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not sure why this is being downvoted. China recently surpassed the US in life expectancy. But suppose you do not trust Chinese statistics; Mexico passed US life

not sure why this is being downvoted. China recently surpassed the US in life expectancy. But suppose you do not trust Chinese statistics; Mexico passed US life expectancy. Life expectancy a good measure for right track / wrong track.

didericis 4y ago
The US is definitely on the wrong track, but I think the more we think emulating China will “fix” things (especially under Xi), the worse things will get. Look at what we did with Covid. We had existing pandemic response strategies that were thrown out to mimic China, and we destroyed our economy, didn’t save anyone, and stunted child development. Sweden was much more rational and adhered to much saner western policies that we abandoned due to panic and false advertising from China. There are things about China worthy of emulation, like how easy it is (or was, not sure if this is still true) to set up factories, the cultural emphasis on hard work and education, the stronger generational family support networks, the sense of unity and cooperation and trust in authority. But there are also severe problems that China doesn’t talk about, many of which are side effects of some of the same things that are admirable when moderated, and extremely dysfunctional when under poor leadership.
- trasz 4y ago
  US approach to COVID is pretty much the exact opposite to what China did. It follows from a fundamental difference in priorities - Chinese don’t want to die for somebody’s profits. I’m also not sure if fake news is an entire industry in China, like it is in US. And if it exists, it’s certainly not backed by the government, like Breitbart was. As for false advertising - look at how western media are pumping Chinese “housing crisis” where the reality is pretty much the opposite (https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011211/the-winners-of-chinas-housing-bust-burnouts-and-beach-bums https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011211/the-winners-of-chinas...) - it’s the west that has a terrible housing crisis; China has merely a housing investment crisis, which is a relatively minor problem to people.
octoberfranklin 4y ago
> Mexico passed US life expectancy. Where did you hear that? Everything I can find says the opposite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expe...
- moistly 4y ago
  Everything you can find says the opposite? How odd! When I search “china usa life expectancy” on DDG I get a page that’s choc-a-bloc with headlines about the provisional CDC release that says all signs point toward US Covid death rates causing such a sharp drop in US median lifespans that China, already having shown stunning improvements this past few decades and recently nipping at the US’s heels, has now pulled ahead. Whew. Hard work. You’re welcome!
  - BLKNSLVR 4y ago
    Not who you're replying to, but: Mexico, not China
    - moistly 4y ago
      Oh fuck me. Sorry, octoberfranklin.
- justinzollars 4y ago
  You are right! They have not passed us yet, but our life expectancy is going down, while theirs is going up; so this may happen down the road

didericis 4y ago

The US is definitely on the wrong track, but I think the more we think emulating China will “fix” things (especially under Xi), the worse things will get. Look at what we did with Covid. We had existing pandemic response strategies that were thrown out to mimic China, and we destroyed our economy, didn’t save anyone, and stunted child development. Sweden was much more rational and adhered to much saner western policies that we abandoned due to panic and false advertising from China. There are things about China worthy of emulation, like how easy it is (or was, not sure if this is still true) to set up factories, the cultural emphasis on hard work and education, the stronger generational family support networks, the sense of unity and cooperation and trust in authority. But there are also severe problems that China doesn’t talk about, many of which are side effects of some of the same things that are admirable when moderated, and extremely dysfunctional when under poor leadership.

trasz 4y ago
US approach to COVID is pretty much the exact opposite to what China did. It follows from a fundamental difference in priorities - Chinese don’t want to die for somebody’s profits. I’m also not sure if fake news is an entire industry in China, like it is in US. And if it exists, it’s certainly not backed by the government, like Breitbart was. As for false advertising - look at how western media are pumping Chinese “housing crisis” where the reality is pretty much the opposite (https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011211/the-winners-of-chinas-housing-bust-burnouts-and-beach-bums https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011211/the-winners-of-chinas...) - it’s the west that has a terrible housing crisis; China has merely a housing investment crisis, which is a relatively minor problem to people.

octoberfranklin 4y ago

> Mexico passed US life expectancy. Where did you hear that? Everything I can find says the opposite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expe...

moistly 4y ago
Everything you can find says the opposite? How odd! When I search “china usa life expectancy” on DDG I get a page that’s choc-a-bloc with headlines about the provisional CDC release that says all signs point toward US Covid death rates causing such a sharp drop in US median lifespans that China, already having shown stunning improvements this past few decades and recently nipping at the US’s heels, has now pulled ahead. Whew. Hard work. You’re welcome!
- BLKNSLVR 4y ago
  Not who you're replying to, but: Mexico, not China
  - moistly 4y ago
    Oh fuck me. Sorry, octoberfranklin.
justinzollars 4y ago
You are right! They have not passed us yet, but our life expectancy is going down, while theirs is going up; so this may happen down the road