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Suicide rising across the US

cdc.gov

201–210 of 211 posts

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#201
post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've basically never seen the former. I do see 100X as much ranting against it though. It's hard to feel oppressed when you fit into all the majority categories. As for people "making up" aspects of their identity ... so? Who fucking cares? It doesn't affect me at all, let alone make me more prone to committing suicide!!!

> so? You missed the point. Correct, who cares. But why are they driven to do it? It's because otherwise they are not valued. (If you have another theory let's hear it.) > I've basically never seen the former. I do see 100X as much ranting against it though. You don't spend enough time on college campuses, and you especially don't spend enough time listening to liberal student yell and scream if someone conservative…

25% of transgender students were physically attacked for being transgender. One in six left school because of mistreatment and one in twelve were kicked out of the house. Jumping from those facts to the conclusion that they are just doing it to feel "valued" is bizarre. You might just as well say they're in it for the money, since they are three times more likely to be unemployed and twice as likely to be in poverty. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS...

Lots more detail at http://www.ustranssurvey.org/reports if you're actually interested.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This resonates with me. It's very hard to win empathy from those who haven't struggled with suicide. And it's frustrating how many people will confidently offer you advice they've never needed themselves. Trying to rationalize suicide to someone will almost always lead to more self-alienation, so it's a conversation I avoid almost entirely. Thanks for being forward. Suicide is nothing to be ashamed of and I believe m…

I'm extremely tired today, so I am probably not making my points as eloquently as I would like. Although this is a new account, I've participated on HN nearly 9 years and some folks are well aware of that. I get recognized as also being that other handle by a surprising number of people. I have long addressed controversial issues like suicide. That isn't anything new. Today is my birthday. I am trying to tongue-in-ch…

I recognize and appreciate your honest participation here.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#203
post #71

Something that doesn't get noted enough in the tech community (and surprised me). Farming, fishing, and forestry far outweighs other occupational groups in suicide rates for men [1]. When standardized against population, at a rate of 90.5 per 100,000 people [2]; vs the next highest, construction and extraction (52.5). For comparison, computer and mathematical was at 32.8 for men and 12.5 for women. [1] CDC, 2012 http…

I've worked in 2 out of those 3 professions. I'm a little surprised they are at the top of the list. Contact with nature on a daily basis is really refreshing. However, economic struggle in these fields is really bad: low wages, price competition from industrial-scale companies, seasonal instability. Still surprising that those are the top 3.

Farming and the like have always been tough economically - you have to fork out for equipment and land but the income from the crop varies dramatically - good year and there is a glut and the prices drop, bad year not much crop and so on. I think it may be better to either have corporations do it where no one is hurt so bad if they go bust, or a regulated subsidised market like the EU.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#204
post #53

If there's ever a reminder to be kind to others and to talk to people who might need help, this is it.

Kindness doesn't solve this problem.

I agree Kindness on its own may not do much but shaming, bullying and ostracizing are very deleterious.

I'll put it this way - it certainly won't hurt.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society, which is the basis for what remains of politics. On the other hand, the "politics" that occurs on social media is increasingly nothing other than a popularity contest. It seems hopeless.

> The dilemma is that leaving social media is increasingly tantamount to leaving society Aside from my debilitating addiction to HN, I don't use social media. I have a job, family, large circle of friends, and all the usual attachments to society. I vote and love to debate politics with pretty much anyone interested. How exactly would my attachment to society be improved by more social media? If HN went away tomorrow…

I agree that debate cannot occur on social media and it would be better if no one used Facebook; leaving social media certainly sets a good example.

But I'm arguing against the sentiment that whatever goes on on Facebook is merely a symptom of politics that occurs face-to-face. We live in a world in which people can form political opinions and vote in elections without ever leaving their house.

Today, Facebook might not yet be one of "the usual attachments to society." My point is precisely that social media is increasingly seen as one of the "usual attachments," particularly among younger generations.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#206
post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is harder to be a white man today than it was for my father's generation. There is now almost as much institutional hatred directed our way as there is for... no, that's overstating. There is definitely a lot of institutional hatred directed our way, but it still doesn't come anywhere close to the level of institutional hatred directed at literally every group other than white men. The gap between white men and ev…

The gap closes, but it closes both ways. Minority groups climb incrementally up the ladder of political and cultural relevance by tearing down the power structures which have implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) served to benefit the white majority, and some white people feel persecuted as their identity with that majority privilege and the assumption of their point of view being the cultural default diminishes. It…

I wish I could upvote you twice!

I used the phrase "institutional hatred" to mirror the comment to which I was replying, but indeed, what GP perceived does not, in my opinion, even really resemble institutional hatred.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#207
post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you wanted to know something, and this person knew it, and it's funny because you wanted them not to know it either? I don't get it.

That it’s as infrequent as non existent and that few samples are extrapolated to make statements about state of the world.

My close colleges and family don't do X in my presence is hardly proof of X don't exist. Making that observation and then extrapolating it to state of world is equally fallacious.

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#208

The accelerationism of the world is really taking it's toll. I feel like the political and economical system is, idk, a result of over-application of certain tenets that might have been justified in the past but are increasingly less valid but certain forces are clinging to them because these tenets are all they have. It's not just the US, the world feels like such a blur. Very important and fucked up things are happ…

> I legit feel as if some sort of new conception of government, nations, states, rights, is really needed. I don't know what but I'm all ears. I think it's 'natural' that we need new social-tech. Taking an incredibly coarse view of history: Hunter-gather > agriculture > industrial > today (bio_genetic-digital-AI-climate_change). At each stage we had new social structures form, why should today be any different? If an…

Other than the formation of city states and nation states after the rise of agriculture, what new social structures formed with each technological revolution?

Re: Suicide rising across the US

#210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I legit feel as if some sort of new conception of government, nations, states, rights, is really needed. I don't know what but I'm all ears. I think it's 'natural' that we need new social-tech. Taking an incredibly coarse view of history: Hunter-gather > agriculture > industrial > today (bio_genetic-digital-AI-climate_change). At each stage we had new social structures form, why should today be any different? If an…

Other than the formation of city states and nation states after the rise of agriculture, what new social structures formed with each technological revolution?

http://www.zoomorama.com/slark/01-ea01279b3194535ef039af3a56...
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