the bedrock of our society is being excavated. Change is ever constant, but this type of change is unwelcomed by many.
It’s important to take a moment to reflect whenever possible, as there are numerous social facts to be analyzed. In essence, often institutions are structured through policy; policy is implemented to affect the daily lives of those the institution serves. Confronting this type of bureaucratic monster may seem daunting, but it begins with the lived reality of those that the policy serves. That is always my starting point. Because policy is power, a malleable force that deserves attention. I aim to confront that power.
To answer my own question though, I write to influence. I bring up the contemporary situation to provide an answer to those seeking answers to the situation that is grounded in experience. My natural bend is toward analyzing social systems and structures, translating their existence into a digestible form to be understood.
Understanding public policy is important because to change it we must identify where we can do so. The journey toward change begins with first identifying the structural influence that is perpetuating the issue; the systemic oppression, the exclusion of constituents from active participation in the policy making process, the prejudice our institutions thereby exert. I aim to provide analysis, transparency, and translation of policy because I write with the aim of empowering my readership. I am a public servant devoted to providing support to a public body that is fragmented, siloed, and frustrated, and this project aims to support and provide hope where it is needed in an area where individuals are yearning for purpose. Share with me in this journey and, if compelled, take these ideas and make a change. That is my challenge to you.
Toward clearer thinking, together,
Jake
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