So when you do your family tree and Margaret Cho does hers and... Wanda Sykes and John Legend... we're adding to the database that scholars can then draw from to generalize about the complexity of the American experience. And that's the contribution that family trees make to broader scholarship.
There are times like after a long day of work when the thought of an easy drive-through is enticing. But then I remember how crappy I felt when I ate fast food in the past and it inspires me to head to the grocery store or my local farmer's market and whip up an easy but healthier option.