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> Suicide is a growing problem in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a survey Thursday showing suicide rates increas
by georgewsinger 8y ago
> Suicide is a growing problem in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a survey Thursday showing suicide rates increased by 25% across the United States over nearly two decades ending in 2016.
> I remember a while back that the general public's tone on suicide was a lot less sober. More of a "man up" sort of attitude.
Not trolling: wouldn't this provide (weak, but nevertheless some) evidence that a "man up" sort of attitude was more effective at combating suicide than our attitude towards it now?
- hsljekskfh 8y agono confounding variables in the last 22 years, i’m sure.
- Toast_25 8y agoIt may be that the effects we're having now were caused by that "man up" attitude that was going on back then.
- apearson 8y agoPlaying devil's advocate but wouldn't the effects have been causing problems in the past as well. The "man up" attitude has been going on for much longer than a single generation. Also do you know of any stats or papers looking at possible connections? Genuinely curious.
- fragmede 8y agoNot unless you can control for all the other ills in the world, somehow. Weak evidence is just that; weak. Why not look at other things that happened in 2016 and draw equally valid conclusions? Eg, President Obama's presidency ended in 2016 when the results of the election were announced; the difference between his successor certainly changed national and international attitudes, far more than "man up" is a evidence-based practice that lowers suicide rates, anyway. For any problem, there is an explanation that is simple, easy, and wrong.