white males due to drug use, alcohol abuse, and suicide.
The increase is most pronounced among poor/working class men.
The increase in the death rate is comparable to what occurred in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The death rate of middle aged white males is now 50% higher than US Hispanics of a similar age.
My theory is a lot of middle-aged white males are killing themselves because they see their lives as failures. At some level they are conscious of the fact that 40 years ago their fathers were making more money and with better benefits and more job security.
Since the American story is supposed to be one of each generation doing better than the last, they see themselves as losers.
My sympathy, and I am very sympathetic, is somewhat tempered by the fact that these men have brought on themselves by voting against their self-interests and in favor of Republicans for the last 35 years. It happened again yesterday in Kentucky, a state with many poor white voters, where they voted into office a guy who promises to tear down the very successful Obamacare plan. How are these voters helping themselves by doing that?
Do they ever ask themselves that question, maybe just before they pull the trigger or stick the needle in their arms?
Meanwhile, Republicans will be campaigning on boys in girls locker rooms or whatever other nonsense they can come up with.
The increase is most pronounced among poor/working class men.
The increase in the death rate is comparable to what occurred in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The death rate of middle aged white males is now 50% higher than US Hispanics of a similar age.
My theory is a lot of middle-aged white males are killing themselves because they see their lives as failures. At some level they are conscious of the fact that 40 years ago their fathers were making more money and with better benefits and more job security.
Since the American story is supposed to be one of each generation doing better than the last, they see themselves as losers.
My sympathy, and I am very sympathetic, is somewhat tempered by the fact that these men have brought on themselves by voting against their self-interests and in favor of Republicans for the last 35 years. It happened again yesterday in Kentucky, a state with many poor white voters, where they voted into office a guy who promises to tear down the very successful Obamacare plan. How are these voters helping themselves by doing that?
Do they ever ask themselves that question, maybe just before they pull the trigger or stick the needle in their arms?
Meanwhile, Republicans will be campaigning on boys in girls locker rooms or whatever other nonsense they can come up with.
