3 ms·

This data is based on causes of death defined purely physically. It's a shame that in a world as complex as ours, we still don't attach psychological explanatio

This data is based on causes of death defined purely physically. It's a shame that in a world as complex as ours, we still don't attach psychological explanations and categorize them as causes too. Why not: he died of loneliness? He died of a broken heart? Or economic ones: He died because he couldn't afford the healthcare he needed? He died because he couldn't pay the heating bill and they turned it off? Perhaps then we could get a different handle on the issues that face us, especially that face the elderly, and be more responsive.

jamesrcole 7y ago
Along these lines, how much do various cognitive biases and false beliefs contribute to deaths?
mpweiher 7y ago
Considering your first two, loneliness and broken heart, these would probably fall under suicide, which is 1.8%. So I am not sure you'd be getting a significant new insight into major causes.
- ternaryoperator 7y ago
  We don't know, because suicide is the only category on the chart that reflects a psychological factor. If we tracked (more correctly, if we could track) people dying of loneliness but who don't commit suicide, perhaps we'd find the number to be hugely higher. When I look at the sadness of the elderly in large cities, my sense is that number would be a lot higher. But we just don't know.
  - slimsag 7y ago
    To some extent we do know. We know people who are lonely tend to be less active, and we know people who are less active tend to have worse health. On the Greek island of Ikaria for example[1], we know that people regularly live to be 90 years old and that even at that age they remain incredibly social and physically active. [1] http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171116-the-greek-island-with-the-key-to-longevity http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171116-the-greek-island-wi...

3 ms·

This data is based on causes of death defined purely physically. It's a shame that in a world as complex as ours, we still don't attach psychological explanatio

by ternaryoperator 7y ago

jamesrcole 7y ago
Along these lines, how much do various cognitive biases and false beliefs contribute to deaths?
mpweiher 7y ago
Considering your first two, loneliness and broken heart, these would probably fall under suicide, which is 1.8%. So I am not sure you'd be getting a significant new insight into major causes.
- ternaryoperator 7y ago
  We don't know, because suicide is the only category on the chart that reflects a psychological factor. If we tracked (more correctly, if we could track) people dying of loneliness but who don't commit suicide, perhaps we'd find the number to be hugely higher. When I look at the sadness of the elderly in large cities, my sense is that number would be a lot higher. But we just don't know.
  - slimsag 7y ago
    To some extent we do know. We know people who are lonely tend to be less active, and we know people who are less active tend to have worse health. On the Greek island of Ikaria for example[1], we know that people regularly live to be 90 years old and that even at that age they remain incredibly social and physically active. [1] http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171116-the-greek-island-with-the-key-to-longevity http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171116-the-greek-island-wi...