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U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

wsj.com

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Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#211

Post by superkuh »

beginningguava wrote: post #29

The opioid epidemic is an amazing example of human psychology and the power of a visual. More people die from it every year than Vietnam, yet there's been no large public outcry to resolve the situation because it isn't right in your face like a 9/11 or pearl harbor. Even ignoring the human impact and just going to economics, those lost lives will cost the US billions in lost productivity over time, yet nobody really…

Your premise seems to be that all death should evoke equal concern. I think people being forced by threat of violence to commit violence against another group of people and dying during it is far worse than someone chosing of their own volition to use a recreation drug and making a mistake with their own life.

I'd bet many people share my differentiation. I don't think it's primarily a 'visual' difference.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#212

Post by refurb »

selectodude wrote: post #153
refurb wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disasters increase GDP? How? The money spent rebuilding a country is money not spent on other things.

Insurance pays to rebuild, they’re using money that is not part of GDP and adding it to GDP.

Sure insurance money is a part of GDP. It’s either premiums paid or sitting as an investment that needs to be liquidated to generate funds.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#213

Post by sorokod »

jartelt wrote: post #203

Note that if you are in the demographic of well educated and high income Americans, your life expectancy is still quite high and you should assume you will live to your 90s when planning for retirement! The decrease in life expectancy observed is being largely driven by people on the middle to lower portion of the income spectrum. It's very unfortunate that it is happening and so many people are struggling. Hopefully…

The article is about the trend - not the absolute numbers

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#214

Post by nonbel »

gizmo385 wrote: post #192
ams6110 wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's another group of people like me. I have a good job, with good health benefits. I haven't been to the doctor for myself in probably a decade. I just don't like doctors.

> I just don't like doctors. Why? They're there to keep you healthy. Yeah, sure it can be uncomfortable talking to a doctor about personal health issues, but it's better than waiting until it's too late and finding out that "if only you'd come sooner, we could have helped".

Our understanding of the human body is very rudimentary. Basically doctors are people who memorized a bunch of questionable info and try to guess what to do. Give people in that situation access to highly concentrated chemicals and extremely sharp objects (eg scalpels and syringes) and you really shouldn't expect much.

Like Feynman said though, if you are deathly ill in the jungle you would rather go see a witchdoctor than some random person. At least they will have some experience caring for the sick.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#215

Post by dragontamer »

swsieber wrote: post #158
all2 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I personally don't think religion has a large effect on opioid use or suicide but if it does have one it's a positive one. That was my point. As for insulting people, that isn't my intent. I have only my own observations to go on, and I don't know other people's situations or story, especially religion. My personal experience has been rather shallow. No one asks hard questions, no one talks about God unless they're…

What do you mean by hard questions? Does it include things like "what happens after we die?"? I think those questions are best answered by religion, but religion is being attacked, or at the very least, excluded in most thought-provoking venues. Take for example the school that reject have Chick-fil-A on campus because of its (Chick-fil-A's) religious leanings[0]. Or the fact discussing religion on this very website…

> Take for example the school that reject have Chick-fil-A on campus because of its (Chick-fil-A's) religious leanings[0]. Or the fact discussing religion on this very website is generally frowned upon - though that seems to be a reaction to people's recent animosity towards religion.

That article you linked seems to suggest that the school doesn't like Chick-fil-A's leanings towards gay rights. Do you tie gay rights into a religious ideals?

Is it animosity towards religion, or is it animosity towards anti-gay forces? I for one have certainly met militant atheists, so I'm not going to pretend that militant atheism doesn't exist, but they're a very small minority of people.

Most atheists I've seen are willing to listen to me talk to them about religion. They're curious, growing up with a life without religion, and they are interested in what growing up in a religious family is like. But where the line is drawn is when rights of others are trampled upon.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#216

Post by stupidbird »

cryptonerd2212 wrote: post #186
Frondo wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, no person is a animal and it's misguided and inappropriate to make the comparison. People who behave cruelly aren't animals, they're people who behave cruelly and we should seek to minimize/stop their cruelty and ability to inflict it. Drug users, willing or no, also aren't animals. Drug users who want to stop should be given all the tools necessary to kick their habits. Drug users who don't want to stop should b…

Technically, we are animals.

We're not discussing taxonomy, so this is completely irrelevant.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#217

Post by roel_v »

yesenadam wrote: post #71
beginningguava wrote: post #29

The opioid epidemic is an amazing example of human psychology and the power of a visual. More people die from it every year than Vietnam, yet there's been no large public outcry to resolve the situation because it isn't right in your face like a 9/11 or pearl harbor. Even ignoring the human impact and just going to economics, those lost lives will cost the US billions in lost productivity over time, yet nobody really…

More people die from it every year than Vietnam [Kind of off-topic] I'm guessing you mean by 'than Vietnam', 'than Americans died in the Vietnam war"? (Well I think so. Apologies if not.) That's a pretty macabre unit. Can you imagine how a Vietnamese person would feel reading that? Maybe in Vietnam they say 'More people die from [something] every year than America' - meaning what they call the American War[0]. Wouldn…

"edit: Downvoter, care to explain how I can improve my comment? Thanks. "

By deleting it.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#218

Post by stupidbird »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #75
stupidbird wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's the same issue as the prison population being so enormous. When someone does crime/drugs the country collectively just thinks that these people did it to themselves. I've heard people casually refer to criminals/addicts as animals, it's ridiculous.

Yes that's sad. But consider: what would you call someone who injected strangers with noxious drugs and enjoyed their torment? An animal? Is it so big a leap to think the same, when they're doing it to themselves?

What would you call someone who compelled strangers to buy low-quality things they don't need? What would you call someone who tricked children into getting addicted to mobile games? What would you call someone who knowingly buys products manufactured under poor labor conditions? What do you call someone who willingly eats meat produced in cruel environments?

You can play this game all day. This isn't the point. They're all people — they have families, wants and needs, they dream at night. They're all just trying to get by one way or another. They're no more discardable than you or me.

Re: U.S. Life Expectancy Falls Further

#220

Post by daveFNbuck »

cpursley wrote: post #210
daveFNbuck wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you arguing that poor people would live longer if they had less money for food?

No, of course not! Just pointing out the craziness of how the system actually works.

How do food stamps add to the craziness if they're not making things worse for the recipients?
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