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The answer to lowering demand is clearly to encourage preventative medicine over reaction medicine. Not really: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/29/us-pr

The answer to lowering demand is clearly to encourage preventative medicine over reaction medicine. Not really: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/29/us-preventive-economics-idUSBRE90S05M20130129 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/29/us-preventive-econ...

caseysoftware 11y ago
Wow, thanks. I don't like the conclusions but great article.
laotzu 11y ago
The article fails to convince. Mentions studies but does not cite them. Doesn't even mention the words "exercise" or "healthy diet", the two best and cheapest forms of preventative medicine. Narrowly defines preventative medicine as "low- or no-benefit measures include annual physicals".
- ThomPete 11y ago
  Do you know how few people have the energy or money to exercise and eat healthy? It sounds easy but it's a lot of work. It's not just a rational choice, people aren't rational. It's kind of like saying that the solution to overpopulation is to get less children. Thats not how things work.
  - laotzu 11y ago
    I'm not saying at all that it would be easy to get people to do what is in their best interest; though once they are properly educated, it would create a positive feedback loop. The more you exercise the more energy you have to exercise. The healthier you eat the less you have to spend on preventable diseases like heart disease and diabetes and so the more money you have to spend on healthy food. The solution to overpopulation, as evidenced by the Demographic-Economic Paradox, is clearly to raise the standard of living by successfully distributing the renewable surplus of food, water, and shelter that is available but wasted every year. This is also an example of turning a negative feedback loop into a positive feedback loop which in turn pays for itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic-economic_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic-economic_paradox The issues of poverty, disease, and overpopulation are closely interrelated indeed.

caseysoftware 11y ago

Wow, thanks. I don't like the conclusions but great article.

laotzu 11y ago

The article fails to convince. Mentions studies but does not cite them. Doesn't even mention the words "exercise" or "healthy diet", the two best and cheapest forms of preventative medicine. Narrowly defines preventative medicine as "low- or no-benefit measures include annual physicals".

ThomPete 11y ago
Do you know how few people have the energy or money to exercise and eat healthy? It sounds easy but it's a lot of work. It's not just a rational choice, people aren't rational. It's kind of like saying that the solution to overpopulation is to get less children. Thats not how things work.
- laotzu 11y ago
  I'm not saying at all that it would be easy to get people to do what is in their best interest; though once they are properly educated, it would create a positive feedback loop. The more you exercise the more energy you have to exercise. The healthier you eat the less you have to spend on preventable diseases like heart disease and diabetes and so the more money you have to spend on healthy food. The solution to overpopulation, as evidenced by the Demographic-Economic Paradox, is clearly to raise the standard of living by successfully distributing the renewable surplus of food, water, and shelter that is available but wasted every year. This is also an example of turning a negative feedback loop into a positive feedback loop which in turn pays for itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic-economic_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic-economic_paradox The issues of poverty, disease, and overpopulation are closely interrelated indeed.