rant
It’s been a while since I posted so let me do a quick update. First I’m at my cottage. Second, I’m very happy to be at my cottage.
Now for my rant that will probably offend some people, and the majority of LJ users :-P
I was mulling over how weak our society has made people. The society itself is not weak, we have a strong economy, no fear of starvation, and even the poorest are better off than the majority of humankind throughout the ages. But the people of our society have become weak minded. The prime example of this is our inability to deal with sadness.
Before I start I want to make it known that sadness is an integral part of being a human being. In fact, humans have much more pain receptors and can generally feel more intense pain then pleasure (just ask the guys at Gitmo). But through generations of affluence the people of our society cannot handle pain anymore. A recent study (http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/55/4/387) found that 2 percent of children are on antidepressants. The amount of children has been steadily growing at 9% a year. 10% of adults are using antidepressents, and that amount in increasing at a similar rate. The huge amount of people taking these drugs shocks the conscious. What is making so many people so sad that they can't even go to work everyday? What could possibly be worse then what people faced for most of human history?
Throughout most of human history, starvation was a serious threat. Seeing your loved one chopped to pieces by a foreign invader was also a real possibly. Seeing your wife or children die of the plague, childbirth, or any number of aliments was a common fact of human life. People has 12 children because it was expected that 10 of them would die on average! When each of these earth shattering events occurred, people moved on. No medication, no whining, they picked themselves up and went back to work because they had to. It seems almost certain that people today aren't facing the above issues, and it doesn't seem possible that anything people face today could ever be worse then what people faced in the past.
Fast forward to the present time, and currently 12% of our population is on antidepressants that actually INCREASES the chance they will commit suicide, just so that they can feel good! (see http://www.mcmanweb.com/FDA_suicide.htm). Isn’t it sad when 12% of a society is taking drugs that cause them to think suicidal thoughts!? We have become so weak, so pathetic, that we would risk our lives and grow dependent on an expensive drugs, just so that we don’t have to face the pain, feel it, and move on with our lives. We as a people in our society have lost the will to do things that we don’t like doing. We’ve lost the will to keep pushing even when we are sad and tired. We have become wealthy and strong, but our minds and bodies are weaker than ever. I wonder if our wealth is a worthy trade off for our will.
EDIT.
As even more evidence of our weak-will, a recent study found that exercise was JUST AS EFFECTIVE at combatting depression as antidepressent pills! (With the addtional bonus that it doesn't cost money, isn't addicitive, and doesn't make it person want to commit susicide) But could anyone imagine a doctor proscripbing exercise to combat depression?
Of course not, cause as a people we lack the will power to do something as simple as exercise when we don't feel like it, even when it can save our lives. If you need evidence of this, look to the 30% of Americans who are obese and the 60% who are overweight.
Now for my rant that will probably offend some people, and the majority of LJ users :-P
I was mulling over how weak our society has made people. The society itself is not weak, we have a strong economy, no fear of starvation, and even the poorest are better off than the majority of humankind throughout the ages. But the people of our society have become weak minded. The prime example of this is our inability to deal with sadness.
Before I start I want to make it known that sadness is an integral part of being a human being. In fact, humans have much more pain receptors and can generally feel more intense pain then pleasure (just ask the guys at Gitmo). But through generations of affluence the people of our society cannot handle pain anymore. A recent study (http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/55/4/387) found that 2 percent of children are on antidepressants. The amount of children has been steadily growing at 9% a year. 10% of adults are using antidepressents, and that amount in increasing at a similar rate. The huge amount of people taking these drugs shocks the conscious. What is making so many people so sad that they can't even go to work everyday? What could possibly be worse then what people faced for most of human history?
Throughout most of human history, starvation was a serious threat. Seeing your loved one chopped to pieces by a foreign invader was also a real possibly. Seeing your wife or children die of the plague, childbirth, or any number of aliments was a common fact of human life. People has 12 children because it was expected that 10 of them would die on average! When each of these earth shattering events occurred, people moved on. No medication, no whining, they picked themselves up and went back to work because they had to. It seems almost certain that people today aren't facing the above issues, and it doesn't seem possible that anything people face today could ever be worse then what people faced in the past.
Fast forward to the present time, and currently 12% of our population is on antidepressants that actually INCREASES the chance they will commit suicide, just so that they can feel good! (see http://www.mcmanweb.com/FDA_suicide.htm). Isn’t it sad when 12% of a society is taking drugs that cause them to think suicidal thoughts!? We have become so weak, so pathetic, that we would risk our lives and grow dependent on an expensive drugs, just so that we don’t have to face the pain, feel it, and move on with our lives. We as a people in our society have lost the will to do things that we don’t like doing. We’ve lost the will to keep pushing even when we are sad and tired. We have become wealthy and strong, but our minds and bodies are weaker than ever. I wonder if our wealth is a worthy trade off for our will.
EDIT.
As even more evidence of our weak-will, a recent study found that exercise was JUST AS EFFECTIVE at combatting depression as antidepressent pills! (With the addtional bonus that it doesn't cost money, isn't addicitive, and doesn't make it person want to commit susicide) But could anyone imagine a doctor proscripbing exercise to combat depression?
Of course not, cause as a people we lack the will power to do something as simple as exercise when we don't feel like it, even when it can save our lives. If you need evidence of this, look to the 30% of Americans who are obese and the 60% who are overweight.