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A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

nytimes.com

51–60 of 121 posts

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#51

Capitalism is brutal. People spend time with people who provide the most value to their lives. And some people don't provide much value and they die alone.

Have you ever spoken to somebody who actually lived under a different system? You will not like what they tell you.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#53
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Our existence is what we make of it. It might be your purpose, or even most people's purpose, but there are plenty that frankly just aren't that interested.

Our species purpose is to reproduce. That doesn't mean every individual should feel the need to contribute, outliers like that tend to be self weeding anyway; no reason to shame the individual over it.

>That doesn't mean every individual should feel the need to contribute...

You're reiterating what I said above.

>...outliers like that tend to be self weeding anyway; no reason to shame the individual over it.

I'm not sure what you mean or are implying with the "self-weeding" terminology.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#55

Elder loneliness is something I think about a lot. My grandparents on my father’s side are both 94. They’re also both hard of hearing. My grandpa had scarlett fever as a child and went almost deaf. He struggled through school and eventually got hearing aids in his 20’s. A huge improvement for him and every time he recounts that story he revels at the wonders of technology. I like to think my love of tech just runs in…

I just wanted to say you’re doing an awesome job by making them feel included as family, and that you’re a good person for making the effort. To those reading this, make the time and effort now. Life is a long time to have regrets about what you wish you had done. My grandmother lives in a retirement community and 9 times out of 10, families never come to visit the people she knows in her circles. The photos are perf…

Thanks! NanaGram’s made a big difference for them and I’m glad we gave up nights/weeekends to build it. The photos also give us more stuff to talk about during visits.

One other interesting unanticipated side effect is that we built the service to let your (approved) family all send photos into the same phone number for the same delivery. There’s a web UI that you can log into and see all the photos. You also get a text notification when new photos are sent in by someone else.

Now my siblings and I have a private social network of sorts. There’s stuff on there I wouldn’t share to the world at large, but would with my family. It’s a good way to keep updated with what’s going on with my family too.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#56

I didn't manage to finish this article. What is the point exactly? that it sucks to live very old and die? What is specific to Japan? Is it worse in Japan than let say in Germany, China or the US. What could we do to make this better?

I found it really well written. To answer your question though, the birth rate in Germany is even lower than Japan's, though I think Japan has been low longer.

True, but I'm not sure birthrate is the only or main culprit here. I assume more and more people live far from their parents. Besides, very old people have lost their partner, siblings, and possibly some of their children (like the first person depicted in the article).

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#57

I think I tend towards the Aubrey de Grey point of view on this- it's not necessarily anything anyone is doing wrong here, it's more that these folks are living in dying bodies that can't do what they want them to do. If they were suddenly young again- they could go out, make new connections, start over. With that said, I do see the point that this is a western/capitalist phenomenon in the sense that capitalism encou…

>>> If they were suddenly young again- they could go out, make new connections, start over.

I'm not so sure about that. I've met a great many elderly people who want nothing more than to rewind the clock. Given the opportunity they don't want to meet new people or do new things. They fear such experiences. That may be as symptom of being older and more frail, buy any answers to the problem wont come from trying to transform the old into the young. I don't think throwing technology at the problem will help. Nearly every elderly person I've met would much rather have a daily visit from a younger (50s) non-threatening person than even 24/7 video chat with their families.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#58
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s a terrible reason. Add : bringing in a fully autonomous individual motivated by the hope+belief+expectation that they will be there when you grow old? Small chance, considering that the human trait which they need to be subscribed to is empathy, self-lessness and family. A lot of which will be learnt from their own parents. Namely you.

having a child is for the parents, not the child. the parents happiness and goals comes first, not the child. its sad that people have forgotten that. the parents end up miserable, and guess who else will end up miserable? you guessed it, the child. wanting to have a child as to not be lonely in life is terrible? most kids are had for no reason at all, and its not terrible either. plus, I am pretty sure for 3 billion…

That sounds like a twisted sort of indentured servitude - "I gave you life, so you owe me". I think you might be better served getting yourself a dog.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#59
post #6

I thinks its do or die time for me to have kids. postponed it too long. I don't want to die alone, old age is loooong. Reading this article and watching this random video put me in high key stress mode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Zxvr2NjDA&feature=youtu.be...

Alternatively you could take the decision to die earlier. I'm not suicidal but I don't think it a crazy idea to choose not to become senile.

Re: A Generation in Japan Is Facing a Lonely Death

#60
post #3

Capitalism is brutal. People spend time with people who provide the most value to their lives. And some people don't provide much value and they die alone.

> People spend time with people who provide the most value to their lives. Wow, people are brutal when they are given free will! Looks like this "free will" is a brutal, evil thing.

We're encouraged in capitalism to spend our limited time developing networks and connections with people who can benefit us financially or career wise.

A true capitalistic value system considers it a waste of time to pursue relationships with simply interesting people with mostly non-capitalizable quality's like good sense of humor, compassion, storytelling...etc.

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