General Discussion

Autumn Colors

(2,379 posts)

9. Of course it would

Sat May 11, 2013, 08:13 AM

May 2013

In the past, people always had health concerns .... and so most people would BE ABLE TO go the doctor and get it taken care of. People had a means to pay for that healthcare via either health insurance or a reliable income to be able to make arrangements to pay off the bill over time.

Now things have changed. The same number of people in their 50s and 60s are having health concerns, but find that they have (a) no job or means to set up payment for treatment, (b) no health insurance, (c) may be in the middle of losing their home to foreclosure already, or (d) see no future for themselves if all they have to look forward to is foreclosure/bankruptcy just to pay the medical bills.

So yes, people have always tended to start having health concerns at that age, but a growing number of people no longer have any hope of being able to treat those concerns. The mindset may be "better to go out now at a time of my choosing than have to suffer".

Health hasn't changed, but life for many certainly has.

I'm guessing it hasn't for you, though.

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Is Cutthroat Capitalism Pushing a Growing Number of Baby Boomers to Suicide? [View all] xchrom May 2013 OP

In America you are your job and your income Fumesucker May 2013 #1

Yes. And I think a subtle and sometimes not so subtle Skidmore May 2013 #3

They are told to die. I have been by younger workers. It is if I owed the little fuckers something. roguevalley May 2013 #24

My husband has experienced this at his job too. Skidmore May 2013 #25

I've gotten the vibe that younger people blame boomers flamingdem May 2013 #29

Considering the Boomer generation is currently in charge, why shouldn't we blame them? Sirveri May 2013 #32

I appreciate your honesty flamingdem May 2013 #33

I might not feel responsible for the Bush admin, but I am. Sirveri May 2013 #35

As you know an individual can do a lot to change things flamingdem May 2013 #36

The article doesn't mention health concerns. femmocrat May 2013 #2

people always have health concerns. that wouldn't affect the *rate* at which people HiPointDem May 2013 #7

Of course it would Autumn Colors May 2013 #9

I agree with Autumn Colors. femmocrat May 2013 #12

Health insurance & medical costs have been a problem since the 80s. There's no reason to HiPointDem May 2013 #16

All of these factors combined Autumn Colors May 2013 #19

no doubt. i'm just saying that the precipitating factor is the increasingly lousy economy since HiPointDem May 2013 #20

OK, we'll agree to disagree Autumn Colors May 2013 #26

Older caucasian males have always had a very high risk of suicide Recursion May 2013 #4

the number of white males doesn't affect the rate at which they commit suicide. and old white HiPointDem May 2013 #5

Since about 1960 they have (nt) Recursion May 2013 #6

link? HiPointDem May 2013 #17

I admit it has crossed my mind michigandem58 May 2013 #8

I can assure you that poverty will do the job, and that Market Capitalism cannot survive bemildred May 2013 #10

Suicide can become a destination Newest Reality May 2013 #11

Well, it's like this, Benton D Struckcheon May 2013 #13

Yep. bemildred May 2013 #15

you don't need to cut it off at 55, either magical thyme May 2013 #30

Yeah I know Benton D Struckcheon May 2013 #31

at 20% of my former income, I'm living hand to mouth magical thyme May 2013 #34

In India, over 150,000 small farmers have committed suicide due to the globalization of byeya May 2013 #14

You know India is an explicitly socialist economy, right? Particularly as regards agriculture Recursion May 2013 #18

not any more, it ain't. and that's why farmers are committing suicide. duh. HiPointDem May 2013 #21

There are still price and production controls Recursion May 2013 #22

I don't think so. From 2012: HiPointDem May 2013 #23

These are owners of small subsistance plots - no socialism, as in the state owning the means of byeya May 2013 #27

I'm not going to judge, BUT... socialist_n_TN May 2013 #28