6 ms·

Why look at the very bottom of mortality list? (llᴉɥs ɐ sᴉ sᴉɥʇ ǝsnɐɔǝq) Second-hand smoke kills almost 100 times more Americans. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/

Why look at the very bottom of mortality list? (llᴉɥs ɐ sᴉ sᴉɥʇ ǝsnɐɔǝq) Second-hand smoke kills almost 100 times more Americans. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/general_facts/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/seco...

bequanna 4y ago
We can't talk about one problem because some other problem exists? Perfect is the enemy of good.
- IngvarLynn 4y ago
  It would be quite unwise to talk about spoiled food when your house is on fire. >Perfect is the enemy of good. Agree. Looking at the bottom of mortality list is perfectionism.
  - bequanna 4y ago
    Wrong and somewhat naive. If you have a list of problems you don't only focus on solving the one with the largest impact. You need to balance resource allocation between how the problem negatively impacts AND ability to solve. If we followed your logic, we would stop trying to cure cancer and just focus all healthcare resources exclusively on developing life extension drugs.
- peteradio 4y ago
  Then what is the point of doing a relative comparison to any other causes of death?
  - bequanna 4y ago
    For context.
- ejb999 4y ago
  wasting limited resources on initiatives that save less lives per dollar spent vs other initiatives that save more lives and/or cost less per lived saved IS the enemy of the good. my own example - I live in a tiny town at about 1700 ft elevation, nowhere near the ocean, no bodies of water than can flood, not anywhere near the ocean, just 1 tornado in the past 80+ years, and no hurricanes above a cat 1 in a century (which caused almost no damage)- i.e. almost zero immediate 'environmental threats' - the town was given a $120K state/federal grant to "prepare" for climate change effects. What do you think would save more lives in my little place in the world? - giving out free car seats to all newborns, free smoke detectors every few years to every residence, free CO2 monitors, and tackling obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as drugs thru more education or recreational opportunities for kids etc - or 'studying' the possible effects of climate change in nowhereville USA? My money is on the former.
  - bequanna 4y ago
    We should be continuously discussing and evaluating how to solve all real problems humanity faces. Your criticism of the Federal Grant you mention is valid. It would have been great if you could have expressed that thought _before_ they wrote that check, right? That's what this entire comment section is: People discussing a specific problem. Not the other problem, this one.
    - drdec 4y ago
      Part of discussing the problem is placing it in context with similar problems.
  - Johnny555 4y ago
    giving out free car seats to all newborns, free smoke detectors every few years to every residence, free CO2 monitors, and tackling obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as drugs thru more education or recreational opportunities for kids etc - or 'studying' the possible effects of climate change in nowhereville USA There are already government programs and charities that give out free car seats, and car seats are required by law for infants in every state. There's not much more the government can do to get more babies in car seats. Most areas require hardwired smoke detectors in new construction, as well as in rental units. The Red Cross and other charities (and some fire departments) provide free smoke detectors to those that can't afford them. Spending money now to prepare for worse climate in the future sounds like a good investment since many mitigations can take years or decades to fund and complete. (like building generator backed community cooling centers, building or improving levees, etc).

bequanna 4y ago

We can't talk about one problem because some other problem exists? Perfect is the enemy of good.

IngvarLynn 4y ago
It would be quite unwise to talk about spoiled food when your house is on fire. >Perfect is the enemy of good. Agree. Looking at the bottom of mortality list is perfectionism.
- bequanna 4y ago
  Wrong and somewhat naive. If you have a list of problems you don't only focus on solving the one with the largest impact. You need to balance resource allocation between how the problem negatively impacts AND ability to solve. If we followed your logic, we would stop trying to cure cancer and just focus all healthcare resources exclusively on developing life extension drugs.
peteradio 4y ago
Then what is the point of doing a relative comparison to any other causes of death?
- bequanna 4y ago
  For context.
ejb999 4y ago
wasting limited resources on initiatives that save less lives per dollar spent vs other initiatives that save more lives and/or cost less per lived saved IS the enemy of the good. my own example - I live in a tiny town at about 1700 ft elevation, nowhere near the ocean, no bodies of water than can flood, not anywhere near the ocean, just 1 tornado in the past 80+ years, and no hurricanes above a cat 1 in a century (which caused almost no damage)- i.e. almost zero immediate 'environmental threats' - the town was given a $120K state/federal grant to "prepare" for climate change effects. What do you think would save more lives in my little place in the world? - giving out free car seats to all newborns, free smoke detectors every few years to every residence, free CO2 monitors, and tackling obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as drugs thru more education or recreational opportunities for kids etc - or 'studying' the possible effects of climate change in nowhereville USA? My money is on the former.
- bequanna 4y ago
  We should be continuously discussing and evaluating how to solve all real problems humanity faces. Your criticism of the Federal Grant you mention is valid. It would have been great if you could have expressed that thought _before_ they wrote that check, right? That's what this entire comment section is: People discussing a specific problem. Not the other problem, this one.
  - drdec 4y ago
    Part of discussing the problem is placing it in context with similar problems.
- Johnny555 4y ago
  giving out free car seats to all newborns, free smoke detectors every few years to every residence, free CO2 monitors, and tackling obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as drugs thru more education or recreational opportunities for kids etc - or 'studying' the possible effects of climate change in nowhereville USA There are already government programs and charities that give out free car seats, and car seats are required by law for infants in every state. There's not much more the government can do to get more babies in car seats. Most areas require hardwired smoke detectors in new construction, as well as in rental units. The Red Cross and other charities (and some fire departments) provide free smoke detectors to those that can't afford them. Spending money now to prepare for worse climate in the future sounds like a good investment since many mitigations can take years or decades to fund and complete. (like building generator backed community cooling centers, building or improving levees, etc).