4 ms·
Suicides is certainly the most obvious and explicit way to measure loss of life from the 2008 recession, but it's certainly not the whole story. Overdose deaths
by Exmoor 7y ago
Suicides is certainly the most obvious and explicit way to measure loss of life from the 2008 recession, but it's certainly not the whole story. Overdose deaths (70,000+ in 2018 in the US), and other addiction-related deaths are probably significantly exasperated by economic crisis.
I'm not arguing that the deaths from the virus won't outnumber deaths related to the quarantine, but they will be significant. They will also be much more likely to involve younger people whereas the virus is mostly killing people who are within a 10 years of reaching the average life expectancy for their country or above.
- Zenst 7y agoThere will also be suicides related to this event as well, one example https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/german-minister-commits-suicide-after-virus-crisis-worries/ https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/german-mi...
- Exmoor 7y agoAlso, likely homicides: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/tenant-suspected-property-owners-death-taken-into-custody/JQOUJVRGQVEJLCFXEZJTV3CYTM/ https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/tenant-suspected-property-o...
- Zenst 7y agoYes, the impact thru cause and effect is always bigger and will play out in many ways and forms for a while, even once things settle down on the surface, that impact will ripple on for some time.
- sgc 7y agoMost Americans have never had a month off work in their lives. It will probably help mental health for for them at least.
- Exmoor 7y agoThis comment is mind boggling to me. There is a incredible difference between "I'm taking a month off of work" and "I'm being forced to stay in my home, physically isolated from my friends and forced to be around those I share a home with 24/7, with the possibility of financial hardship in the near or far term." One is a vacation, the other is prison.
- sgc 7y agoIt's obviously not vacation, nor is it prison. But the weight of the American rat race is undoubtedly crushing to many.
- tempestn 7y agoI don't agree with the initial premise that suppression measures would potentially cost anywhere near as many lives as they would save. That said, I don't think it's reasonable to compare being off work due to a pandemic lockdown or similar circumstances to a month-long vacation. This will cause significant hardship and stress for many people. It's just that without measures to control the virus, you would still have those effects; they would just come due to fear after a bunch of people die, rather than intentional efforts.
- sgc 7y agoI don't think it's a vacation. But I do think it will have some potentially beneficial side effects, as well as the obvious negative ones.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]